SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The No. 21 Slippery Rock University baseball team closed out its regular season schedule by splitting a doubleheader against Mercyhurst University Saturday at Jack Critchfield Park to clinch a berth into the 2022 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
After dropping Saturday's opener to the Lakers, 13-4, The Rock rebounded in fine fashion with an impressive all-around performance that led to a 9-1 tournament-bid clinching victory.
 
Slippery Rock ends the regular season with an overall record of 32-14 and a league mark of 17-11. The 32 wins represent the program's highest single-season win total since the 2009 team posted 36 victories. Mercyhurst, which still has a chance to earn a PSAC Tournament berth as well, concludes its regular season slate at 29-15 overall and 16-12 in league games.
 
After a disappointing loss in the opener, Slippery Rock found itself in need of a victory in game one to secure a spot in the PSAC Tournament. While it was not technically a must-win contest, the only way SRU could assure itself of a spot in the conference tournament without relying on outside help from other results around the league was to defeat the Lakers in game two.
 
As such, The Rock turned to No. 4 starter freshman Ethan Edkins, who in turn more than delivered in the biggest game of the rookie's young SRU career.
 
In what was just his seventh collegiate start, Edkins pitched a gem as he carried a no-hitter through four and two-thirds innings as part of what was ultimately a complete-game effort in which he allowed just one run on two hits and a pair of walks all the while striking out six batters en route to maintaining his perfect 6-0 record.  
 
Edkins' six victories ties him with Rich Hocanson (2007) for the second-highest win total by a freshman in Slippery Rock history behind only Gary Chesnoski, who won eight games as a rookie in 1982.
 
While Edkins was busy shutting down a dangerous Mercyhurst lineup that scored 35 runs over the first three games of the series, Slippery Rock's hitters wasted little time giving him all the run support he could ask for.
 
After a scoreless first inning, Alex Robenolt and Eddie Morris drew back-to-back walks to leadoff the second inning before Joel Spishock drove a one-run double to centerfield for the game's first run.
 
Following Spishock's hit, Mercyhurst starting pitcher Aidan Kelly walked Luke Trueman to load the bases before being taken out of the game in favor of John Bufford.
 
Bufford had a shaky entry into the contest as he hit one batter, walked another and threw a wild pitch to give up three runs before recording his first out. Jon Kozarian eventually capped off the tone-setting inning for SRU with a sacrifice fly that plated Koby Bubash to make it a 5-0 game prior to Bufford recording the final out of the frame.
 
Slippery Rock added to its lead two innings later with three more runs as Kozarian and Connor Hamilton accounted for back-to-back run-scoring hits – Kozarian's being an RBI-single and Hamilton's coming by way of a two-run double to stretch SRU's lead out to 8-0.
 
SRU produced its final run of the day in the fifth courtesy of a run-scoring single by Spishock that brought in Morris, who led off the inning with a double.
 
The nine-run lead was more than enough for Edkins, who closed out the contest by giving up just one run over the final two innings as Slippery Rock cruised to the 9-1 victory. Edkins finished strong with two strikeouts in the seventh inning alone.
 
Spishock went 2-for-3 with one run, two RBI and a double in game two while Kozarian and Hamilton each drove in a pair of runs with one hit apiece. Kozarian also walked once. Morris and Abraham Mow supplied SRU with its fifth and sixth hits as well with Morris scoring twice.

Robenolt and Hamilton close the regular season with 51 and 50 RBI, respectfully, marking just the fifth time in program history in which two players have had at least 50 RBI in the same season.
 
Kelly (4-1) was the pitcher of record Mercyhurst. He allowed four runs on three hits and a walk while pitching one inning before being relieved with the bases loaded and no outs in the second.
 
Prior to Saturday's games Slippery Rock recognized its 2022 senior class of Hamilton, Mow, Anthony Cinicola, Travis Holman, Andy McClymonds, Christian Seelhorst, Joel Spishock and JT Wolke as well student manager Zachary Mancz for their contributions to the program over their careers in a pre-game ceremony.
 
While its exact seed or first-round opponent won't be known until Sunday evening, Slippery Rock will be making its first appearance in the postseason since 2018. Making the accomplishment even better is the fact that The Rock will be hosting the eight-team tournament, which will run May 11-14, at Critchfield Park.
 
 
 
 
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