SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team earned a 3-1 victory over California (Pa.) Thursday at Kasnevich Field.
 
The win improves SRU's record to 24-18 overall and 15-9 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division. The loss moves the Vulcans record to 19-19 overall and 12-10 in league competition.
 
Thursday's contest was the resumption of game two of a doubleheader between The Rock and Vulcans that originally started on April 15. Game one of the tilt was completed on its original date with California winning 6-0, but game two only made it five innings before inclement weather forced its postponement with Slippery Rock leading 3-1.
 
Alexsa Hurd (9-3) for The Rock and Kailey (3-5) of the Vulcans opened the game with a three-inning pitching duel with neither pitcher surrendering a run and stranding two and three runners on base respectively.
 
California scored the first run of the contest in the top of the fourth when Kaitlyn Achtermeier belted a lead-off triple to left center before scoring on a wild pitch one batter later to give the Vulcans a 1-0 advantage.
 
The Rock answered in the home half of the fourth with three runs of their own. With two outs on the board and runners on first and second, Grace Smith drove an RBI-single up the middle that allowed Emma Kennedy, who led off the inning with a walk, to score.
 
Anna Villies continued the two-out rally as she drove in Smith and Cami Fisk on a double to left field to put The Rock up 3-1 over California.
 
The Vulcans' best look at a comeback came in the top of the sixth as Hurd walked a pair of batters to bring the potential go-ahead run to the plate with one out. However, Hurd worked around the pair of walks to get out of the jam by registering a strikeout and an inning-ending fly out to maintain 3-1 edge.
 
Following a scoreless bottom of the sixth, Hurd needed just six pitches to record three outs in the seventh as she secured a much-needed two-run conference victory for The Rock. 
 
The complete-game, six-strikeout effort was the sixth such of the season for Hurd, who has allowed just one run in three of her last five appearances in the circle.
 
The Rock's offensive efforts were led by the bottom section of hits batting order as Villies went 2-for-2 with two RBI while Smith was 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI.
Aubrey Mansfield accounted for The Rock's other hit with a fifth-inning double. Kennedy, Hurd and Fisk each drew walks with Kennedy scoring one run to round out Slippery Rock's top offensive performers.
 
The Vulcans' attack was paced by Achtermeier who was 1-for-2 with one run and one walk while Larcinese was the pitcher of record after allowing three runs on five hits with nine strikeouts.
 
SRU's scheduled doubleheader against Pitt-Johnstown that was to be played Saturday is postponed to a date yet to be determined. The Rock's next scheduled doubleehader will be April 25 versus Gannon University at Kasnevich Field with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
 
 
 




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