New/Sortable Box Score 1 |
New/Sortable Box Score 2 SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University softball team extended its unbeaten streak to seven games with a non-conference doubleheader sweep over Clarion University Thursday at the SRU Softball Complex.
The Rock took game one 2-1 before completing the sweep over the Golden Eagles with an 8-7 vi eight-inning victory in game two. SRU earned its third sweep of an opponent this season to improve its record to 11-10-1 overall while Clarion moves to 1-20.
Slippery Rock's offensive leaders over the two games included
Erin Gardner who went 2-for-5 with three runs scored, one RBI and two stolen bases over the double header.
Aiding in the efforts over both contests were
Arielle Brown,
Cami Fisk and
Naomi Childs. Brown went 2-for-6 with one run scored while Fisk was 2-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored. Childs ended the day 2-for-4 with one run scored.
For the second time this season,
Alexsa Hurd was the game two hero this time with a walk off RBI-double.
Kelsi Anderson (6-3) earned her fifth complete-game victory in game one allowing just one run.
GAME ONE: SRU 2 – CU 1
Slippery Rock scored first taking an early two-run lead over the Golden Eagles through two innings before Clarion scored a run of its own in the third inning to trim the deficit. However, Anderson and The Rock defense kept the Golden Eagle bats quite through the remaining four innings to secure the 2-1 win.
With Gardner and
Mackenzie Freeman in scoring position in the bottom of the first,
Emma Kennedy was able to drive in the first run for SRU on a sacrifice fly. Freeman was later brought home by a Fisk double to left field giving The Rock a 2-0 edge to end the first frame.
Clarion then scored its first run in the top of the third inning with an RBI grounded out to cut the Slippery Rock lead to just one run, but Slippery Rock retired seven batters over the final frames while Anderson struck out three to seal The Rock's 2-1 game one victory.
Anderson took the win after allowing just one run on seven hits in addition to striking out nine batters and walking four over a complete-game effort.
Pacing SRU's game-one offense was Fisk who went 1-for-3 with one RBI. Adding to the efforts was Kennedy with The Rock's remaining RBI. Gardner and Freeman scored one run apiece for SRU with Freeman also walking twice while Brown and
Julianna Hutchinson registered one hit each.
Kendyl Switzer (0-5) was the pitcher of record for Clarion after allowing two runs on three hits in addition to striking out two batters over six innings of work.
GAME TWO: SRU 8 – CU 7 (8 Innings)
Slippery Rock earned its third extra-inning victory of the season, and second in its last four contests, in game two as SRU rallied late to force extra frames before capping off the day with an 8-7 win.
Slippery Rock took a seemingly safe 6-3 lead into the fourth inning with Hurd driving in three RBI and Freeman, Gardner and
Anna Villies all driving in one apiece to give SRU the early advantage before Clarion answered back with two homers that plated four total runs to take its first lead of the contest at 7-6.
While The Rock out-hit the Golden Eagles 3-2 over the next two frames, neither team was able to register a run with Clarion holding onto its one-run advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Hurd led off The Rock's half of the seventh with a triple to right field before being brought home by Freeman on an RBI-ground out to tie the contest 7-7. SRU appeared poised to win the game in regulation when it loaded the bases with two outs, but CU pitcher Megan Anderson was able to send the game into extra innings by inducing a rally-ending flyout.
Chloe Sharman (4-3), who came on for Hurd in the second inning, promptly retired the Golden Eagles in order in the eighth to give The Rock another walk-off opportunity.
Gardner opened the final half inning by moving Villies to third base with a successful sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Hurd, who was looking at a 1-2 count, drove a single to left field that easily scored Villies from third base to secure the 8-7 win and sweep of Clarion.
Hurd led SRU's offensive efforts with the best game of her college career as she went 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Three of Hurd's hits went for extra bases in the form of two doubles and a triple.
Gardner was 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI while Childs went an identical 2-for-3 in addition to scoring one run. Freeman (2) and Villies (1) drove in the remaining runs for SRU.
In the circle, Hurd allowed three runs on three hits in addition to striking out one batter over 1.1 innings pitched before giving way to Sharman who earned the win after allowing four runs on six hits while striking out six batters and walking just one over 6.1 innings of work.
Anderson (1-3) took the loss after allowing eight runs on 11 hits in addition to striking out one batter over 7.1 innings pitched.
Slippery Rock opens Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division play in a home doubleheader against Gannon University Saturday. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m. at the SRU Softball Complex.
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).
