GAME PROGRAM INFO
Slippery Rock has moved away from printed game programs for all sports in 2023-24. This page will serve as the "Digital Game Program" for this week's game. To navigate to all gameday info for any SRU home events this year, simply visit rockathletics.com/gameday or scan the QR code on the "Gameday Info" posters hanging in each facility.
 

Slippery Rock vs. Pitt-Johnstown
The Rock (8-3)	Mountain Cats (8-9)
Roster	Roster
Schedule	Schedule
Statistics	Statistics
Coach Jeff Messer	Coach Todd Williams
Program Records	-
PSAC Standings
PSAC Leaders
PSAC Schedule
Jack Critchfield Park

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team begins Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition this weekend with a four-game series against Pitt-Johnstown.
 
SERIES FORMAT
The Rock hosts the Mountain Cats for a doubleheader Friday at Jack Critchfield Park before traveling to UPJ for two games Saturday. First pitch of game one on both days is set for 1 p.m.
 
LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME
Fans are reminded that there are NO PETS allowed at Jack Critchfield Park, 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 Friday'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 RV, 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.
 
SERIES DETAILS
Opponent: Pitt-Johnstown
Games 1-2: Friday – Critchfield Park
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
Games 3-4: Saturday – Sargent's Stadium at the Point
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter/X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SRU leads 54-31
Last Played: May 5, 2023 (Split DH)
 
SERIES HISTORY
Slippery Rock holds a 54-31 record against Pitt-Johnstown all-time, but the series has been much closer as of late than The Rock's .635 winning percentage against UPJ would indicate. A year ago, Pitt-Johnstown took three of four games from Slippery Rock while SRU and UPJ split the four-game series' in both 2021 and 2022.
 
Top Rock Performers vs. UPJ
Koby Bubash: 6 Games, .368 (7-19), 2 Runs, 4 RBI, 3 2B
Eddie Morris: 6 Games, .294 (5-17), 2 Runs, 2 RBI, 2 2B, 1 BB
Braden Olson: 4 Games, .300 (3-10), 1 Run, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 2 2B, 1 BB
Nate Malak: 1 Start, 5 IP, 0 Runs, .118 Opponent Avg. (2-17)
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 8-3
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 8th
Home Record: 5-2
Away Record: 0-0
Neutral Site Record: 3-1
Streak: W1
Last Five Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Jeff Messer | 39th season (1,103-726-5 / .603)
 
SRU'S RECENT RESULTS
March 8 – West Virginia State – W, 4-2
March 8 – West Virginia State – L, 5-2
March 16 – Saint Anselm – W, 5-0
March 16 – Saint Anselm – L, 13-9
March 17 – Saint Anselm – W, 5-0
 
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock took two of three games from Saint Anselm last weekend at Critchfield Park courtesy of a pair of 5-0 victories sandwiched between a 13-9 loss.

NO-NO FOR PURCELL AND KITKO
The highlight of The Rock's series victory over Saint Anselm came in Sunday's 5-0 win in the form of a combined no-hitter by Joey Purcell and Michael Kitko.
 
Purcell logged seven innings with a career-high matching nine strikeouts and just two walks allowed followed by Kitko closing out the no-hitter by throwing the final two innings with four strikeouts and just one walk surrendered.
 
Prior to the Saint Anselm game, the most recent no-hitter by SRU came on March 6, 2022 when Ricky Mineo and Travis Holman paired to pitch a seven-inning no-hitter against Davis & Elkins. The last time SRU had a nine-inning no-hitter came by Mike Sikorski on May 16, 2003 against Kutztown University in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Dating back to the 2003 season, Slippery Rock has now produced seven no-hitters. Prior to 2003 there have been two verified no-hitters.
 
HISTORY REWARDED
On the heels of their historic pitching performances, Purcell and Kitko each earned awards from the PSAC. Purcell was named the PSAC West Pitcher of the Week and Kitko earned PSAC West Athlete of the Week accolades as he also launched a pair of home runs and drove in five runs in addition to his pitching exploits.
 
ROCK REMAINS 8TH IN REGION
For a second straight week, Slippery Rock remained eighth in the latest set of NCBWA Atlantic Region rankings released on Monday.
 
NCBWA Atlantic Region Top-10 (3/18)
1. Millersville (18-3)
2. East Stroudsburg (15-3)
3. Seton Hill (12-5)
4. Charleston (14-4)
5. Shippensburg (12-6)
6. West Chester (10-5)
7. California (8-4)
8. Slippery Rock (8-3)
9. Frostburg State (10-6)
10. Salem (15-6)

ROCK GOING FOR HISTORIC START
A successful series against Pitt-Johnstown would place this year's team among the best in program history when it comes to record through the first 15 games of a season.
 
If The Rock earns a four-game sweep of the Mountain Cats they will be tied for the fifth-best record through 15 games in program history at 12-3. SRU also went 12-3 in its opening 15 games in both 2022 and 2021. The best 15-game starts to a season at Slippery Rock all-time was 14-1 in 1968 and 2005.
 
Best 15-Game Starts to a Season
14-1: 2005, 1968
13-2: 1993, 1989
12-3: 2022, 2021
11-4: Seven Times
10-4-1: Twice
10-5: Eight Times
 
WINNING THE CLOSE ONES
Slippery Rock opens the weekend 5-1 in games that have been decided by three runs or less.
 
GET A LEAD, KEEP A LEAD
SRU is 6-0 so far this season when leading after four innings.
 
COMEBACK KIDS
The Rock have also proven more than capable of overcoming late deficits as evidenced by its 3-2 record when trailing after six innings with all three of the wins came in walk-off fashion.
 
ALL-AROUND THREATS
Through 11 games, the trio of Purcell, Kitko and Gage Gillott have been Slippery Rock's three most productive athletes at the plate and on the mound.  
 
• Lost in The Rock's no-hit bid last weekend was another dominant outing by Gillott, who tossed a four-hit complete-game shutout in SRU's 5-0 March 16th victory.
 
• Gillott has now pitched back-to-back complete games and is 3-0 on the year with a 1.12 ERA, 24 strikeouts and a.191 opponent batting average over a team-best 24 innings pitched.
 
• Complementing Gillott's work on the mound is an offensive output that includes a .385 batting average, a .407 on-base percentage, five runs scored and three RBI. Five of his 10 hits have gone for extra bases (three doubles / two triples).
 
• Purcell's performance in the combined no-hitter has resulted in the junior entering his next appearance at 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA and 20 strikeouts in addition to a .100 opponent batting average through 16 innings. He leads the nation in hits allowed per nine innings (2.81).
 
• In seven starts at first base, Purcell is a .400 hitter with six runs, six RBI and a team-best .520 on-base percentage.
 
• Kitko has been The Rock's top arm out of the bullpen with a 1-0 record and one save over four appearances. In nine innings of work, the sophomore has compiled a 2.00 ERA with 13 strikeouts and just two walks.
 
• Like Gillott, Kitko is a corner outfielder when not pitching. He is batting .462 with six runs, two home runs and eight RBI along with a .517 on-base percentage and Rock-best .808 slugging percentage.
 
• Among qualified hitters (2.5 at-bats per game), Kitko is the only athlete in Division II – and one of just 13 batters across the entire NCAA (I, II, III) - to have not struck out in 2024.
 
BUBASH & BARRIENTOS GETTING GOING
Following slow starts to the season at the plate, both shortstop Koby Bubash and catcher Robby Barrientos are starting to get hot.
 
• After recording just six hits in his first 33 at-bats of the year, Bubash had a very productive series against Saint Anselm, going 4-for-10 versus the Hawks with three runs, one home run, three RBI, two doubles and three walks.
 
• Two of Barrientos' five hits this season came over two games against Saint Anselm via a double and triple.
 
GALCIK MAKING MOST OF EARLY CHANCES
Brett Galcik, a freshman third baseman who is a local product from Prospect, Pennsylvania, shined in his first collegiate starts. In two games against Saint Anselm, Galcik went 4-for-9 with three runs and a pair of doubles.
 
CONSISTENCY FROM CAM
One of just two position players to have appeared in all 11 games, centerfielder Cam Panyko Morris has been a model of consistency for The Rock.
 
A .294 hitter with six runs scored, two home runs and 10 RBI on the year, Panyko Morris has collected at least one hit in each of his eight starts this year.
 
ROUNDING OUT THE PITCHING STAFF
• In addition to Gillott, Purcell and Kitko six other Rock pitchers have all made at least two appearances on the mound this year in Parker Hogge, Robert Herr, Ethan Edkins, Gino Marra, Mark Wilbur Jr. and Hunter Loomis.
 
• Hogge is 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in 14.2 innings pitched. Herr is 1-0 with one save and a .192 opponent batting average.
 
HITTING WHEN IT MATTERS
Purcell (7-for-11), Kitko (5-for-9) and Panyko Morris (4-for-8) have combined to hit .571 (16-for-28) with runners in scoring position.
 
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
Slippery Rock, which closes out its season-long seven-game homestand with its doubleheader Friday against Pitt-Johnstown, has begun the season by going 5-2 in games played at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
The solid start to the year in home games continues a trend of strong play by The Rock when playing at Critchfield Park.
 
Since its opening during the 2002 season, Slippery Rock is an impressive 247-142 (.635) in games played at the friendly confines of Jack Critchfield Park. SRU has been particularly tough to beat at home as of late as SRU is 57-29 (.663) over the last three years.

ROCK TEAM STATS
Runs*: 5.1
Runs Allowed*: 4.6
Hits*: 8.3
Hits Allowed*: 7.6
Team Batting Average: .262
Opponent Batting Average: .241
Team OB%: .339
Opponent OB%: .331
Team ERA: 3.72
Opponent ERA: 5.17
* Per Game
 
ROCK AMONG PSAC'S BEST
Team Rankings
ERA: 3.72 (3rd)
Doubles Per Game: 2.1 (3rd)
WHIP: 1.35 (4th)
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio: 2.30 (5th)
 
Individual Rankings
Gage Gillott
ERA: 1.12 (2nd)
OBA: .191 (6th)
 
Joey Purcell
ERA: 1.69 (5th)
OBA: .100 (1st)
Hits Allowed: 5 (1st)
 
STREAKING
Hitting Streaks (Top 5)
Gage Gillott: 7
Cam Panyko Morris: 5
Michael Kitko: 4
Brett Galcik: 3
Koby Bubash: 3
 
Reached Base Streaks (Top 5)
Gage Gillott: 7
Michael Kitko: 7
Cam Panyko Morris: 5
Brett Galcik: 3
Koby Bubash: 3
Joey Purcell: 3
 
PITT-JOHNSTOWN PRIMER
Overall Record: 8-9
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 4-9
Neutral Site Record: 4-0
Streak: L1
Last Five Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Todd Williams | 27th season (575-582-5 / .497)
 
SCOUTING PITT-JOHNSTOWN
• While Pitt-Johnstown ranks fifth in the PSAC in runs per game (6.5) it also allows 6.7, which is 10th out of 17 teams inside the conference.
 
• In addition to ranking second in the conference in walks drawn per game (5.4), the Mountain Cats enter Critchfield Park with a team batting average of .270 and a collective on-base percentage of .391.
 
• UPJ's pitching staff ranks 10th in the conference in team ERA (6.01) with a .288 opponent batting average.
 
• Individually, Josh Ulery ranks second among PSAC West hitters in RBI (17) while Erik Rhodes ranks third in batting average (.421) and Alec Glumac is third in OBP (.507).
 
• Pitt-Johnstown has primarily used a three-man starting rotation entering this week consisting of Brandon Clifford (1-1, 18.2 IP), Ben Tomb (2-2, 21.2 IP) and Rod Shultz (0-2, 22.2 IP).
 
TOP UPJ HITTERS
Erik Rhodes: .421 (16-38) – 9 runs – 1 HR – 11 RBI - .463 OBP
Alex Glumac: .333 (17-51) – 13 runs – 8 RBI - .507 OBP
Josh Ulery: .316 (18-57) – 14 runs – 1 HR - 17 RBI - .386 OBP
Justin Turcovski: .260 (13-50) – 15 runs – 2 HR - 12 RBI - .400 OBP
 
TOP UPJ PITCHERS
Brandon Clifford: 1-1 – 18.2 IP – 3.86 ERA –  15 K / 14 BB - .282 OBA
Ben Tomb: 2-2 – 21.2 IP – 5.40 ERA –  26 K / 16 BB - .197 OBA
Rod Shultz: 0-2 – 22.2 IP – 7.15 ERA –  36 K / 14 BB - .272 OBA
Zach Myers: 0-1 – 8.2 IP – 3.12 ERA –  6 K / 2 BB - .235 OBA
 
UPJ'S RECENT RESULTS
March 10 – Charleston – W, 10-3
March 15 – Kutztown – W, 7-2
March 15 – Kutztown – L, 13-1
March 16 – Kutztown – W, 11-8 (8 Inn.)
March 16 – Kutztown – L, 5-2
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock steps back out of PSAC West play for a non-conference tilt against No. 10 Ashland University 2 p.m. March 26.
 
 




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