SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The No. 30 Slippery Rock University baseball team maintained its undefeated record to start the 2022 season with a 5-1 win against Saint Anselm College Friday at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
With the win, Slippery Rock improves to 7-0 on the season, tying the 1993 Rock team for the third best start to a year in program history. Only the 2005 and 2013 SRU teams had better openings to their respective seasons with eight consecutive wins.
 
The Hawks dropped to 7-7 this season in the loss.
 
Slippery Rock earned the victory by parlaying timely power hitting in the form of three home runs and a run-scoring double with clutch pitching that saw Ricky Mineo (2-0) and Travis Holman strand a combined 16 Saint Anselm baserunners.
 
Mineo earned his second win in a as many starts by not allowing a run over 5.2 innings pitched as he worked around six hits and four walks all the while striking out 11 batters on 108 pitches. Mineo has now registered 28 strikeouts without allowing an earned run in 11.2 innings pitched this season.
 
Holman came on for Mineo in the sixth and proceeded to pitch the final 3.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks while striking out three batters for his first save of the season.
 
Six Rock players combined for nine hits Friday led by Luke Trueman who went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a solo home run, his first of the season. Connor Hamilton continued his hot start to the year via a 1-for-3 day at the plate that included two runs scored, a walk and his team-best fourth home run of the season.
 
Eddie Morris also recorded a multi-hit day by going 2-for-4 with one run, a home run, two RBI and a double. Morris is now up to two home runs on the season and six in his first 36 collegiate at-bats.
 
Abraham Mow, Alex Robenolt and Joel Spishock all produced base hits as well with Mow also walking twice and driving in one run. Joe Ehland drew two walks as well to round out The Rock's top performers.
 
Slippery Rock scored runs in each of the first four innings to take a lead it would never relinquish. Hamilton opened the game with a solo home run in the first with Mow walking with the bases loaded in the second, Morris homering in the third and Trueman capping off the early barrage with a home run of his own in the fourth for a 4-0 lead.
 
Saint Anselm put runners on base in each of the first five innings with their best chances to score early on coming with bases loaded situations in the third and fifth innings. However, Mineo was able to navigate out of both jams with a strikeout in the third and a fielder's choice out in the fifth to maintain the four-run edge.
 
The Hawks finally broke through for their first run of the day in the seventh by way of an RBI-single from Mike Borrelli. Saint Anselm went on to once again load the bases two batters later, but a potentially big inning was promptly halted when Jon Kozarian made a diving stop and a perfect thrown on a groundball up the middle to get SRU out of the inning holding a three-run advantage.
 
Slippery Rock added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh when Morris shot a double down the right field line to plate Hamilton from second. The four-run lead was more than enough for Holman who went on to close out the game as the trusted reliever tossed a perfect eighth inning and stranded two runners on base in the ninth, sealing the win.
 
Saint Anselm used three pitchers in Friday's game. Dylan Bedder (2-3) took the loss after allowing four runs on four hits and five walks over five innings pitched. Will Hunter and Jared Reminder came on to pitch the final three innings. The pair combined to hold The Rock to one run on five hits and two walks.
 
Slippery Rock and Saint Anselm continue their four-game weekend series with a doubleheader Saturday at Jack Critchfield Park. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.
 
 
 


To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on Twitter (@Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).