SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team split its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division doubleheader vs. Indiana University (Pa.) Friday. SRU took game one 1-0 before falling 2-0 in game two at the SRU Softball Complex.
The split moves The Rock's record to 13-16-1 overall and 2-6 in the conference while the Crimson Hawks ended the day at 15-13 overall and 7-3 in the PSAC West.
Game one starter
Kelsi Anderson (8-5) aided SRU to their 1-0 victory holding IUP to just two hits and no runs, earning her seventh complete-game win and third shutout victory of the season.
SRU's offense was led over the doubleheader by
Cami Fisk who went 2-for-6 while scoring The Rock's lone run of the day on a solo home run. In addition to tallying her third homer of the season, Fisk has now driven in at least one RBI in five of the last six games.
GAME ONE: SRU 1 – IUP 0
Slippery Rock took an early one-run lead in the second inning that proved to be enough as it outlasted IUP en route to a 1-0 victory.
Fisk led off the second inning with a towering home run to left field on the fourth pitch of her at bat to give The Rock the early one-run advantage.
The one run proved to be all that Anderson would need as she remained in firm control in the circle. While the Crimson Hawks were able to put runners on base in each of the last six innings, Anderson was able to work her way out of trouble each time.
She combated IUP's best chance at a game-tying run in the third frame. With the bases loaded, Anderson struck out the Crimson Hawks' top batter, Jenna Rhue, registering the final out and exiting the inning unscathed.
The Rock and IUP continued to battle through the remaining four frames with Anderson not allowing any additional Crimson Hawk hits, and just four walks, to secure the 1-0 shutout win.
Anderson took the win after a complete-game shutout in which she scattered two hits and six walks to go with nine strikeouts.
Fisk highlighted the game for SRU's bats as she went 2-for-3 with a solo home run.
Erin Gardner,
Arielle Brown and
Julia Nutter all registered one hit apiece for SRU as well.
Bella Bucy (2-6) took the loss after allowing one run on five hits in addition to striking out two batters over 4.1 inning pitched.
GAME TWO: IUP 2 – SRU 0
Elizabeth Kasper (4-2) and
Alexsa Hurd (0-6) continued the game-one trend with another pitcher's duel in the nightcap with Kasper and the rest of the Crimson Hawks edging out SRU with a 2-0 win to leave The Rock with a split.
IUP opened its scoring efforts in the third frame by way of a Renee Wall RBI-single while Kasper carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before
Julianna Hutchinson and
Emma Kennedy broke through for SRU with back-to-back two-out hits. However, The Rock's comeback bid was halted as Hutchinson was thrown out at third on Kennedy's hit for the inning's final out.
Indiana plated its final run of the contest at the top of the sixth on an RBI-double by Rhue, before Hurd was able to exit the inning stranding two IUP runners on base.
Kasper remained solid in the circle for the Crimson Hawks in the games waning moments as she posted back-to-back shutout innings to finish off the 2-0 win.
Hurd was the pitcher of record for SRU after allowing two runs on seven hits in addition to striking out a season-high six batters and walking just two in a complete-game effort. Kasper took the win for Indiana with a two-hit complete-game shutout.
Hutchinson and Kennedy were the lone Rock players to tally a hit in game two as they both went 1-for-2.
Slippery Rock continues conference competition when it travels to Mercyhurst University Saturday for a road doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Softball Field.
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).
