ERIE, Pa. – In what was the longest game in documented program history, the Slippery Rock University baseball team lost a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division road game 2-1 at Mercyhurst University Sunday.
 
The 20-inning contest is the longest NCAA baseball game, regardless of division, this season in terms of total innings. Sunday was originally scheduled to be a doubleheader, but the second game was postponed due to the length of the opener. An official makeup date for game two has not yet been determined.
 
The one-run loss drops The Rock's record to 10-7 overall and 0-3 in the PSAC West while the Lakers improve to 9-5 overall and 3-0 in league games.
 
Slippery Rock's efforts Sunday was led by its pitching staff.
 
Starter Luke Trueman went nine innings with just one run allowed on six hits and three walks in addition to striking out eight batters. Michael Kitko and Robert Herr then combined for 1.1 scoreless innings of work in place of Trueman while Tanner Esposito gave up just three hits in an extended relief appearance of 4.2 innings.
 
Gino Marra (0-1) pitched 4.1 innings with five strikeouts and one run allowed. Jake Norris was SRU's final pitcher of the day. He came in for Marra with a runner on third and one out in the bottom of the 20th, but was unable to get out of jam as Vince Stutz delivered a run-scoring single to end the game.
 
While Slippery Rock's batters were able to record just five hits on the day, they were able to draw 12 walks.
 
Colin Cain went 2-for-4 with one walk. Jon Kozarian, Noah Ross and Cam Panyko Morris all collected hits as well with Kozarian's coming by way of a triple. Kozarian, who walked twice and stole one base in addition to his hit, scored The Rock's lone run when he was driven home courtesy of an Alex Robenolt sacrifice fly.
 
Robenolt, Panyko Morris, Joseph Ehland and Robby Barrientos collected two walks apiece while Ehland also stole his second base of the season.
 
Slippery Rock broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning as Kozarian led off the frame with a triple before scoring two batters later on Robenolt's sacrifice fly.
 
Mercyhurst countered in the bottom of the frame when Chris Juchno delivered an RBI sac fly of his own with the bases loaded before Trueman could get out of the inning without allowing further damage as the game eventually entered extra innings.
 
SRU had chances to score a go-ahead run on several occasions in extra innings, but ultimately left two runners on base in the eighth, ninth, 10th, 11th and 15th innings.
 
The Rock's relievers, as well as a superb effort in the field defensively, did an excellent job keeping the game tied.
 
The Lakers loaded the bases in the 10th only for Herr to induce an inning-ending groundout. In the 11th inning, Mercyhurst's Ryan Jackson drove a single to centerfield that gave Lucas Folmar the chance to score from second base, but Ehland made a great throw to Barrientos who then tagged a sliding Folmar out at home.
 
SRU's relievers went on to limit Mercyhurst to just two hits over the following eight innings. However, Matt Christopher doubled to open the 20th inning before a sacrifice bunt moved him to third leading to Stutz's previously mentioned walk-off hit.  
 
In addition to his game-winning single, Stutz also pitched the top of 20th inning to earn the victory on the mound for Mercyhurst. Stutz was one of eight Laker pitchers to take the mound Sunday.
 
Slippery Rock is currently scheduled to play a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday against Mansfield University at Jack Critchfield Park with first pitch of game one being set for 1 p.m.
 
Any schedule changes will be announced on RockAthletics.com and all other Slippery Rock official social media sites as information becomes available.




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