SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader against Mansfield University Tuesday at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
The Rock took the opener against the Mounties, 5-4, before suffering an 8-5 loss in game two. The split moves SRU's overall record in 2023 to 15-14 overall while Mansfield exits Slippery Rock at 9-20.
 
Slippery Rock was led on the day by Luke Trueman and Joseph Ehland. Trueman went 5-for-7 with three runs scored, two home runs and three RBI over the two games while Ehland was 3-for-7 with one run, one home run, three RBI and a stolen base.
 
Trueman has now homered in three consecutive games to increase his season total to a team-high six.

GAME ONE: SRU 5 – MU 4
A pair of two-run home runs by Trueman and Ehland powered The Rock to a 5-4 victory over Mansfield in game one.
 
Slippery Rock trailed Mansfield 2-1 entering the fourth inning before Trueman, the reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Pitcher of the Week, opened the rally by slugging the first of SRU's home runs with Joey Purcell, who singled earlier in the inning, on base to give The Rock a 3-2 edge.
 
With Robby Barrientos on third following a leadoff triple in the fifth, Ehland matched Trueman with a homer of his own to add a pair of insurance runs that turned out to critical as Mansfield would score twice in the seventh inning before Eoin Rossman registered back-to-back strikeouts to finish off the victory.
 
Trueman closed the game going 3-for-3 with one run, two RBI, a double and home run. Ehland went 1-for-3 as well with one run, two RBI and a home run.
 
Barrientos, Purcell, Braden Olson and Colin Cain all collected hits as well with Purcell scoring two runs.
 
Rossman (1-0) earned the win after scattering two runs on three hits in addition to posting five strikeouts over 2.2 innings in relief of starter Robert Herr who went 4.1 innings with two runs allowed on four hits and three walks.
 
Justin Marykwas was the pitcher of record for Mansfield after giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits in four innings. Bobby Curry (2 runs, 0.2 IP) and Lorenzo Febbo (0 runs, 1.1 IP) finished out the game for the Mounties.
 
Zach Shertzer drove in three runs to pace the Mansfield offense.

GAME TWO: MU 8 – SRU 5
A six-run fifth inning proved too much for The Rock to overcome as Mansfield salvaged a split with an 8-5 win in game two.
 
Trueman followed his game one performance with another great contest at the plate in game two, going 2-for-4 with two runs and a solo home run.
 
Noah Ross collected a 3-for-3, one-run, one-RBI showing while Ehland provided SRU with a 2-for-4, one-RBI, one-double, one-stolen base outing.
 
Purcell and Herr added doubles as well as part of The Rock's 10-hit effort with Purcell scoring once and Herr totaling a run and an RBI. Darryn Callahan got the start at third base, going 1-for-2 with an RBI to round out SRU's top contributors.
 
Mark Wilbur (1-2), Gino Marra and Parker Hogge all took to the mound for The Rock in the nightcap.
 
Wilbur allowed five runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 4.1 innings. Marra did not record an out and was charged with two runs before Hogge came on to pitch the final 2.2 innings. He struck out a career-high six batters while allowing one run on three hits.
 
Things looked promising early on for The Rock as SRU scored four straight runs over the second and third innings to jump out to a 4-0 lead. The surge was highlighted by a three-run second inning courtesy of RBI hits from Herr and Ehland and a sacrifice fly by Callahan.
 
However, Mansfield cut into SRU's lead with one run in the fourth before going for a decisive six runs in the fifth inning to take a 7-4 lead it would never relinquish on the way to an eventual 8-5 decision.
 
Mansfield starting pitcher Scott Poulson gave up four runs in 3.1 innings before giving way to Luke Payne (1-0) who allowed one run during a 1.2 inning appearance for the win. Evan Woznick registered the save by throwing two shutout innings to close out the win.
 
Shertzer went 3-for-4 with three runs and a pair of RBI to once again guide the Mansfield offense in game two.
 
Slippery Rock returns to PSAC West competition with a four-game series against Gannon University. The Rock and Golden Knights will first play a doubleheader Friday at Critchfield Park with game one set to start at 4 p.m.



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