LEESBURG, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University softball team concluded its time at The Spring Games by splitting a pair of games Friday with a win over Alliance University and loss to Bentley University.
 
The Rock (9-9) took a 13-2 five inning victory over the Warriors (2-15) before dropping a 13-1 decision to the Falcons (9-7) to close the day.
 
Slippery Rock was led on the day by Alexsa Hurd who over two games went 5-for-8 with five RBI and one run scored.
 
Game one starting pitcher Kelsi Anderson (7-1) tallied five strikeouts in SRU's win to open the day advancing her to third in program history in career strikeouts with 302.
 
GAME ONE: SRU 13 – AU 2
Slippery Rock scattered 13 runs over five innings capped off by a five-run performance over the fourth frame on the way to a 13-2 victory to open the day against Alliance.
 
Five of SRU's nine starting position players collected hits in game one led by Hurd, who went 3-for-4 with one run and a game-high five RBI as well as one double. Erin Gardner was the remaining Rock player to register a multi-hit game with two in addition to two runs scored and one RBI.
 
Arielle Brown, Mackenzie Freeman, Julianna Hutchinson and Anna Villies each tallied one hit apiece with Freeman driving home two runners and Brown plating one.
 
Brown led SRU in runs scored with three while Villies and Naomi Childs each scored two and Freeman, Madison Davis and Regan Hozak scored one run apiece.
 
Anderson, The Rock's ace, improved to 7-1 on the season after working around just three hits and three walks that resulted in two runs, only one being earned, all the while striking out five batters in three innings.
 
In relief of Anderson was Chloe Sharman who shutout Alliance over the final two frames by allowing no hits or runs.
 
Slippery Rock carried a 3-0 lead into the fourth inning where SRU ignited for five additional runs to extend its lead to nine runs entering the bottom of the fourth.
 
Freeman, in a pinch-hitting appearance, and Hurd opened the big inning each belting a two-RBI singles. Hurd proceeded to score via a Warriors error and one batter later Fisk was plated on a ground-out by Bri McDonough before Alliance was able to register the final two outs of the inning.
 
The Warriors were able to prevent a shutout by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Sharman promptly finished out the game silencing the Alliance bats on the way to a 13-2 Rock victory.
 
Lynette Niebla (0-5) was the pitcher of record after surrendering eight runs, four of which were earned, on four hits with two strikeouts over 3.1 innings of work. Addyson Girard led the AU offense going 1-for-1 with one run scored and one RBI.
 
GAME TWO: BU 13 – SRU 1
Bentley held an early six-run advantage at the end of the second inning before registering seven additional runs through the final three frames to secure a 13-1 win.
 
Aubrey Mansfield led SRU's offense, going 2-for-2 with one RBI and one walk. Hurd and Fisk registered who hits a piece while Alyssa Sheely tallied SRU's remaining hit of the game.
 
Hurd (1-1) took the loss after giving up six runs, two being earned, on five hits with five strikeouts over four innings pitched. Mackenzie Borkovich in 2.1 innings of work surrendered five runs on nine hits while Claire Zimmerman faced the final four batters of the contest, allowing two runs on one hit.
 
Jordan Krause and Sam Petow paced the Falcons lineup combining to go 5-for-9 with seven RBI and six runs scored. Dahlia Fink (5-1) picked up the win after allowing only one run on six hits with three strikeouts.
 
Bentley claimed an 8-0 lead entering the bottom of the fifth inning before Slippery Rock was able to dash the chance for a shutout by plating its lone run of the game courtesy of an RBI single by Mansfield to score Gardner.
 
The Falcons went on to tack on five insurance runs to its lead in the final frame while Fink retired the side en route to a 13-1 BU victory.
 
Slippery Rock returns north to open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference competition with a doubleheader at Indiana University (Pa.) March 21. First pitch of game one is set for 2 p.m.





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