SCHEDULE UPDATES
Slippery Rock's Saturday doubleheader at California (Pa.) has been rescheduled to March 28.

SRU's Sunday doubleheader with IUP has been rescheduled to April 3. 

Slippery Rock's trip to Mercyhurst has been postponed by one day, now being contested 2 p.m. Wednesday. 

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The Slippery Rock University softball team will travel to California (Pa.) Saturday before its home opener with Indiana University (Pa.) 1 p.m. Sunday at Kasnevich Field, part of an eight-game schedule in four days.
 
Slippery Rock will continue its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division gauntlet when it makes the trip to Clarion for a 2 p.m. doubleheader March 25 and heads to Mercyhurst University March 26 where first pitch is designated for 2:30 p.m.
 
The Rock enter the weekend with an overall record of 7-12. Clarion and Cal begin conference play with 5-11 and 2-6 records while IUP and Mercyhurst bring 14-6 and 4-9 non-conference records into the weekend, respectively. 

NO PETS AT KASNEVICH FIELD
Fans are reminded that there are NO PETS allowed at Kasnevich Field or in any SRU Athletics facilities. Please do not bring dogs or any other pets to the game. Unless they are a registered service animal, you will be asked to remove your pet from the facility.

WATCH ON YOUR TV - "ROCK ATHLETICS DIGITAL NETWORK" APPS
• Fans can watch Sunday's games live and on-demand for free on the Rock Athletics Digital Network, created and operated by the SRU athletic communication office.
 
• Search for Rock Athletics Digital Network in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku and Android TV devices. The streaming web player linked above will also integrate with Chrome Cast devices to allow viewers to cast the game to those devices.

GAMES 22 and 23 - Postponed to 3/27
Opponent: Mercyhurst
Date: Wednesday - 2 p.m. / 4 p.m.
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
Venue: Mercyhurst Softball Field
Live Video: PSAC Sports Digital Network
Live Stats: Mercyhurst Athletic Communications
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Mercyhurst leads, 45-38
Last Played: May 4, 2023 (L, 4-3)
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
 
TOP ACTIVE SRU CAREER STATS vs. MERCYHURST
Alexsa Hurd – 9-for-20 (.450), four home runs, nine RBI, six runs (7 GP)
Aubrey Mansfield – 4-for-14 (.286), two RBI, one double, one run (5 GP)
Emma Kennedy – 4-for-16 (.250), one double, one run (5 GP)
Kelsi Anderson (1-4), 30.1 IP, 4.39 ERA, 29 strikeouts

GAMES 24 and 25 - POSTPONED to 3/28
Opponent: California (Pa.)
Date: Thursday – 2 p.m. / 4 p.m.  
Location: California, Pennsylvania  
Venue: Lilley Field
Live Stats: California (Pa.) Sports Information
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Cal leads, 96-39
Last Played: April 15, 2023 (Game One: L, 6-0 – Game Two: W, 3-1)
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
 
TOP ACTIVE SRU CAREER STATS vs. CALIFORNIA
Aubrey Mansfield – 5-for-12 (.417), two RBI, two doubles, one run (4 GP)
Julia Montie – 6-for-16 (.375), two RBI, one double, three runs (6 GP)
Arielle Brown – 6-for-19 (.316), four RBI, one double, four runs (6 GP)
Alexsa Hurd (3-0), 19.0 IP, 2.21 ERA, 16 strikeouts
Kelsi Anderson (0-5), 33.0 IP, 3.82 ERA, 38 strikeouts
 

SERIES HISTORY
	Cal	IUP
All-time Record	39-96	3-1
Streak	W1	W4
Last Meeting	April 15, 2023 Game One: L, 6-0 Game Two: W, 3-1	April 11, 2023 Game One: W, 2-0 Game Two: W, 8-4
	Clarion	Mercyhurst
All-time Record	70-40	38-45
Streak	W1	L7
Last Meeting	April 14, 2023 Game One: L, 3-0 Game Two: W, 6-5 (11 inn.)	May 4, 2023 L, 4-3 (PSAC Tournament)

 
Each of the last three series between Slippery Rock and California have been split. In SRU's last trip to Cal, the Vulcans picked up the game one victory in a 6-3 decision before things evened out with a 7-4 win for The Rock in game two. 

Slippery Rock enters Sunday with a four-game winning streak over IUP, a program-best against Indiana since an eight-game win streak that ended in 1986. The Crimson Hawks were shut out by The Rock in two of their four meetings last season, including a 2-0 tilt at Kasnevich Field that featured a three-hit complete-game effort by Kelsi Anderson. 

Slippery Rock went 1-3 against Clarion last season, splitting the road doubleheader by picking up a 6-5 win in an 11-inning game two marathon. After both teams scored a run in the 10th inning to tie the game at 5-5, The Rock prevailed when a sacrifice fly plated Aubrey Mansfield with the game-winning run. 

SRU last saw Mercyhurst in the 2023 PSAC Tournament, a 4-3 loss that eliminated The Rock from the postseason. After Slippery Rock entered the final inning with a 3-2 lead, the Lakers were able to put two runs on the board in the top of the seventh to steal the victory.
 

TEAM COMPARISON (as of March 21)
The Rock	Stat	Clarion	Cal	IUP	HURST
7-12	Overall Record	5-11	2-6	14-6	4-9
0-0	PSAC West Record	0-0	0-0	0-0	0-0
.236	Batting Avg.	.278	.270	.309	.228
3.3	Runs per Game	4.1	3.6	6.3	2.0
4.0	Opp. Runs per Game	6.8	5.0	3.7	5.5
6.1	Hits per Game	7.4	6.9	8.6	5.7
6.1	Opp. Hits per Game	7.8	7.1	7.9	6.5
1.5	Errors per Game	1.6	1.9	1.6	1.5
0.2	HR per Game	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.2
.316	SLG%	.353	.319	.412	.278
.319	OB%	.339	.335	.382	.266
.949	FLD%	.941	.928	.944	.942
2.68	ERA	5.51	4.00	2.91	5.25
.238	Opp. Batting Avg.	.297	.278	.282	.257

 
THE ROCK BY THE NUMBERS (as of Thursday, March 21)
Overall Record: 7-12
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 1-3
Neutral Record: 6-9
Streak: L2
Last Five Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Stacey Rice | 10^th season at SRU (164-213-1)
Roster: Link
Stats: Link

LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock posted a 5-7 record at The Spring Games from March 9-15 in Winter Haven, Florida. The Rock picked up wins over Saint Thomas Aquinas College, Lewis University, Bloomfield College, the University of New Haven and American International College.
 
Despite being swept in each of the first two days, The Rock rebounded in convincing fashion by winning five of their next six games.
 
THE FLORIDA REPORT:
Game 1: Notre Dame College (Ohio) – L, 13-0 (5 inn.)
Game 2: Caldwell University – L, 5-2
Game 3: Saint Michael's College – L, 5-4
Game 4: Bentley University – L, 1-0
Game 5: Saint Thomas Aquinas College – W, 3-2
Game 6: Northern State University – L, 7-6
Game 7: Lewis University – W, 2-1
Game 8: Bloomfield College – W, 8-0 (5 inn.)
Game 9: University of New Haven – W, 2-1 (8 inn.)
Game 10: American International College – W, 4-0
Game 11: Purdue University Northwest – L, 8-3
Game 12: Hillsdale College – L, 1-0 (8 inn.)
 
LEADING THE ROCK
Arielle Brown has batted .302 on the season, tops on the team with a 16-for-53 resume. She has totaled nine RBI, a double, a triple and 11 runs. Her on-base percentage of .471 also ranks first on the roster.
 
Mansfield leads the team with 10 RBI, having hit .250 thus far with two doubles and one of SRU's four home runs.
 
The other three homers that SRU has produced have all come from Julia Montie, who ranks second on the team with a .283 batting average. Montie, who leads Slippery Rock by slugging .547, has batted in six runs. She also leads the team with five doubles.
 
Alexsa Hurd is just one double shy of Montie's mark with four. The utility player enters PSAC West play batting .193 with four RBI and seven runs.
 
Grace Smith (.250), Julia Nutter (.244) and Emma Kennedy (.222) round out Slippery Rock's top offensive threats. Kennedy and Nutter each have six RBI and a triple in their 10 respective hits. Smith has doubled twice and driven in five RBI in her 10 hits on the year.
 
BROWN ON BASE
Brown has now reached base in 20 consecutive games, ranking second all-time in recorded SRU history. Getting walked by Hillsdale College bumped the junior infielder from Galena, Ohio past Hurd's 19 consecutive bases that were strung together last season.
 
Emily Nagle reached base in 29 straight games in 2018, leading all-time in that category.  
 
Brown, while leading the team with 16 hits, also leads the team with 14 walks. Her 0.74 walks per game ranks second in the PSAC and 33^rd throughout Division II.
 
UTILIZING THE RUN RULE
Slippery Rock earned an 8-0 five-inning-victory over Bloomfield to cap off a 2-0 day March 13. That game marked the first win in fewer than seven innings for Slippery Rock since a 13-2 victory over Alliance University March 17, 2023 in Leesburg, Florida – a span of 51 games.
 
Slippery Rock's last mercy rule win in PSAC West play came courtesy of a 13-3 victory at Clarion in six innings April 15, 2022.  
 
PICKING UP A SHUTOUT OR TWO
SRU's 8-0 win over Bloomfield was just one of two shutout victories that The Rock earned in Florida. Slippery Rock defeated American International, 4-0, just a day later. In both of those games, Slippery Rock limited its opponents to just two hits.
 
Hurd improved to 2-3 on the year in the Bloomfield win, recording six strikeouts over the five innings pitched.
 
Mackenzie Borkovich cruised to 3-2 on the season when she limited AIC's bats to just two hits in seven innings, piling up five strikeouts in the first shutout win of her career.  
 
SRU blanked five opponents last year in its historic 29-win season, including a pair of shutouts over IUP.
 
ADVANCING THE RUNNER
With 21 sacrifice bunts on the season, Slippery Rock ranks first in the PSAC and 34^th in Division II. Nine of those 21 sacrifice bunts have come in the last six games, including four in The Rock's 2-1 win over Lewis. Slippery Rock has advanced a runner courtesy of the sac bunt in 12 of the team's 19 games this season.
 
NARROW DEFEATS
While they will not appear in the win column, 10 of Slippery Rock's 12 losses have been decided by three or fewer runs. Seven of the dozen losses have come down to just one run, including four of the team's last five. SRU most recently fell to Hillsdale in a 1-0 heartbreaker that concluded in the eighth inning.
 
PUTTING THE "W" IN WALK-OFF
Slippery Rock picked up two walk-off wins while in Florida – first in a 3-2 victory against Saint Thomas Aquinas – and three days later in a 2-1 defeat over New Haven.
 
SRU held a 2-1 lead over STAC after six innings, but the Spartans added a run in the top of the seventh to tie things up at 2-2. An RBI-single by Arielle Brown in the home portion of the inning advanced Sarah Brown to home plate, giving The Rock a 3-2 win, their first of five in a three-day span.
 
The Rock's fourth win in Florida required extra innings when both New Haven and Slippery Rock put a run on the board in the seventh to knot the game at 1-1. When the Chargers came up empty in the top of the eighth, SRU was able to seize the opportunity when Smith singled to center field and record the RBI as Alyssa Sheely scored from third.
 
WINNING PAST SEVEN
Slippery Rock is now 2-1 in extra innings games this season. The Rock came away with a 9-6 thriller at Shippensburg University March 3 before beating New Haven and falling to Hillsdale in eight-inning contests at The Spring Games.
 
SRU went 3-1 last year in extra innings games. In PSAC West play, The Rock defeated Gannon University, 10-8 in eight innings on April 4, and prevailed over Clarion, 6-5 in 11 innings, April 14.
 
The Rock have now won eight of their last 12 extra innings games and five of their most recent seven.
 
THE MADNESS OF MARCH
With a multitude of postponements due to inclement weather, Slippery Rock will play four doubleheaders against PSAC West opponents in as many days for the first time since 2016.
 
SRU posted a 5-5 record when it had to play Gannon, Edinboro, Mercyhurst, Seton Hill University and California all within a five-day span April 13-17, 2016.
 
Just like the stretch of play that lies ahead, just one of those doubleheaders was hosted at Kasnevich Field – that particular doubleheader was highlighted by a staggering 20-10 win over Edinboro. A 7-5 game two victory allowed The Rock to complete the sweep of the Fighting Scots.
 
THE BULLPEN REPORT
With 13 cameos, Borkovich (3-2) has made more pitching appearances than anyone else in the PSAC West. The Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania native leads Slippery Rock with a 1.73 ERA. She has fanned 23 batters in 36.1 pitches on the year. 
 
Hurd (2-4) has accumulated a 2.08 ERA, striking out 42 batters in 40.1 innings pitched. The junior from Suffield, Ohio has allowed just seven hits in her last 13 innings. She has put together a 1.22 ERA in her last six appearances and has not allowed an earned run for four straight games.
 
Anderson (2-5) enters conference action with an ERA of 3.02. She leads the team with 47 strikeouts and has pitched the most on the team, having gone 44.0 innings. The senior has shut down her batters faced to a .220 average and has thrown at least five strikeouts in every appearance of five innings or greater this season.   
 
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER BACKWARDS K
As a team, SRU's bullpen ranks first in the PSAC West and fourth in the conference with an ERA of 2.68. The Rock's 6.48 strikeouts per seven innings stands at fifth in the PSAC and 38^th nationally throughout Division II.

Slippery Rock's pitching ranks fifth in the PSAC and first in the PSAC West in opponent batting average, holding the opposition to just .238.
 
RECORD WATCH
With 31 wins, Anderson is just two victories away from tying Brooke Dawson's all-time record of 33 wins. Dawson accumulated 33 wins in the circle from 2015-18.
 
Anderson has also started 74 games, which is just two shy of Jordan Hertzog's all-time leading 76 starts from 1997-00.
 
At the plate, Hurd's 17 home runs rank her eighth all-time in Slippery Rock history. She could break into the top five with four more homers, tying Meghan McHenry's 21 in 2006-08.
 
Arielle Brown has started 110 straight games for SRU, tied for eighth all-time at Slippery Rock. Kailey Myers sits 20 games ahead of Brown in seventh.

Mercyhurst will travel to California Friday and host Seton Hill Saturday before welcoming in The Rock to Erie March 26.

THE VULCANS BY THE NUMBERS (as of Thursday, March 21)
Overall Record: 2-5
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 1-3
Neutral Record: 1-2
Streak: L2
Last Five Games: 1-4
Head Coach: Rick Bertagnolli | 31^st season at Cal (949-375, .717)
 
CALIFORNIA (Pa.) SCOUTING REPORT
The Vulcans began the 2024 season with a 2-8 showing through a tough strength of schedule at The Spring Games in Winter Haven, Florida, picking up wins over the College of Saint Rose and Salem University. Before facing Slippery Rock Saturday, California is slated to host Mercyhurst Friday.

Caleigh Rister ranks seventh in the PSAC with a .440 batting average. The junior from Bucyrus, Ohio is coming off a 2-for-4 effort against Salem that featured two doubles and an RBI. A true utility player, Rister is 0-4 in the circle with a 5.17 ERA. She has struck out 16 batters in 21.2 innings.

Britney Wilson, a native of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, has tallied a .423 batting average that includes the team's lone home run of the year. Wilson leads the team with a .538 slugging percentage and five runs. 

Alyssa Rose (2-2) has been Cal's top pitcher this season, logging an ERA of 3.55. The senior from Madison, Ohio has struck out 21 batters in 23.2 innings and is fresh off a three-hit complete-game shutout with six strikeouts. 

LOOKING AHEAD
Slippery Rock will enjoy its three days of rest before heading back on the road March 30 for a doubleheader at Pitt-Johnstown, where the first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. 




To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter, @Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).



 

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GAMES 20 and 21
Opponent: Clarion
Date: Friday – 2 p.m / 4 p.m.
Location: Clarion, Pennsylvania
Venue: Memorial Stadium Complex
Live Video: PSAC Sports Digital Network
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Slippery Rock leads, 70-40
Last Played: April 14, 2023 (Game One: L, 3-0 – Game Two: W, 6-5)
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
 
TOP ACTIVE SRU CAREER STATS vs. CLARION
Aubrey Mansfield – 6-for-16 (.375), one RBI, two doubles, three runs (4 GP)
Mackenzie Freeman – 8-for-22 (.364), eight RBI, two doubles, four runs (10 GP)
Arielle Brown – 9-for-26 (.346), one RBI, one double, five runs (8 GP)
Kelsi Anderson (3-2) – 34.2 IP, 2.42 ERA, 49 strikeouts
Alexsa Hurd (0-0) – 11.2 IP, 5.40 ERA, 12 strikeouts

THE GOLDEN EAGLES BY THE NUMBERS (as of Thursday, March 21)
Overall Record: 5-11
Home Record: 1-1
Away Record: 0-2
Neutral Record: 4-8
Streak: L1
Last Five Games: 2-3
Head Coach: Marissa Pullo | Second season at Clarion (22-40, .355)
 
CLARION SCOUTING REPORT
Following an 0-4 trip to Harrogate, Tennessee and a 4-6 showing at The Spring Games, Clarion's overall record moved to 5-11 after splitting its home opener March 14 with Frostburg State University. Before seeing Slippery Rock March 25, the Golden Eagles are set to open PSAC West play when they host Edinboro Saturday.

The Golden Eagles are piloted by Desi Allen, a junior that has racked up a .435 batting average. Allen's .544 on-base percentage ranks third in the PSAC and 28th in Division II. In Clarion's 16 games this year, Allen has recorded a hit in 13 of them including 10 RBI, three doubles and a home run.

Emma Hipps (5-4) has registered all five of Clarion's wins from the circle, having pitched 52.2 of the team's 100.1 total innings. Hipps has totaled 42 strikeouts in her time with an ERA of 2.53 and one shutout. 

GAMES 22 and 23 - POSTPONED to 4/3
Opponent: Indiana (Pa.)
Date: Sunday – 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
Location: Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Venue: Kasnevich Field
Live Video: Rock Athletics Digital Network
Live Stats: Slippery Rock Athletic Communication
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: IUP leads, 78-47
Last Played: April 11, 2023 (Game One: W, 2-0 – Game Two: W, 8-4)
 
TOP ACTIVE SRU CAREER STATS vs. INDIANA
Alexsa Hurd – 7-for-17 (.412), two HR, nine RBI, two doubles, five runs (6 GP)
Emma Kennedy – 4-for-11 (.364), two runs (4 GP)
Julia Montie – 4-for-16 (.250), one HR, three RBI, three doubles, two runs (6 GP)
Kelsi Anderson (4-1), 29.1 IP, 0.95 ERA, 33 strikeouts
Alexsa Hurd (2-1), 19.1 IP, 1.09 ERA, 18 strikeouts

THE CRIMSON HAWKS BY THE NUMBERS (as of Thursday, March 21)
Overall Record: 14-6
Home Record: 4-0
Away Record: 1-1
Neutral Record: 9-5
Streak: L1
Last Five Games: 4-1
Head Coach: Shawna Bellaud | Sixth season at IUP (115-123-1, .483)
 
INDIANA (Pa.) SCOUTING REPORT
The Crimson Hawks have won four of their last five games, kicking off conference play with a 14-6 overall record. In eight games with Slippery Rock's common opponents, IUP has fared better than SRU in two of those games by splitting with Shepherd University and defeating Saint Michael's at The Spring Games. 

Paige Truax ranks 12th in the PSAC and first on IUP's roster hitting .431. In her last four games, Truax has gone 9-for-14 (.643) in the batter's box. She has nine RBI and three doubles, slugging .490 on the season. 

Jess Cekada began the year with a pair of home runs in IUP's doubleheader against Wheeling University, accounting for two of the team's four homers. A native of Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania, Cekada has batted .300 on the year. She is one of IUP's five players at .300 or higher through the first 20 games of the year. 

True freshman Kendall Young (6-3) has commanded the circle for IUP, pitching 28 strikeouts in 53 innings with a 2.11 ERA. 

THE LAKERS BY THE NUMBERS (as of Thursday, March 21)
Overall Record: 4-9
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 1-1
Neutral Record: 3-8
Streak: W1
Last Five Games: 1-4
Head Coach: Leanne Baker | 11th season at Mercyhurst (171-249-2, .408)
 
MERCYHURST SCOUTING REPORT
A 1-3 series at No. 10 University of Indianapolis is how the Lakers began their season before improving to 4-9 overall. Most recently, Mercyhurst split with Notre Dame College in a March 13 doubleheader on the road.

Mercyhurst's lone batter north of .300 is Madison Fry-Fachet, a graduate student out of Gasport, New York. Averaging .364, Fry-Fachet has gone 16-for-44 with an RBI and two doubles. True freshman Bailey Cannon has fired off one home run and five RBI in her rookie campaign, batting .250. 

Mikaela Schramski (1-2) has done the majority of Mercyhurst's pitching, entering PSAC West territory with a 5.86 ERA. The senior has struck out 20 batters in 27.2 innings pitched, allowing just .195 off the bats of her opponents.