SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader against Walsh University Tuesday at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
Slippery Rock took the opener from the Cavaliers, 8-2, before losing 10-6 in game two. With the split, SRU's record moves to 16-6 on the season while Walsh exits The Rock at 13-9.
 
Five Rock athletes had hits over both games of Tuesday's doubleheader. Joe Ehland went a combined 4-for-6 with two runs scored and his team-leading sixth stolen base of the season. Connor Hamilton also had four hits on the day with one walk.
 
Jon Kozarian had four RBI over the two games with his two hits coming by way of a double and a triple. Eddie Morris and Alex Robenolt each went 3-for-7 with two runs, one RBI and one walk apiece.
 
GAME ONE: SRU 8 – WU 2
Three SRU freshmen pitchers stymied the Walsh offense in game one while The Rock's bats posted 14 hits of their own on the way to an 8-2 victory in the opener.
 
In his second start of the year, Ethan Edkins (2-0) set the tone for SRU's pitching staff in the opener as the rookie pitched four shutout innings with four strikeouts while surrendering just three hits and walk.
 
Robert Herr came on for Edkins in the fifth inning and proceeded to pitch two scoreless innings that included two hits and one walk allowed. Joe Purcell made his collegiate pitching debut in the seventh, allowing two runs before closing out SRU's six-run win.
 
Joel Spishock headlined a Rock offense that featured six players with two or more hits in game one as The Rock's first baseman went 3-for-4 with three RBI.
 
Hamilton, Robenolt, Morris, Ehland and Abraham Mow all produced two hits in the contest as well with Morris and Hamilton both reaching base an additional time via walks. Mow, Robenolt and Morris all added one RBI each.
 
Slippery Rock jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings when Morris and Robenolt each drove runs in the first followed by Spishock driving in a pair of runs in the third thanks to a two-run double.
 
SRU went on to break the game open in a four-run fourth inning that was highlighted by run-scoring extra base hits by Mow (double) and Kozarian (triple).
While the Cavaliers were able to avoid the shutout with two runs in the seventh, they never truly threatened The Rock's sizable lead as Purcell got out of a potential jam by leaving the bases loaded with a game-ending strikeout.
 
Cole Brogan (0-3) took the loss for Walsh after allowing seven runs on 10 hits over 3.1 innings.
 
GAME TWO: WU 10 – SRU 6
Slippery Rock was unable to finish off the doubleheader sweep as Walsh scored eight straight runs to open game two on the way to an eventual 10-6 victory.
 
Trailing 8-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, Slippery Rock briefly cut into the Cavaliers lead with a three-run frame thanks to an Evan Knaus home run, his second of the season.
 
However, Walsh answered back with two more runs in the fifth and while SRU was able to add three more runs an inning later from a three-run double by Kozarian, The Rock couldn't quite finish off its comeback bid as the Cavaliers hung on for the four-run victory.
 
In addition to three-RBI performances by Knaus and Kozarian, Hamilton, Ehland and Koby Bubash all had two-hit games as well in the nightcap.
 
Slippery Rock used six pitchers in game two. Eoin Rossman (0-1) was the pitcher of record for SRU with three runs allowed on four hits and four walks.
 
Colby Anderson (1 IP), Travis Holman (0.2), Drew Delaney (1), Tanner Esposito (0.1) and Christian Seelhorst (2) all saw time on the mound as well. Seelhorst was the most effective of the relivers with two scoreless innings and four strikeouts to go with one hit and two walks allowed.
 
Nik Barkdull (1-0) took the win for Walsh following one scoreless inning before giving way to five different Cavalier relievers.
 
Slippery Rock returns to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition with a four-game series this weekend against Gannon.
 
The Rock and Golden Knights will first play a doubleheader at Gannon on Friday before coming to SRU for two games Saturday. First pitch on each day is set for 1 p.m.
 
 


 

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