SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader Friday against Wilmington University at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
The Rock beat the Wildcats in the opener, 7-4, before suffering a 13-10 setback in game two. Following the split, Slippery Rock's record moves to 8-4 overall while Wilmington exits the day at 7-8.
 
Slippery Rock was led over the doubleheader by Noah Ross and Joseph Ehland. Ross went a combined 4-for-7 Friday with two runs scored and two RBI while Ehland produced a 4-for-8 day with three runs, one home run and four RBI.
 
Jon Kozarian also went 3-for-7 with three runs, one home run, three RBI and two walks. The home run was his third of the season, which is tied with Alex Robenolt for the team lead so far in 2023.

GAME ONE (7 Innings): SRU 7 – WU 4
A late rally in the form of a four-run sixth inning paved the way for a 7-4 Slippery Rock victory in the opener.
 
Trailing 4-3 entering the bottom of the sixth, Ross registered a leadoff single before Wildcat pitcher Matt Boyko recorded consecutive outs. However, Ross was able to take two bases on a throwing error by WU's catcher which led to Boyko being taken out of the game for Tyler Reinert, who walked Robby Barrientos to put runners on first and third.
 
Ross proceeded to tie the game after scoring on a wild pitch followed by back-to-back RBI-singles from Ehland and Joey Purcell. The inning was capped off by a run-scoring triple by Kozarian before Reinert could get out of the inning.
 
Mark Wilbur (1-0), who entered the game in favor of starter Devin Dunn in the sixth, worked around a fielding error to start the seventh by forcing three final outs to strand the runner and finish off the three-run victory.
 
Kozarian closed the opener by finishing just a double shy of the cycle in a 3-for-4, one-run, three-RBI performance. Purcell and Ehland also collected two-hit, one-double games with Purcell scoring twice and driving in one and Ehland tallying two RBI.
 
Wilbur earned the first victory of his collegiate career courtesy of two shutout innings after coming on for Dunn, who went five innings with four runs allowed on five hits and three walks in his fourth start of the season.
 
Reinert (1-1) took the loss for Wilmington after giving up three runs on three hits and a walk in a third of an inning.

GAME TWO (9 Innings): WU 13 – SRU 10
Slippery Rock was unable to finish off the doubleheader sweep of Wilmington as the Wildcats scored eight runs over the final three innings to earn a 13-10 win.
 
SRU held a 7-5 lead through five innings, but Wilmington responded by scoring seven consecutive runs over the sixth and seventh innings to grab a 12-7 lead.
 
While The Rock were able to cut their deficit to two runs going into the ninth, WU thwarted the late comeback bid with an additional run in the top of the ninth followed by Dom Grady forcing SRU into three straight outs in the bottom of the inning to close out the win.
 
Ross went 3-for-4 with one run, two RBI, a double and a walk in the nightcap. Ehland was 2-for-5 with two runs scored, two RBI and his first home run in a Rock uniform. Robenolt also totaled two hits.
 
Barrientos drove in two runs via a triple while Koby Bubash and Luke Trueman each had one hit with Kozarian scoring twice on a pair of walks.
 
Tanner Esposito (1-2) was the pitcher of record for Slippery Rock. He surrendered seven runs, four earned, on eight hits in 2.2 innings.
 
Purcell started the contest, pitching four innings with five runs allowed on five hits and three walks. Robert Herr was on the mound for the final 2.1 innings, giving up one unearned run with no hits allowed and one strikeout.
 
Slippery Rock and Wilmington will play a single nine-inning game to decide the series 12 p.m. Saturday at Jack Critchfield Park.
 




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