SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – The Slippery Rock University softball team dropped both games in its non-conference doubleheader against Shepherd University on the road Sunday.
 
The Rock were defeated 9-1 in a six-inning game-one contest before suffering a narrow 5-3 loss in game two. SRU moves to 1-5 overall this season while the Rams improve to 3-3 on the year.
 
Leading the Slippery Rock offense over the doubleheader were Arielle Brown, Cami Fisk and Alexsa Hurd. Fisk went 3-for-7 through two games with one RBI while Hurd was 2-for-6 to go along with two RBI, one run scored and a home run. Brown registered one hit, two runs and two stolen bases on the day.
 
GAME ONE: SU 9 – SRU 1 (6 innings)
Brown scored The Rock's lone run in game one in the sixth inning thanks to great baserunning on a ball hit by Fisk before the SRU offense was shut down by Rams' pitcher Hannah Ruffner (2-0) who struck out two batters in a complete game effort as part of a 9-1 six-inning Shepherd win.
 
Rock starting pitcher Kelsi Anderson (1-1) was the pitcher of record after allowing seven runs, three of which were earned, on seven hits while striking out five batters in 4.2 innings pitched.
 
Chloe Sharman came on in relief of Anderson to pitch one inning, allowing two runs with only one being earned on three hits.
 
Brown, Fisk and Emma Kennedy registered Slippery Rock's three hits of the game while both Brown and Hurd also reached base once after being hit by a pitch.
 
The Rams offense was paced by Lauran Moore who went 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and a home run. Ruffner earned the win after allowing just one run on three hits.
 
Shepherd opened its scoring immediately with three runs in the first frame before both were held scoreless over the next three innings.
 
The Rams tacked on four additional runs through the fifth inning that gave SU a lead it wouldn't relinquish. While Slippery Rock was able to avoid the shutout with Brown's run in the sixth, Shepherd answered back with two insurance runs in the bottom of the inning to secure its 9-1 victory.
 
GAME TWO: SU 5 – SRU 3
A two-run sixth inning by Shepherd proved to be the difference in game two as the Rams held off SRU in the final frame for an eventual 5-3 victory.
 
SU's scoring efforts started in the first inning with the Rams plating a runner off of a passed ball to take and early 1-0 lead.
 
The Rock answered with two runs of its own at the top of the third when Hurd belted a two-run homer to score herself and Julianna Hutchinson giving SRU a one-run edge.
 
Shepherd pulled the score even with an RBI-single in the bottom of the third frame before Slippery Rock was able to take a one-run advantage in the fifth courtesy of Fisk plating Brown on a double to right field.
 
The Rams brought home two runners over the sixth inning to take its largest lead of the game while Katie Laing struck out three of the four Rock batters she faced in the final frame to seal a 5-3 Shepherd win.
 
Brown opened the seventh with a leadoff walk before stealing second only for Laing to work out of the jam with three consecutive strikeouts.
 
Fisk and Hurd led Slippery Rock over game two driving in all three of its RBI while each going 2-for-4 and Hurd adding on one run scored and her second home run of the season.
 
Hutchinson, Alyssa Sheely and Grace Smith all aided in SRU's efforts with one hit apiece while Brown scored one run, stole two bases and reached base twice on walks.
 
In a complete game effort, Claire Zimmerman (0-3) allowed five runs on nine hits while striking out four batters and walking just one.
 
Laing earned the victory after surrendering one run on three hits in addition to striking out seven Rock batters over four innings pitched in relief of starter Kourtney McNatt, who gave up two runs on four hits over the opening three innings.
 
Nicole Purtell led the Shepherd offense as she went 4-for-4 with three runs scored over game two.
 
Slippery Rock travels south for a 12-contest slate at The Spring Games in Clermont and Leesburg, Florida March 11-17. SRU faces Mercy College (9 a.m.) and West Virginia Wesleyan College (11:30 a.m.) on day one.
 
 





 
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