GAME PROGRAM INFO
Slippery Rock has moved away from printed game programs for all sports in 2022-23. This page will serve as the "Digital Game Program" for this week's game. To navigate to all gameday info for any SRU home events this year, simply visit rockathletics.com/gameday or scan the QR code on the "Gameday Info" posters hanging in each facility.
 

Slippery Rock vs. Mercyhurst
The Rock (9-4)	Lakers (6-5)
Roster	Roster
Schedule	Schedule
Statistics	Statistics
Coach Jeff Messer	Coach Joe Spano
Program Records	Program Records
PSAC Standings
PSAC Leaders
PSAC Schedule
Jack Critchfield Park

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team opens Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition this weekend with a four-game series against Mercyhurst University.
 
SERIES FORMAT
SRU will host the Lakers for a doubleheader Friday followed by a Saturday doubleheader at Mercyhurst. First pitch of game one on both days is set for 1 p.m.
 
LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME
Fans are reminded that there are NO PETS allowed in any SRU athletics facilities. Please do not bring dogs or any other pets to the game. Unless they are a registered service animal, you will be asked to remove your pet from the facility.
 
WATCH ON YOUR TV - "ROCK ATHLETICS DIGITAL NETWORK" APPS
• Fans can watch Friday's games live and on-demand for free on the Rock Athletics Digital Network, created and operated by the SRU athletic communication office.
 
• Search for Rock Athletics Digital Network in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple RV, Roku and Android TV devices. The streaming web player linked above will also integrate with Chrome Cast devices to allow viewers to cast the game to those devices.
 
SERIES DETAILS
Opponent: Mercyhurst
Games 1-2: Friday – Jack Critchfield Park – Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
Games 3-4: Saturday - Mercyhurst Baseball Field – Erie, Pennsylvania
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
All-Time Series: Lakers lead 55-38
Last Played: May 7, 2022 (DH split)
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
While Mercyhurst is 55-38 against Slippery Rock all time, SRU and the Lakers have split the last eight games in the series over the past two years.
 
Top Rock Performers vs. Mercyhurst
• Koby Bubash: 7 Games, .500 Avg. (10-20), 5 Runs, 2 RBI
• Joseph Ehland: 5 Games, .400 Avg. (4-10), 2 Runs, 4 RBI
• Luke Trueman: 8 Games, .318 Avg. (7-22), 7 Runs, 3 HR, 4 RBI
• Evan Knaus: 5 Games, .267 Avg. (4-15), 2 Runs, 2 HR, 5 RBI
• Jon Kozarian: 12 Games, .263 Avg. (10-38), 9 Runs, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 5 Walks

SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 10-4
PSAC West Standings: 1st
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 5th
Home Record: 6-1
Away Record: 4-3
Streak: W2
Last Five Games: 4-1
Head Coach: Jeff Messer | 38th season (1,082-700-5 / .607)
 
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock picked up an 8-6 midweek non-conference victory Wednesday over Frostburg State University.
 
ON A ROLL
Slippery Rock enters the weekend having won its last three series against Alliance, West Virginia State and Wilmington as well as nine of its last 11 games overall.  
 
A WINNING COMBINATION
Slippery Rock not only averages a PSAC-best 10 runs per game, but it also allows just 4.6 runs per contest – the fourth lowest average in the conference. West Chester (7.1 runs per game / 5.1 allowed) and Millersville (7.6 runs per game / 3.1 allowed) are the only two other teams to rank in the top five of both runs per game and opponent scoring in the 17-team league.
 
WALK IT OFF
The highlight of The Rock's victory over Frostburg State came courtesy of Jon Kozarian, who belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth for the walk-off win.
 
The Rock's senior shortstop has now produced three multi-hit games, and seven total RBI, over Slippery Rock's last four contests. On the season, he is batting .344 with 21 runs, four home runs and 25 RBI while slugging .639 with a .414 on-base percentage and three stolen bases.
 
Kozarian's big hit was SRU's seventh walk-off home run since 2009.
 
Walk-off Home Runs (Since 2009)
2009: Adam Jury vs. Lock Haven
2015: Preston Falascino vs. Pitt-Johsntown
2016: Alex Bell vs. California
2018: Abraham Mow vs. Walsh
2019: Joe Campagna vs. Indiana (Pa.)
2022: Alex Robenolt vs. Seton Hill
2023: Jon Kozarian vs. Frostburg State
 
HITTING WHEN IT MATTERS
In its first 14 games, Slippery Rock is hitting an impressive .377 with runners in scoring position. In what has been a total group effort from the top to bottom of the batting order, seven of the nine Rock batters with at least 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position are hitting at least .330 in RISP situations.
 
Since 2010, SRU has finished the season hitting .350 or better as a team with runners in scoring position five times with the high mark being .358 in 2010.
 
Avg. With RISP Leaders
.500 – Jon Kozarian (9-18)
.500 – Noah Ross (6-12)
.417 – Joseph Ehland (8-17)
.417 – Colin Cain (5-12)
.385 – Luke Trueman (5-13)
.348 – Alex Robenolt (8-23)
.333 – Koby Bubash (4-12)
 
THE ROCK'S ACE
The anchor of Slippery Rock's pitching staff, Devin Dunn has picked up right where he left off from his dominant 2022 performance by going 2-0 with a 2.05 ERA, .173 opponent batting average and 18 strikeouts with just five walks over his first 22 innings pitched in 2023. Included in the four starts are a pair of complete-game shutouts.
 
DOING IT ALL
You would be hard-pressed to find two players on the same team in the PSAC that have been better two-way players so far in 2023 than The Rock's duo of Luke Trueman and Joey Purcell.
 
On the mound, Trueman has gone 3-1 with a 2.05 ERA, .232 opponent batting average, 28 strikeouts and just four walks over 26.1 innings. He has won each of his last three starts while posting back-to-back nine-strikeout games.
 
As a position player, Trueman has made 10 starts in right field, hitting .359 with six runs, one home run and eight RBI.
 
Purcell is not only batting .316 with 13 runs, four RBI and a .447 on-base percentage as SRU's leadoff hitter and first baseman, but he has also made four starts as a pitcher on the way to throwing 21 innings with a 3.43 ERA and 22 strikeouts.  
 
ALWAYS ON BASE
No Rock player has done a better job of getting on base by any means necessary than second baseman Koby Bubash. In 14 starts, he has compiled 16 hits and 11 walks while being hit by nine pitches, resulting in a .554 on-base percentage which ranks 19th in the nation among all qualified athletes.
 
In addition to his stellar OBP, Bubash is also hitting .372 with 17 runs cored, seven doubles and 11 RBI.
 
EHLAND AND ROSS ON FIRE
Joseph Ehland and Noah Ross will both bring impressive hitting streaks into the Mercyhurst series.
 
Ehland has hit safely in 11 consecutive games and is now batting .378 with 17 runs, one home run and 12 RBI over 13 starts this season. SRU's centerfielder has also registered four triples to go with nine walks and a .473 on-base percentage. His four triples are already the most in a single-season by a Rock athlete since Will Kengor tallied five in 2013.
 
Ross meanwhile has continued his breakout season with hits in each of the last nine games to up his team-leading batting average to .486. A designated hitter/backup catcher combo, Ross has drove in eight runs while ranking fourth for SRU in runs with 16.
 
CLEAN IT UP
Alex Robenolt has occupied the cleanup spot in Slippery Rock's batting order in all 14 games this season as the senior has hit .316 with 15 runs, three home runs and 15 RBI as well as three doubles. Robenolt, who has gone hitless in just three games this season, has totaled six multi-hit games and five contests with two or more RBI.
 
PANYKO MORRIS CONTINUES TO COME THROUGH
In his last four games played, three of which have been starts, Cam Panyko Morris has gone 5-for-9 with eight runs scored, one home run and five RBI. Three of Panyko Morris' five hits have also gone for doubles.
 
ANOTHER RELIABLE ARM
Mark Wilbur has proven vital to The Rock's success early on this season. Over four games pitched (one start / three relief appearances), Wilbur is 1-0 with one save and a 1.04 ERA in 8.2 innings to go with nine strikeouts. SRU has won all four games Wilbur has pitched in.
 
In his last three outings out of SRU's bullpen (4.1 innings), he has not allowed a an earned while surrendering just three hits and no walks. Only one of his four inherited runners have scored in his relief work.
 
PERFECT DEBUTS
Another highlight from The Rock's victory against Frostburg State was the collegiate debuts of freshmen pitchers Michael Kitko and Nate Malak.
 
Kitko, an alum of Moshannon Valley High School, struck out three batters without allowing a hit or a walk in two innings of relief while Malak, a product of Seneca Valley, also pitched two scoreless innings with just one hit allowed.
 
FIRST WIN AT THE ROCK
Jake Norris, a junior transfer from Muskingum University, pitched the ninth inning against Frostburg State to earn his first win at SRU by forcing FSU into three straight outs, including an inning-ending strikeout of preseason all-region selection Danny Estrada.
 
CAREER RECORDS WATCH
Hits (No. 14-17)
14. Joe Neidrick (2001-03): 193
15. Frankie Jezioro (2016-19): 186
16. Adam Jury (2008-11): 173
17: Jon Kozarian: 172
 
Doubles (No. 6-9)
6. Derek DiRuscia (2008-11): 46
t7. Billy Messer (2007-10): 43
t7. Matt Kuzusko(2002-05): 43
t9. Tom Huff (1991-94): 41
t9. Jon Kozarian: 41
 
Home Runs (No. 13-19)
t13: Three players: 18
t16. Alex Bell (2014-16): 17
t16. Chase Rowe (2003-05): 17
t16: Jon Kozarian: 17
t19: Alex Robenolt: 16
t19. Four others: 16
 
Runs Scored (No. 11-14)
11. Matt Adams (2007-09): 133
t12. Joe Neidrick (2001-03): 131
t12. Tom Huff (1991-94): 131
t14. Jon Kozarian: 130
t14. Frankie Jezioro (2016-19): 130
 
RBI (No. 11-13)
11. Bill Herman (2006-09): 115
12. Matt Kuzusko(2002-05): 114
t13. Alex Bell (2014-16): 113
t13. Jon Kozarian: 113
 
Strikeouts (No. 4-7)
4. Mark Dolan (1996-99): 190
5. Craig Petulla (1998-00): 177
6. Zach Jeney (2010-12): 175
7. Luke Trueman: 170
 
Innings Pitched (No. 4-7)
16. Brian Robinson (1988-91): 175.2
17. Matt Gordon (2016-18): 175.1
18. Mark Draeger (1992-95): 169.2
19. Luke Trueman: 166.2
 
MERCYHURST PRIMER
Overall Record: 6-5
PSAC West Standings: 4th
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 10th
Home Record: 3-0
Away Record: 3-1
Neutral Site Record: 0-4
Streak: L1
Last Five Games: 4-1
Head Coach: Joe Spano | 24th season (718-421-3 / .631)
 
LAST TIME OUT
Mercyhurst lost a high-scoring mid-week game at Ashland, 15-11.
 
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
A top PSAC contender on an annual basis, Mercyhurst had a slow start to the 2023 season as it won just one of its opening five games. However, the Lakers have since returned to form with a 5-1 record since March 5.
 
Through its opening 11 games of the season, Mercyhurst has averaged 6.5 runs per game while allowing 5.8. As a team, the Lakers carry a .255 team batting average. The Mercyhurst pitching staff carries a 5.97 team ERA into the weekend.
 
TOP LAKER HITTERS
Eric Chorba: .333 AVG (11-33) – 8 Runs – 2 HR - 10 RBI - .463 OBP
Chris Juchno: .314 AVG (11-35) – 10 Runs – 2 HR - 11 RBI - .422 OBP
Ryan Hill: .300 AVG (9-30) – 7 Runs – 1 HR - 10 RBI - .364 OBP
Matt Christopher: .314 AVG (11-35) – 12 Runs – 0 HR - 4 RBI - .480 OBP
 
TOP LAKER PITCHERS
Jarrett Heilman: 1-1 – 19.0 IP – 2.84 ERA –  18 K / 8 BB - .233 OBA
Jacob Bazala: 2-0 – 16.2 IP – 2.70 ERA –  14 K / 6 BB - .254 OBA
Dan Thomas: 1-1 – 11.2 IP – 4.63 ERA –  18 K / 3 BB - .195 OBA
Ben Berdine: 2 Saves – 4.1 IP – 4.15 ERA –  2 K / 1 BB - .167 OBA
 
MU RECENT RESULTS
March 21 – at Ashland – L, 15-11
March 16 – vs. Salem – W, 13-0
March 16 – vs. Salem – W, 3-2
March 6 – at Salem – W, 9-8
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock steps back out of PSAC West competition when it hosts Mansfield University March 28 for a non-conference doubleheader at Jack Critchfield Park. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.





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