SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -  The Slippery Rock University baseball team traded wins with California (Pa.) in a doubleheader Sunday at Critchfield Park to close out a four-game Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division series split with the Vulcans.
 
Following a 9-7 loss in the opener, Slippery Rock stormed back to defeat California 15-9 in game two.
 
After splitting the four-game series, Slippery Rock's record stands at 19-11 overall and 10-6 inside the PSAC West while the Vulcans move to 23-10 overall and 10-6 in league games.
 
In a doubleheader that saw Slippery Rock rack up an impressive 22 runs on 27 hits, including seven home runs, it was senior catcher Robby Barrientos leading the way after going 3-for-7 with three runs scored, two home runs and five RBI.
 
Cam Panyko Morris was an impressive 5-for-9 over the doubleheader with three runs, one home run and five RBI. Panyko Morris now leads SRU with five home runs in 2024.
 
Brandon Butler continued his strong freshman campaign with a 4-for-8, three-run, one-home run, two-RBI performance.
 
The trio of Koby Bubash, Michael Kitko and Gage Gillott rounded out Slippery Rock's top leaders from Sunday.
 
The trio produced near identical stat lines throughout the two games of 3-for-7 with two runs and home run. Bubash and Kitko collected a pair of RBI apiece meanwhile Gillott drove in three runs.
 
Bubash exits the weekend on an 11-game hitting streak while Kitko has reached base in 11 consecutive games.
 
GAME ONE: Cal 9 – SRU 7
A late Rock rally fell short in a 9-7 game-one loss to the Vulcans.
 
Panyko Morris, Barrientos and Braden Olson all collected two-hit games in the opener with Panyko Morris hitting a grand slam, Barrientos launching a homer of his own and Olson belting a double and drawing a walk.
 
Butler joined in on The Rock' power display on a gusty afternoon at Critchfield Park by connecting on his first collegiate home run. Darryn Callahan also reached base twice via a single and a walk in addition to scoring twice.
 
Joey Purcell (3-3) was the pitcher of record for Slippery Rock after allowing all nine runs – only five of which were earned – on nine hits and two walks while striking out seven batters. Gino Marra pitched a scoreless seventh inning out of SRU's bullpen.
 
Trailing 7-2 heading into the bottom of fourth inning, Panyko Morris ignited The Rock's comeback bid by stepping to the plate with the bases loaded and promptly driving the second pitch he saw of the at-bat over the wall in left-centerfield and cutting SRU's deficit to one run in the process.
 
However, the Vulcans staved off the rally by plating runs in the fifth and seventh innings while closer Jake Kramer worked around a two-out home run by Butler in the bottom of the seventh by closing out the win with a game-ending strikeout for the 9-7 decision.
 
Karmer entered the game in the sixth, pitching two innings with one run allowed on two hits for his ninth save of the year.
 
Cal starter Nathan Holmes (4-1) earned the win after allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks in four innings before giving way to Aidan Ruiz, who pitched a scoreless fifth inning.
 
Santino Marra went 3-for-4 with three runs and two solo home runs to pace the Vuclans' offense.
 
GAME TWO: SRU 15 – Cal 9
Slippery Rock avoided the sweep and clinched the series split thanks to offensive outburst that resulted in a 15-9 game-two win.
 
SRU set season-highs in runs scored, hits (16) and home runs (4) in the nightcap.
 
Six Rock starters earned multi-hit games in the victory led by Butler (3-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and Panyko Morris (3-for-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI).
 
Noah Ross was a productive 2-for-3 with two runs, three RBI and a walk. Bubash, Kitko and Gillott all homered as well as part of two-hit outings. Barrientos blasted a three-run home run and Purcell scored once and hit a double to close out SRU's bats.
 
Robert Herr (3-1) came out of The Rock's bullpen in the third inning to pitch four innings en route to his third win of the season. While Herr ultimately gave up five runs, he was great in relief for the majority of his 11th appearance of the year. He pitched four shutout innings before California finally got to the trusted reliever in the seventh.
 
Marra came on for Herr to record the game's final three outs in what was his second appearance of the day. Parker Hogge started the contest, giving up four runs on four hits and a walk in two innings.
 
SRU once again found itself trailing early after the Vulcans jumped out to a 4-2 lead through two innings.
 
However, Slippery Rock put the contest far out of reach by tallying six runs in the third inning and seven more in the fifth to push its lead out to 15-4. The Rock scored all six of their runs in the third inning by way of home runs off the bats of Gillott (two runs), Bubash (solo) and Barrientos (three runs).
 
While California did tack on five runs in the final inning, Slippery Rock's lead was never truly threatened in the six-run victory.
 
California used four pitchers in game two. Starter Sam Georgiana (3-2) took the loss after yielding seven runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings.
 
Slippery Rock steps back out of PSAC West play to host Tiffin University for a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday at Critchfield Park. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m.
 




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