SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team concluded its four-game Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division series against Gannon University with a doubleheader split Saturday at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
After a late Gannon rally in game one resulted in a 7-4 Golden Knight victory, Slippery Rock answered in fine fashion with a 13-6 win in game two.
 
SRU exits the weekend with an 18-8 overall record and a 5-7 mark in PSAC West games while Gannon leaves The Rock at 16-9 overall and 7-5 in league contests.
 
Slippery Rock was led on the day by Abraham Mow, who went a combined 5-for-7 over the two games with four runs scored, one home run, two RBI and a pair of walks. Mow's home run was his fourth of season, and 28th of his career, moving him into a tie with Kevin Keryan (1988-91), Mike Gunn (1997-00) and Joe Campagna (2016-19) for the third most in program history.
 
Connor Hamilton was 3-for-6 over the doubleheader with four runs, one home run and three RBI. Hamilton concludes the weekend with team-highs in both home runs (7) and RBI (27) for the season. Joel Spishock also collected hits in both games Saturday to go with one run and one RBI.
 
GAME ONE: GU 7 – SRU 4
Slippery Rock took a two-run lead into the seventh inning, but couldn't quite close out the win as Gannon rallied for a 7-4 victory in the opener.
 
SRU overcame a first inning home run by Ian Hess with three runs in the third off of run-scoring singles by Hamilton, Alex Robenolt and Evan Knaus.
 
Meanwhile, Hess' early home run represented the only damage Gannon dealt to Rock starter Ricky Mineo over the first six innings as SRU carried a 3-1 lead into the final frame. However, a cursed seventh inning proved to be The Rock's undoing.
 
Following a base hit and walk to lead off the top of the seventh, Mineo was relieved by Andy McClymonds (2-3). The change in pitchers did little to derail Gannon's comeback bid as the Golden Knights went on to tally six runs to re-take the lead at 7-3.
 
SRU scored once in the bottom of the seventh via a sacrifice fly by Eddie Morris before Gannon reliever Joe Reitebach recorded the game's final out to finish off the comeback victory.
 
All told, Mineo gave up three runs on five hits and four walks to go with five strikeouts over six innings. McClymonds was the pitcher of record for SRU in game one with four runs allowed, three of which were earned, on four hits and one walk.
 
Mow went 2-for-3 with one run and a walk in game one while Robenolt produced a 2-for-4, one-RBI day. Hamilton, Knaus, Spishock and Anthony Cinicola all tallied hits as well while Jon Kozarian scored two runs.
 
Ben Visnesky (2-1) earned the win for Gannon after scattering one run over three innings pitched in relief of Jacob Visha.
 
GAME TWO: SRU 13 – GU 6
Slippery Rock regrouped from the tough game one ending with a convincing 13-6 victory in the nightcap to salvage the day with a doubleheader split.
 
A dominant six innings of work on the mound by freshman Ethan Edkins (3-0) combined with an offensive explosion that included six extra base hits resulted in SRU taking a 13-1 lead into the seventh inning. While the Golden Knights were able to end the day with another big inning, they never truly threatened SRU's sizable lead in an eventual seven-run Rock win.
 
Edkins, who was making his first weekend start at SRU, provided Slippery Rock with six innings and seven strikeouts while giving up just three runs on three hits and a walk. Edkins pitched into the seventh, but did not record an out before giving way to the relief duo of Christian Seelhorst and Drew Delaney to close out the game.
 
Every Rock batter reached base in game two as SRU posted 13 hits and six walks en route to the team's eighth double-digit scoring effort of the season.
 
Mow led four Rock batters with multi-hit games as part of a 3-for-4, three-run, one-home run, two-RBI outing. Hamilton went 2-for-3 with three runs, one home run and two RBI as well.
 
Kozarian roped a pair of doubles and scored two runs while Luke Trueman went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Morris drove in two runs on a hit and two walks and Koby Bubash capped off The Rock's top performers with a two-run triple.
 
Gannon used five pitchers in the loss. Starter Carson Whiteman (1-2) was charged with the loss after allowing six runs in 1.1 innings.
 
Slippery Rock continues its six-game homestand at Critchfield Park with a non-conference doubleheader April 12 against Mansfield University. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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