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. Tiffin
The Rock (19-11)	Tiffin (17-20)
Roster	Roster
Schedule	Schedule
Statistics	Statistics
Coach Jeff Messer	Coach Joe Wilkins
Program Records	Program Records
PSAC Standings
PSAC Leaders
PSAC Schedule
Jack Critchfield Park

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team will host Tiffin University for a non-conference nine-inning game 2 p.m. Tuesday at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
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 Tuesday's game 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.
 
GAME 31 DETAILS
Opponent: Tiffin
Date: Tuesday – 2 p.m.
Location: Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Venue: Jack Crtichfield Park
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter/X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SRU leads 17-3
Last Played: Feb. 24, 2013 (SRU DH sweep)
 
SERIES HISTORY
While Slippery Rock holds a 17-3 record against Tiffin all-time, including wins in each of the last seven meetings, every member of both team's active rosters weren't even in junior high the last time The Rock and Dragons squared off on Feb. 24, 2013.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock split a four-game Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division series against California (Pa.) while Tiffin took three of four games from Lake Erie College.
 

TALE OF THE TAPE
STAT	ROCK	TIFFIN
Runs*	4.8	6.6
Runs Allowed*	3.8	6.5
Hits*	8.1	9.1
Hits Allowed*	6.6	8.4
Team Batting Average	.279	.298
Opp. Batting Average	.236	.283
Team OB%	.361	.402
Opp. OB%	.329	.402
Team ERA	3.58	6.49
Opp. ERA	5.35	6.69
* per game stats

 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 19-11
PSAC West Record: 10-6
PSAC West Standings: t-2nd
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 8th
Home Record: 10-8
Away Record: 6-2
Neutral Site Record: 3-1
Streak: W1
Last Five Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Jeff Messer | 39th season (1,114-734-5 / .603)
 
SRU'S RECENT RESULTS
April 9 – Mansfield – W, 13-5
April 13 – California – L, 3-2
April 13  – California – W, 5-0
April 14 – California – L, 9-7
April 14 – California – W, 15-9
 
HOMEBODIES
11 of The Rock's last 13 games have been played at Jack Critchfield Park.
 
ROCK REMAINS 8th IN REGION
In what is becoming a reoccurring trend, Slippery Rock was once again eighth in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Atlantic Region rankings.
 
NCBWA Atlantic Region Top-10 (4/15)
1. Millersville (31-7)
2. East Stroudsburg (30-6)
3. Charleston (28-7)
4. West Chester (27-5)
5. California (23-10)
6. Frostburg State (23-8)
7. Seton Hill (23-12)
8. Slippery Rock (19-11)
9. West Virginia State (21-13)
10. Indiana (Pa.) (19-10)
 
MALAK PICKS UP AWARD
Nate Malak was named the PSAC West Pitcher of the Week after throwing six innings and striking out a career-high seven batters in a combined one-hit 5-0 shutout against California (Pa.) last week.Malak is the third Rock athlete to earn PSAC West Pitcher of the Week honors this season.
 
SRU IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
Slippery Rock has put together a 9-5 non-conference record so far in 2024 against Dominican (3-0), Pace (2-0), Saint Anselm (2-1), Mansfield (1-1), West Virginia State (1-1), St. Thomas Aquinas (0-1) and Charleston (0-1).
 
Slippery Rock still has two more scheduled non-conference dates this season at Frostburg State (April 23) and versus Notre Dame (April 30).
 
SIGNING UP FOR 9
Tuesday's game will be The Rock's eighth nine-inning game of the season. Entering the Tiffin game, SRU has gone 4-3 in scheduled nine-inning contests this year.
 
BUBASH PUSHES STREAK TO 11
Senior second baseman Koby Bubash begins the week in the midst of a career-long 11-game hitting streak. Already one of the longest such streaks in five years at SRU, a hit against Tiffin would tie Bubash with Gage Gillott for The Rock's longest hitting streak of the season.
 
Longest Hitting Streak at SRU (Last 5 Years)
1. Alex Robenolt – 14 (2021)
2. Gage Gillott – 12 (2024)
t3. Koby Bubash – 11 (2024)
t3. Joseph Ehland – 11 (2023)
t3. Noah Ross – 11 (2023)
t3. Abraham Mow – 11 (2021)
 
ISN'T HE GRAND
Cam Panyko Morris hit a grand slam as part of The Rock's 9-7 loss to California on April 14. Panyko Morris has now hit two grand slams in his college career – the first coming a season ago against Wilmington.
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
• On the mound, SRU's hurlers have combined forces to form one of the top pitching staffs in all of Division II. The Rock allow just 3.8 runs per contest while ranking sixth in the nation in ERA (3.58), ninth in hits allowed per nine innings (7.96), 13th in WHIP (1.31) and 36th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.25)
 
• Slippery Rock, which is also third in the country in shutouts with seven, has held opponents to a .236 batting average.
 
• The Rock's bats have begun to heat up of late with four double-digit hit performances over SRU's last five games.
 
• Most recently, Slippery Rock capitalized on advantageous weather conidiations to register 22 runs on 27 hits and seven home runs over its doubleheader split with California April 13 at Critchfield Park.
 
• Through the first 30 games of the season, Slippery Rock has averaged 4.8 runs per game with a team slash line of .279 / .361 / .418.
 
• The uptick in offensive production has resulted in five players carrying a .313 or better batting average into the week.
 
• Outfielder/pitcher Michael Kitko is enjoying a breakout season, batting .360 with 15 runs scored, three home runs and 21 RBI all the while slugging .512 with a .402 on-base percentage.
 
• Gage Gillott and Joey Purcell not only form the front end of The Rock's weekend pitching rotation, but the duo is also two of the program's most productive hitters.
 
• Gillott – an outfielder when not pitching – bats .354 with a team-best .532 slugging percentage thanks in part to nine total extra-base hits (5 doubles, 3 triples, 1 home run) in addition to 15 runs scored, 11 RBI and five stolen bases.
 
• Purcell – SRU's primary first baseman – has matched Gillott in home runs, RBI and doubles while scoring a team-best 18 runs and hitting .324 with a .407 on-base percentage, .465 slugging percentage and four stolen bases.
 
• Bubash has reached base 27 total times in Slippery Rock's last 12 games. The hot streak has resulted in the veteran batting .323 with 16 runs, three home runs, 18 RBI, a .442 on-base percentage and a .473 slugging percentage.
 
• Freshman Brandon Butler slugged his first collegiate home run in the California series. A starter in 21 of 22 games played at third base, Butler is batting .313 while scoring 10 runs and driving in 12 more.
 
• Panyko Morris' grand slam served as his team-leading fifth home run of the season. The Rock's centerfielder also leads the team in RBI with 23.
 
• Few players have been as strong at the plate recently than shortstop Braden Olson. After going 2-for-31 to start the year, Olson has rebounded to produce 10 hits in his last 19 at-bats while drawing seven walks over the last eight games.
 
• Catcher Robby Barrientos doubled his career home run total by belting two homers with five RBI in The Rock's April 13 doubleheader against California. The trusted defensive backstop has now hit safely in five consecutive games.
 
• Designated hitter Noah Ross snapped a three-game hitless streak by going 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI in SRU's split-clinching victory against California.
 
HITTING WHEN IT MATTERS
Five Rock athletes are hitting at least .315 with runners in scoring position.
 
1. Michael Kitko (.452 / 14-31)
t2. Koby Bubash (.381 / 8-21)
t2. Cam Panyko Morris (.381 / 8-21)
4. Joey Purcell (.357 / 10-28)
5. Brandon Butler (.318 / 7-22)
 
GET A LEAD, KEEP A LEAD
SRU is 15-1 this season when leading after four innings.
 
WINNING THE CLOSE ONES
Slippery Rock opens the week 10-5 in games that have been decided by three runs or less.
 
TIFFIN PRIMER
Overall Record: 17-20
G-MAC Record: 12-11
G-MAC Standings: 7th
Home Record: 9-4
Away Record: 8-13
Neutral Site Record: 0-3
Streak: L1
Last Five Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Joe Wilkins | 12th season (251-294 / .461)
 
TU'S RECENT RESULTS
April 10 – Findlay – L, 11-8
April 13 – Lake Erie – W, 16-12
April 13  – Lake Erie – W, 9-4
April 14 – Lake Erie – W, 8-4
April 14 – Lake Erie – L, 4-0
 
TOP TU HITTERS
Logan Swonger: .368 (46-125) – 39 Runs – 12 HR – 48 RBI – 11 SB - .473 OBP
Tom Thamann: .386 (23-114) - 23 Runs – 3 HR - 27 RBI – .454 OBP
Isaiah Mirabal: .322 (37-115) – 20 Runs – 4 HR – 23 RBI - .423 OBP
Griff Cady: .337 (35-104) – 20 Runs – 1 HR – 15 RBI - .420 OBP
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock returns to its PSAC West schedule for a four-game series against Gannon University. SRU will host the Golden Knights for a doubleheader Saturday prior to traveling to Gannon for two games Sunday. First pitch of game one on both days is set for 1 p.m.  
 
 



 
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