CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team split its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division doubleheader on the road against California (Pa.) Sunday. SRU fell 6-3 in game one before earning a 7-4 comeback victory in game two.
 
The split moves The Rock's record to 12-12 overall and 3-3 in the PSAC West while the Vulcans end the day at 9-13 overall and 2-4 in the league.
 
SRU was led over the two games by Julia Montie who was a combined 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBI, two walks and one triple over the doubleheader. Arielle Brown was also 2-for-6 with three runs, one RBI and two walks on the day.
 
GAME ONE: CAL 6 – SRU 3
A four-run second inning by California proved to be the difference in game one as the Vulcans' pitching staff held The Rock to only three runs on the way to a 6-3 California victory.
 
Slippery Rock opened the game's scoring in the first frame with Erin Gardner hitting a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to plate Brown. The Rock followed up by scoring an additional run in the top of the second inning when Montie belted her first triple of the season before scoring on a wild pitch.
 
California answered the two Slippery Rock runs in the bottom of the second by plating four runners of its own with two run-scoring singles and two players reaching home via wild pitches to take a 4-2 lead over SRU.
 
The Vulcans broke the game open when it tacked on two more runs in the fifth frame with an RBI-double and single to extend their lead to the largest of the game at 6-2.
 
Slippery Rock scored its final run of the contest courtesy of a Brown double to left field that drove home Jeanna Sukey, a pinch runner for Julianna Hutchinson who hit a single earlier in the inning.
 
The Rock would not be able to ignite a seventh-inning comeback as Vulcans reliever Alyssa Rose retired the side on the way to a 6-3 California victory.
 
Brown went 1-for-2 with one run, one RBI and two walks in the opener. Montie was 2-for-3 with one run and a triple while Gardner collected one RBI.
 
Game one starting pitcher Kelsi Anderson (8-2) was the pitcher of record after allowing six runs on eight hits over 4.2 innings with eight strikeouts.
 
Chloe Sharman, in a relief appearance, struck out one batter while allowing no hits or runs over 1.1 innings pitched.
 
The Vulcans were led by Shayna Postler who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI while Kailey Larcinese took the win after allowing no runs on two hits with one strikeout over three innings of work.
 
GAME TWO: SRU 7 – CAL 4
Slippery Rock parlayed five runs over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to combat an early two-run deficit on the way to a 7-4 comeback-victory over California in game two.
 
The Rock opened the contest with Brown and Hurd reaching base on back-to-back singles to lead off before being brought home three batters later by Montie on a two-RBI single to left field.
 
California drove in three runs at the bottom of the first via three-run home run by Kaitlyn Achtermeier to put the Vulcans up 3-2 entering the second frame.
 
After an empty second inning for both teams in the second, California extended its lead to two runs when a Vulcan runner reached scored on a wild pitch.
 
Slippery Rock used a one-run single by Aubrey Mansfield in the fourth inning to trim the Vulcans advantage to only one run before pulling the score even at 4-4 when Montie stole home in the fifth frame.
 
The Rock's bats continued to keep their momentum into the sixth inning scoring three additional runs with no outs on the board.
 
Hurd hit an RBI-single that plated Brown who reached base earlier in the inning after being hit by a pitch. Mansfield then brought Hurd home on a double to left center that gave SRU its largest lead of the game of 6-4. Freeman closed out the scoring efforts by bringing Mansfield home with a double to left field putting The Rock up 7-4.
 
Sharman came on in relief of Hurd in the seventh inning to record the game's final three outs and in the process earn her fifth save of the season to seal a 7-4 comeback win for SRU.
 
The Rock were led over game two by Mansfield who went 3-for-4 with one run and two RBI and Montie who was 1-for-2 with one run and two RBI and two walks. Hurd ended the second contest going 3-for-5 with three runs and one RBI while Freeman was 1-for-4 with one RBI.
 
In addition to her strong game at the plate, Hurd (3-1) also took the win in the circle after scattering four runs on five hits over six innings of work with seven strikeouts before giving way to Sharman.
 
Kaitlyn Achtermeier paced the Vulcans' offense as she went 2-for-2 with one run, one home run and three RBI. California pitcher Alyssa Rose (1-4) was the pitcher of record after allowing three runs on two hits over one inning pitched.
 
Slippery Rock returns home to host Mercyhurst University for a conference doubleheader March 28 at Kasnevich field. First pitch of game one is set for 2 p.m.






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