EBENSBURG, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University softball team dropped both games in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division doubleheader against Pitt-Johnstown Monday at Central Cambria High School in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania.
 
The Rock fell 11-8 in game one before suffering a narrow 5-4 loss in game two. Slippery Rock's record moves to 11-14-1 overall and 0-4 in the PSAC West while Pitt-Johnstown improves to 14-9 overall and 2-0 in the conference.
 
Slippery Rock was led by freshman Alexsa Hurd who showcased one of her best doubleheader performances from the batter's box. Hurd ended the day 5-for-7 with four RBI, three runs scored while belting her first two collegiate home runs.
 
Aiding in SRU's offense on the day was Cami Fisk, Emma Kennedy and Erin Gardner. Fisk went 3-for-8 with two RBI and one home run. Kennedy collected three RBI and two runs. Gardner was 3-for-7 with three runs scored.
 
GAME ONE: UPJ 11 – SRU 8
The Rock held a one-run advantage over UPJ entering the bottom of the fourth but, a six-run inning by Pitt-Johnstown would prove too much for The Rock to overcome in a 11-8 Mountain Cat victory.
 
Trailing, 3-2 entering the fourth inning, The Rock re-gained its advantage from earlier in the contest with two solo home runs by Fisk and Julia Montie to go up 4-3 on UPJ heading into the bottom of the fourth.
 
The Mountain Cats answered The Rock's comeback in fine fashion with eight runs over the next three innings, giving UPJ a comfortable 11-5 lead entering the seventh frame.
 
In a final offensive effort for SRU, leadoff batter Gardner and No. 2 Arielle Brown both reached base via back-to-back errors by UPJ. Hurd then launched her first career home run to trim the Mountain Cat lead to three.
 
However, Pitt-Johnstown pitcher Alyssa Hileman (7-4) re-grouped from Hurd's home run to record three consecutive outs, sealing the 11-8 UPJ victory.
 
SRU's game one offense was led by Hurd who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs scored and one home run as well as Kennedy who had three RBI. Additionally, Gardner was 2-for-4 with a team-high three runs scored.
 
Kelsi Anderson (6-5) was the pitcher of record for SRU after allowing nine runs on eight hits in addition to striking out five batters over 3.2 innings of work before giving way to Chloe Sharman, who in 2.1 innings allowed two runs on three hits in addition to striking out two batters.
 
Hileman took the win with a complete game effort after allowing eight runs on 11 hits while striking out four batters.
 
GAME TWO: UPJ 5 – SRU 4
Slippery Rock led the contest for five innings before a bottom of the sixth grand slam by the Mountain Cats secured a 5-4 comeback victory.
 
Hurd opened SRU's scoring efforts with a solo home run, her second of the day, in the first frame before UPJ was able to get out of the inning with Slippery Rock holding an early 1-0 lead.
 
Hurd, who in addition to her offensive heroics was also The Rock's starting pitcher in game two, threw two scoreless innings to maintain SRU's lead early on.
 
Pitt-Johnstown broke the shutout with one run in the bottom of the third to even the score before Slippery Rock retook its lead in the fourth frame on an RBI-single by Fisk and a run-scoring double by Anna Villies to go up 3-1.
 
SRU tacked on an additional run at the top of the sixth inning with Villies driving in Kennedy on a sacrifice fly to extend The Rock's advantage to 4-1.
 
With the bases loaded for Mountain Cats and no outs to start their half of the sixth, Kayla Miehl (2-1) swung at the second pitch of her at-bat and hit a grand slam to right field putting the Mountain Cats ahead by one run heading into the seventh inning.
 
Hurd led off the top of the seventh with a single up the middle followed by Freeman who singled to center field. With two runners on and no outs, Montie used a sacrifice bunt to advance Hurd and Freeman into scoring position. However, Slippery Rock was unable to register a game tying run as Miehl retired the final two batters and secured the 5-4 win.  
 
The Rock was paced by Villies who was 1-for-2 with two RBI as well as Fisk and Hurd who both ended game two with two hits and one RBI, Hurds being off of a home run. Freeman was the remaining Rock player to have a multi-hit game as she went 3-for-4 for her second three-hit game of the year.
 
Hurd (0-5) took the loss in the circle after allowing five runs on four hits in addition to striking out two batters over five innings before giving way to Sharman. In her second relief appearance of the day, Sharman allowed no runs on two hits while striking out two batters in one inning pitched.
 
UPJ starting pitcher Julie Shinavski allowed three runs on six hits while striking out one batter over five innings of work before being relieved by Miehl, who took the win after allowing one run on five hits and striking out one batter over two innings pitched to go with her grand slam at the plate.
 
Slippery Rock steps out of PSAC West competition, traveling to Wheeling University for a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Wheeling, West Virginia.



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