SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University Rock softball team played Gannon University to a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division doubleheader split Tuesday with a 4-2 loss in game one before battling to an 8-7 win in game two.
 
The split improves SRU's record to 25-19 overall and 16-10 in divisional play while GU moves to 16-23 on the year and 15-12 in league coemption.
 
With six games remaining in the regular season, SRU is in second place in the division standings. The top five teams in the PSAC West at the end of the year to qualify for the conference tournament.
 
Game one starting pitcher, Kelsi Anderson (13-7), with her three strikeouts in game one, became the program's leader in single-season strikeouts as she broke her previous record from a year ago with 147 strikeouts. Anderson also picked up her second save of the season in SRU's game-two win.
 
The Rock were led on the day by Emma Kennedy who was 4-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI over the doubleheader.
 
GAME ONE:  GU 4 – SRU 2
The Golden Knights scored three runs over the first three innings to take a lead it would never relinquish as they tacked on an insurance run in the fifth frame on the way to a 4-2 victory.
 
The Gannon offense started its scoring immediately as it plated three runs through three innings that saw an RBI-single, a run-scoring wild pitch, and an RBI ground out to put GU up 3-0 entering the home half of the third.
 
Slippery Rock answered in the bottom of the third with two runs of its own. After a Regan Hozak ground out to leadoff, Erin Garnder and Arielle Brown were both walked to give SRU two runners on base.
 
Alexsa Hurd stepped to the plate, following an Anna Villies strikeout, to drive in Gardner on an RBI-single to give SRU its first run of the game.
 
Hurd followed her at-bat with a stolen base before Gannon's game one starting pitcher Maggie Lenda (8-7) registered the final out of the inning to minimize the damage.
 
Sharman made quick work of the Golden Knights batting order over the fourth inning facing just five batters giving way for the Slippery Rock offense to score its next run.
 
With one out by way of Jeanna Sukey caught stealing second, Julia Montie reached first on a fielding error by the Gannon first baseman and was pushed to second by Julianna Hutchinson being walked.
 
Kennedy, in a pinch-hitting appearance, drove in Montie to put SRU just one run behind GU at 3-2 entering the fifth frame.
 
However, The Golden Knights tacked on an insurance run in the top of the fifth on an RBI-double to left field that extended their lead to 4-2.
 
The Rock threatened to make a late-inning rally with Gardner in scoring position and two outs on the board but Lenda worked her way out of the jam on the way to a 4-2 Golden Knights victory.
 
Slippery Rock was led on offense by Hurd and Kennedy who each tallied one hit and one RBI apiece. Anderson (13-7) was the pitcher of record after allowing three runs on five hits with three strikeouts over 2.2 innings pitched.
 
Chloe Sharman, in a relief of Anderson, allowed just one run on two hits while striking out three in 4.1 innings of work.
 
Jordan Best paced the Golden Knight offense as she was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI while Lenda took the win after allowing two runs, one being earned, on two hits with three strikeouts over a complete-game effort.
 
GAME TWO: SRU 8 – GU 7
The Rock led by as many as five-runs entering the fourth inning before the Golden Knights rallied back from the deficit, however Aubrey Mansfield drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth on the way to an 8-7 SRU victory.
 
Slippery Rock held a 6-1 lead going into the fourth inning that was highlighted by a two-RBI double to centerfield belted by Fisk in the second frame.
 
The Golden Knights battled back scattering six runs over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, featuring back-to-back doubles to total three runs, to knot the score 7-7 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
 
The home half of frame six saw Slippery Rock load the bases with Brown on third after hitting a single earlier in the inning, Kennedy on second via walk and Fisk on first by way of fielder's choice.
 
Mansfield stepped to the plate with two outs and snuck a single up the middle to lift The Rock up one run over the Golden Knights at 8-7 before Lenda forced the final out of the inning.
 
Anderson entered the game, in relief of Sharman (2-3), at the top of seventh with one runner on first. Anderson retired the first two batters she faced before allowing one Gannon batter to reach first on a walk.
 
With Lily Gfeller in the batter's box battling a full count, Anderson pulled threw the game's final pitch to catch Gfeller swinging and secure the SRU 8-7 win.
 
The Rock were led over game two by Fisk who was 2-for-3 with three RBI, Mansfield who went 3-for-4 with one run and a pair of RBI as well as Kennedy who was 3-for-3 with two runs scored.
 
Aiding in the SRU offensive efforts were Gardner and Hozak who each ended the contest with one hit and one RBI while Gardner tacked on a run as well. Brown scored two runs while Hurd and Villies each scored one.
 
Sharman took the win after allowing one run on three hits over one inning pitched in a relief appearance for Hurd who allowed six runs on eight hits with five strikeouts over five innings.
 
Anderson earned the save after shutting out Gannon over the final inning and registering three strikeouts.
 
The Gannon offense was paced by Jules Ryan who was 1-for-4 with three RBI while Lenda was the pitcher of record after allowing three runs on seven hits over four innings.
 
Slippery Rock continues to round out its final week of the regular season as it hosts Pitt-Johnstown for a PSAC West doubleheader Wednesday. First pitch of game one is set for 2:30 p.m. at Kasnevich Field.







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