WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University softball team began its 12-game slate through The Spring Games in a 13-0 loss to Notre Dame College (Ohio) and a 5-2 tilt to Caldwell University.
 
The losses set The Rock back to a 2-7 overall record. Notre Dame improves to 11-5 while Caldwell begins its 2024 campaign at 1-0. 
 
Aubrey Mansfield drove in both of Slippery Rock's runs on the day, combining for a 2-for-4 showing from the plate with a double and two RBI. Grace Smith joined her in the multi-hit effort by also going 2-for-4. Arielle Brown and Julia Nutter, who each recorded a hit while going 1-for-5 and 1-for 4 respectively, scored both of SRU's runs.
 
Alexsa Hurd (1-1) threw the most of the five pitchers utilized by Slippery Rock, tossing five strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Kelsi Anderson (0-3) also fanned five batters on the day, serving 3.2 innings in the circle.
 
GAME ONE – Notre Dame 13, Slippery Rock 0 (5 innings)
Slippery Rock only allowed one run through the first two innings but fell to the Falcons when Notre Dame scored 12 runs to cap off the game. Accompanying Smith with a hit were Sarah Brown, Madison Davis and Emma Kennedy.
 
Paige Gresgott (0-1) and Alexa Uphold both saw pitching stints, each striking out one batter. Despite the loss, none of the runs given up by Anderson in the 3.2 innings pitched by her were earned.
 
Note Dame was led by Blake Destany, who went 2-for-3 with five RBI. Grace Fisher (5-3) picked up the win after striking out 10 of the 19 batters she faced. The Falcons ended up with just a 6-4 edge in hits.
 
GAME TWO – Caldwell 5, Slippery Rock 2
A two-run rally in the fifth inning while trailing by three proved to not be enough for Slippery Rock as the Cougars tacked on two more late in a 5-2 decision.
 
Caldwell's early 3-0 advantage stemmed from two runs in the first inning and one more in the third.
 
SRU's best offense of the day came in the top of the fifth. Nutter singled and quickly found herself on second thanks to a sacrifice bunt from Samantha Susany. Nutter arrived to third after an Arielle Brown single before both baserunners came across home plate thanks to an RBI-double from Mansfield that cut the score to 3-2. 
 
The Cougars did not take lightly to that comeback attempt, however, extending their lead to 4-2 with an RBI-single in the bottom of the fifth and increasing the difference to 5-2 on a passed ball in the sixth.
 
Susany gave The Rock hope with a single to lead things off in the top of the seventh, but that ended up being the last hit of the game as Caldwell secured victory in its first game of the season. 
 
Caldwell's top asset came from Riley Riendeau, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI. SRU wound up with a 7-6 lead in hits through the game. 
 
Hurd struck out five batters in the 5.2 innings pitched, allowing two earned runs. Mackenzie Borkovich came in for the last out of the game as the fifth different SRU pitcher to step inside the circle on the day.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Slippery Rock will look to bounce back on day two of The Spring Games with a 10 a.m. contest against Saint Michael's College before a 12:30 p.m. meeting with Bentley University tomorrow at the DiamondPlex.




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