ERIE, Pa. – Julia Nutter crushed two home runs to help force extra innings in a 6-5 comeback victory for the Slippery Rock University softball team before dropping a spirited game two, 1-0, Wednesday at Mercyhurst University.
The split moves Slippery Rock to 9-14 overall, beginning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division play at 2-2. Mercyhurst's overall record adjusted to 6-13 with a conference mark of 2-4.
Despite trailing 5-3 in the sixth inning, a seventh-inning rally moved game one into extra innings where The Rock walked off with a one-run win on a double play.
Nutter's two home runs were the highlights of her team-leading 3-for-6 day in the batter's box.
Aubrey Mansfield accompanied her with three hits on the day, going 3-for-7 with two doubles and an RBI.
Emma Kennedy went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI, while
Arielle Brown hit 2-for-8, also with an RBI.
Alyssa Sheely joined them with two hits going 2-for-6 throughout the day.
Julia Montie's triple gave her a 1-for-5 mark, as
Alexsa Hurd (1-for-7) and
Samantha Susany (1-for-3) both tallied hits for SRU as well.
Naomi Childs (0-for-2) rounded out the scoring with one run.
Mackenzie Borkovich (4-3) picked up SRU's victory after throwing one strikeout in 2.2 innings. She relieved
Kelsi Anderson (2-5) who tossed the day's first 5.1 innings, throwing four strikeouts in that span. Hurd (3-5) suffered the game two loss despite allowing just one run and five hits, accounting for three strikeouts in six innings.
GAME ONE – Slippery Rock 6, Mercyhurst 5 (8 innings)
Slippery Rock overcame a two-run deficit in the sixth inning to force extras and pick up a 6-5 victory in eight innings over Mercyhurst in game one.
The Rock got on the board early with a 1-0 lead when Mansfield, just the third batter of the game, recorded an RBI-double into right field to score Hurd. Despite the Lakers loading the bases in response, Slippery Rock held that lead until the third inning.
Mercyhurst notched three of its seven hits in the third inning, scoring the game-tying run with an RBI-double to level things at 1-1. Slippery Rock's defense survived another scare in the fourth when the Lakers yet again left three runners on base to close the inning.
SRU reclaimed its advantage just four pitches into the fifth inning when Nutter crushed a solo shot home run for a 2-1 edge. After three quick outs, The Rock doubled their lead to 3-1 in the top of the sixth when Hurd scored her second run of the day on a groundout-RBI.
Mercyhurst batted around in the bottom of the sixth with 10 trips to the plate, though, in an inning that featured four runs to give the Lakers a 5-3 lead.
Nutter knocked out her second home run of the day to lead off in the seventh inning, bringing one run back and cutting the deficit to 5-4. An RBI-single by Brown that allowed pinch runner Childs to round the bases punched the ticket into extra innings with a 5-5 draw.
A sacrifice fly from Kennedy turned a Mansfield double into a run in the top of the eighth, giving Slippery Rock a 6-5 lead that it did not give up in the home half of the frame. A walk-off double play was the defensive stance SRU displayed in the comeback win.
Nutter's brace of home runs gave her a 2-for-4 showing at the plate with two RBI. Mansfield went 2-for-3 with two doubles, one RBI and a run, while Hurd converted 1-for-3 with a pair of runs. Brown, Kennedy and Montie each added a hit as well, as Kennedy's lone hit went into the books as a triple.
Borkovich improved to 4-3 on the year after relieving Anderson for the final 2.2 innings. Anderson threw four strikeouts in 5.1 innings before Borkovich posted a clean slate through the final 12 batters faced, pitching two strikeouts and allowing just two hits.
Alexa North dropped to 1-2 for Mercyhurst after throwing six strikeouts through 7.2 innings. SRU salvaged an 8-7 lead in hits. Mercyhurst wound up leaving 13 runners on base through the contest as opposed to Slippery Rock's four.
GAME TWO – Mercyhurst 1, Slippery Rock 0
Slippery Rock split the series after dropping a 1-0 decision to Mercyhurst despite outhitting the Lakers, 7-5.
SRU got its first opportunity in the third inning when three different baserunners took the bags before an interference call retired the side.
The Lakers had registered only one hit through the game heading into the fourth inning but utilized an RBI-single as their third hit of the game to take a 1-0 lead that would remain.
Slippery Rock was able to get hits but was unable to score through the rest of the game, leaving two on base in each of the final three innings. The game concluded in tense fashion when a 10-pitch at-bat to Mansfield while runners awaited on second and third ended on a flyout to centerfield.
Sheely went 2-for-3 for The Rock, tops on the team. Brown, Kennedy, Mansfield, Nutter and Susany all picked up a hit in the game as well. After pitching all six innings, Hurd fell to 3-5 despite allowing just five hits and one run. She struck out three of the 25 batters faced.
LOOKING AHEAD
Slippery Rock will waste no time in taking back to the diamond, heading to California (Pa.) for a 2 p.m. doubleheader tomorrow.
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