SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team lost to Millersville University, 5-4, to open day two of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament at Critchfield Park.
 
Despite the loss, Slippery Rock's tournament hopes are not doomed as the PSAC Tournament is double elimination over the final three days. SRU will now play the loser of the Mercyhurst – East Stroudsburg game in an elimination contest 6 p.m. Thursday.
 
Jon Kozarian led The Rock against Millersville, going 2-for-5 with two RBI. Abraham Mow was 1-for-3 with one run, one RBI and double. Eddie Morris also had two hits while Joel Spishock, Alex Robenolt, Koby Bubash and Joe Ehland all had one hit apiece.
 
Luke Trueman (5-5) took the loss on the mound after allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks over six innings. Freshman Robert Herr came on for Trueman and threw three shutout innings.
 
Thursday's contest was a back-and-forth game throughout, with each team answering the other over the duration of the contest.
 
Trailing 1-0, Slippery Rock plated a pair of runs in the second courtesy of back-to-back RBI hits by Mow and Kozarian only for Millersville to respond with three straight runs over the next two innings, to pull back ahead of The Rock 4-2.


In turn, SRU responded with a pair of runs through the fourth and fifth innings as Kozarian had another run-scoring single while Robenolt took advantage of a Millersville fielding error following an Morris single as the game headed into the sixth tied at 4-4.
 
Millersville's Justin Taylor hit his second home run of the game to right field in the top of the sixth to give the Marauders a one-run lead while Millersville reliever Nate Young held SRU to just one hit over 2.1 innings before giving way to Colby Gromlich in the ninth inning.
 
Morris drew a two-out walk in the ninth followed by Spishock ripping a double down the right field line. However, Morris was thrown out at home plate on Spishock's hit for the game's final out.
 
Kris Inozzi (2-0) earned the win for Millersville after scattering two runs, one earned, over four hits and a walk during 3.2 innings. Gromli recorded the save with a scoreless inning in the ninth.
 
Looking ahead to Thursday night's game, Slippery Rock split a four-game series with Mercyhurst earlier in the season. The Rock and East Stroudsburg did not play against each other this season.


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