SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – With the regular season winding down, the Slippery Rock University softball team will look to return to its winning ways when it travels to Mercyhurst University for a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western doubleheader 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live video and in-game statistics will be provided for Wednesday's doubleheader by the Mercyhurst Athletic Communication department at the links below.
 
MERCYHURST SERIES DETAILS
Opponent: Mercyhurst University
Date: Wednesday – 2:30 p.m. / 4:30 p.m.
Location: Mercyhurst Softball Field – Erie, Pa.
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: 42-38 Mercyhurst
Last Played: March 29, 2023 (Lakers won 8-5, 12-0)
 
ALL-TIME SERIES vs. MERCYHURST
Mercyhurst is 42-38 in the all-time series against Slippery Rock. The series has been evenly split as of late with SRU having won six of its last 12 contests against MU. The Rock's last time sweeping the Lakers on the road in Erie, Pennsylvania was April, 24, 2019 with a 4-1 game one win and 9-4 victory in game two.
 
Earlier this year Slippery Rock suffered a doubleheader loss to Mercyhurst on March 29, 2023. SRU was defeated 8-5 in game one before being shutout 12-0 in a five-inning game two.
 
The Rock were led through their first contest by Erin Gardner who went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI and Aubrey Mansfield who was 1-for-3 while driving in two runs.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 23-16
PSAC West Record: 14-7
PSAC West Standings: Second
Home Record: 4-5
Away Record: 11-4
Neutral Record: 8-7
Last Five Games: 3-2
Streak: L1
Head Coach: Stacey Rice | Ninth season at SRU (151-193-1)
 
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock lost 6-0 in game one to California (Pa.) before having game two of its doubleheader halted due to severe weather Saturday at Kasnevich Field.
 
AN EARLY PSAC TOURNAMENT PICTURE
Slippery Rock enters the final portion of the regular season schedule second in the Western Division standings, just 1.5 games behind Seton Hill University (15-5). Following The Rock (14-7) are Gannon University (12-8), Mercyhurst (11-9) and Indiana (11-9).
 
Rounding out the final four spots in the West are California (10-9), Clarion (7-13), Pitt-Johnstown (6-16) and Edinboro (5-15).
 
The top five teams from both the PSAC East and West at the end of the regular season will earn a spot in the PSAC Tournament. A tournament berth this year would mark SRU's first trip to the postseason since 2016.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
Slippery Rock continues to showcase its strength in contests that it must travel to its opponent as it is 11-4 this year. The road game record marks the first time in program history in which SRU has tallied more than 10 wins in true away games.
 
On the road SRU averages 4.4 runs per game while holding its competition to 3.6 in addition to having five away contests this year where it has surrendered no more than one run.
 
SINGLE-SEASON RECORD CHECK
Entering Wednesday's doubleheader Kelsi Anderson, Arielle Brown and Alexsa Hurd are on the cusp of breaking a single-season record each.
 
Brown is currently five runs away from breaking the single-season runs record while Hurd is only two RBI from becoming the single-season leader in RBI. Anderson is just seven strikeouts away from passing her own single season record from a season ago.
 
Additionally, Brown is second in walks (23) and tied for seventh in stolen bases with (18) while Hurd is tied for second in doubles (13), sixth in total bases (88) and tied for sixth in hits (54).
 
THAT WINNING FEELING
With 11 contests remaining in the regular season, The Rock are just five wins away from producing the program's highest win total with the previous best being the 2008 season when it was 27-17. Its 23 wins this year are already the most since a 24-19 finish in 2018.
 
DYNAMIC DUO
The sophomore duo of Hurd and Brown continue to pace the Slippery Rock offense as leaders in at least one category with both having started all 39 games this year.
 
Hurd bats a team-best .422 in addition to having team-highs in RBI with 44, home runs with seven and doubles with 13 to go along with 24 runs scored. 
 
Brown leads the roster in runs with 36, walks with 23 and stolen bases with 18 while rounding out her stat line batting .293 with 14 RBI, one home run and eight doubles.
 
The duo has also been experts at reaching base as they pace the team with respective .472 and .439 on base percentages.
 
Additionally, the pair have come up big when Slippery Rock needs it most as Hurd bats .580 and Brown .414 with runners in scoring position.
 
ROCK UPPERCLASSMEN
Cami Fisk, a fellow starter of 39 games and a redshirt senior, enters the week hitting .258 with 11 runs, two home runs, 21 RBI and eight doubles to aid the offense.
 
Anna Villies, a redshirt junior, has been hot as of late as she now bats the team's second highest average of .329 in addition to tallying nine runs, four RBI and two doubles. Villies had a career day last week as she was 4-for-4 with one run and two RBI against Clarion.
 
Gardner, another of SRU's seniors, assists from the batter's box with an average of .240 to go along with 17 runs, seven RBI and a pair of doubles.
 
FRESHMEN PRESENCE
Mansfield has remained among The Rock's regulars for the entirety of the season, having appeared in all 39 games. She hits .276 with 17 runs scored, one home run, 14 RBI and seven doubles in her debut season.
 
Mansfield currently is on a six-game streak of both registering a hit and reaching base.
 
Fellow rookie Alyssa Sheely has seen more time as of late as the remaining Rock freshman to have played in over 20 games and is batting .261 with four runs, two RBI and a double.
 
CIRCLE SQUAD
SRU ace Kelsi Anderson (13-5, 1 save, 2.39 ERA) has made 20 starts in the circle this year in a rotation-high 120.1 innings pitched. Anderson has struck out 140 batters and has earned eight complete-game victories with opponents' batting .205 off of her.
 
One of the most talented two-way athletes in the PSAC, Hurd (8-2, 2.68 ERA) in 73 innings pitched has opponents hitting a rotation-low .191. Hurd has struck out 87 batters this season and has pitched five complete games.
 
Chloe Sharman (1-3, 4 saves, 4.29 ERA) has pitched 32.2 innings as SRU's trusted relief in the circle and has registered 13 strikeouts.
 
Sharman picked up her first win of the season by helping lift SRU to a 6-5 11-inning victory against Clarion last week after allowing only one run on six hits with four strikeouts.
 
PSAC LEADERS
PSAC TEAM STATS
Walks: 6th (99)
Doubles: 6th (56)
Hits: 9th (278)
RBI: 11th (137)
 
PSAC INDIVIDUAL STATS
RBI: Hurd – 1st (44)
Walks: Brown – 3rd (23)
Home Runs: Hurd – t-4th (7)
Batting Average: Hurd – 5th (.422)
Doubles: Hurd – t-5th (13)
Runs Scored: Brown – t-5th (36)
Slugging Percentage: Hurd – 6th (.688)
Hits: Hurd – 6th (54)
Stolen Bases: Brown – 8th (18)
On Base Percentage: Hurd – 10th (.472)
 
PSAC INDIVIDUAL PITCHING STATS
Saves: Sharman – 1st (5)
Wins: Anderson – 4th (13)
Opponent Batting Average: Anderson – 3rd (.205)
Strikeouts: Anderson – 3rd (140)
Innings Pitched: Anderson – 4th (120.1)
Strikeouts: Hurd – 7th (87)
 
CAREER RECORD WATCH
Strikeouts (No. 1-6)
1. Kelsi Anderson (2021-23): 385
2. Shaylee Ianno (2009-12): 335
3. Brooke Dawson (2015-18): 328
4. Carly DeRose (2014-17): 295
5. Courtney Conron (2004-07): 280
6. Chloe Sharman (2019-23): 232
 
Shutouts (No. 1-7)
1. Brooke Dawson (2015-18): 12
2. Courtney Conron (2004-07): 10
3. Jenn Shnyder (1998-01): 9
4. Shaylee Ianno (2009-12): 8
t5. Karen Gamble (1980-81): 7
t5. C. Shumaker (2018-20): 7
t5. Kelsi Anderson (2021-23): 7
t7.Cheryl Stevenson (1983-850: 6
 
Starts (No. 6-13)
6. Courtney Conron (2004-07): 61
7. Kelsi Anderson (2021-23): 59
8. Shauna Walker (2008-11): 56
9. Lisa Getgen (2006-09): 53
10. Erica Bradley (1993-95): 52
11. Shaylee Ianno (2009-12): 51
12. C. Shumaker (2018-20): 46
13. Chloe Sharman (2019-23): 40
 
Wins (No. 3-17)
t3. Shaylee Ianno (29-22) – 2009-12: 29
t3. Lisa Getgen (29-24) – 2006-09: 29
t5. Carly DeRose (28-42) – 2014-17: 28
t5. Kelsi Anderson (23-18) - 2021-23: 28
7. Courtney Conron (27-33) - 2004-07: 27
t8. C. Shumaker (26-21) - 2018-20: 26
t8. Jenn Shnyder (26-37) - 1998-01: 26
10. Jordan Hertzog (24-52) - 1997-00: 24
t11. Tracy Gitski (20-46) - 1990-93: 20
t11. Brittney Hahn (20-14) - 2005-06: 20
13. Karen Gamble (17-4) - 1980-81: 17
t14. Cheryl Stevenson (16-8) - 1983-85: 16
t14. Emily Lobdell (16-17) - 2011-14: 16
t14. Erica Bradley (16-33) - 1993-95: 16
t17. Ashley Knight (15-21) - 2012-13: 15
t17. Chloe Sharman (14-30) - 2019-23: 15
 
Innings Pitched (No. 5-13)
5. Carly DeRose (2014-17): 403.2
6. Courtney Conron (2004-07): 378.2
7. Kelsi Anderson (2021-23): 349
8. Shauna Walker (2008-11): 341.1
9.  Shaylee Ianno (2009-12): 337.1
10. C. Shumaker (2018-20): 326
11. Erica Bradley (1993-95): 322.1
12. Lisa Getgen (2006-09): 316.2
13. Chloe Sharman (2019-23): 313.2
 
Complete Games (No. 10-15)
10. Shauna Walker (2008-11): 29
11. Lisa Getgen (2006-09): 27
12. Kelsi Anderson (2021-23): 26
13. Emily Lobdell (2011-14): 25
14. Candice Nase (2002-03): 24
15. Christy Shackelford (1995-97): 23
 
Saves (No. 1-3)
1. Chloe Sharman (2019-23): 9
2. Courtney Conron (2004-07): 5
t3. Erica Bradley (1993-95): 3
t3 A. Copelli (2017-19): 3
t3 Brooke Dawson (2015-18): 3
 
Home Runs (No. 12-17)
t12. Caitlin Baxter (2014-17): 11
t12. Breanna Tongel (2011-14): 11
t12. Alexsa Hurd (21-23): 11
t15. Niki Banner (2003-06): 9
t15. Kailey Myers (2016-19): 9
t17. Mackenzie Freeman (2021-23): 8
t17. Jordan Zeunges (2008-11): 8
t17. Becca Roesch (2018-20): 8
t17. Stacey Herzog (2014-16): 8
 
MERCYHURST PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 21-17
PSAC West Record: 11-9
PSAC West Standings: Tied for fourth
Home Record: 8-8
Away Record: 8-3
Neutral Record: 5-6
Last Five Games: 1-4
Streak: L4
Head Coach: Leanne Baker | 10th season at MU (154-236-2)
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Lakers were swept by PSAC West leader Seton Hill University in a 5-3 game one loss and 5-4 defeat to round out the doubleheader April 15 at home.
 
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
As a team, Mercyhurst bats .337 while averaging 6.2 runs per game and surrendering only 4.3 runs to its opponents per contest. The Lakers' pitching staff has a combined 3.88 ERA while opponents are hitting .284 off of them.
 
TOP MERCYHURST HITTERS
Allison Dejudas - .447 (55-for-123) – 31 Runs – 9 HR – 41 RBI - .504 OBP
Madison Fry - .433 (58-for-134) – 35 Runs – 17 RBI - .461 OBP
 
TOP MERCYHURST PITCHERS
Morgan Hilty – 12-7 – 116 IP – 3.26 ERA – 53 K / 25 BB - .264 OBA
Mikaela Schramski – 6-6 – 72 IP – 4.38 ERA – 49 K / 37 BB - .322 OBA
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock and California (Pa.) will finish out the remainder of game two from its doubleheader April 15 that was halted due to severe weather. SRU and Cal will pick up where they left off, with The Rock leading 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning, 3 p.m. Thursday at Kanevich Field.
 






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