Slippery Rock vs. Edinboro
The Rock (17-21, 10-9)	Fighting Scots (9-17, 6-8)
Roster	Roster
Schedule	Schedule
Statistics	Statistics
Coach Stacey Rice	Coach Dan Gierlak
Program Records	Program Records
PSAC Standings
PSAC Leaders
PSAC Schedule
Kasnevich Field
WATCH LIVE  |   LIVE STATS

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The Slippery Rock University softball team will play three doubleheaders over the next three days beginning 2 p.m. Tuesday against Mercyhurst, all part of a historically-long 14-game homestand at Kasnevich Field.
 
After a spectacular comeback sweep of Indiana University (Pa.), The Rock enter the week with a 15-20 overall mark and an 8-8 record in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division play.
 
Mercyhurst begins its week at 10-21 overall and 5-9 in the PSAC West. Clarion starts off at 10-20 through the season and 5-9 in the conference while Edinboro is 7-17 on the year and 4-8 in league play.
 
MOTHER NATURE IS UNPREDICTABLE
With the unpredictable spring weather in western Pennsylvania, fans are reminded that any time / location / date changes will be posted on rockathletics.com and all of SRU athletics' official social media accounts as information becomes available. Updates regarding potential postponements and rescheduled games will be included below.
 
NO PETS AT KASNEVICH FIELD
Fans are reminded that there are NO PETS allowed at Kasnevich Field 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 home 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 TV, 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 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.
 
GAMES 40-41
Opponent: Edinboro
Date: Thursday – 2 p.m. / 4 p.m.
Location: Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Venue: Kasnevich Field
Live Video: Rock Athletics Digital Network
Live Stats: Slippery Rock Athletic Communication
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Edinboro leads, 78-65
Current Streak: Slippery Rock +4
Last Played: April 29, 2023 (Game One: W, 7-2 | Game Two: W, 14-12)
 
TOP ACTIVE SRU CAREER STATS vs. EDINBORO
Mackenzie Freeman – 6-for-17 (.353), 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 run (8 GP)
Alexsa Hurd – 7-for-20 (.350), 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 runs (6 GP)
Arielle Brown – 8-for-23 (.348), 1 HR, 4 2B, 6 RBI, 4 runs (6 GP)
Kelsi Anderson (3-0, 1 save), 0.41 ERA, 42 strikeouts (34.0 IP)
 

TEAM COMPARISON (as of April 14)
The Rock	Stat	Hurst	Clarion	Boro
15-20	Overall Record	10-21	10-20	7-17
8-8	PSAC West Record	5-9	5-9	4-8
.241	Batting Avg.	.278	.276	.275
3.9	Runs per Game	3.8	4.1	4.2
4.5	Opp. Runs per Game	6.0	7.8	6.8
6.3	Hits per Game	7.3	7.1	7.6
6.7	Opp. Hits per Game	8.0	8.9	10.0
1.5	Errors per Game	1.3	1.8	1.9
0.6	HR per Game	0.4	0.4	0.4
.361	SLG%	.365	.375	.393
.331	OB%	.330	.339	.334
.951	FLD%	.954	.935	.935
3.29	ERA	5.46	6.80	5.86
.256	Opp. Batting Avg.	.301	.328	.350

 
THE ROCK BY THE NUMBERS (as of April 15)
Overall Record: 15-20
PSAC West Record: 8-8
Home Record: 4-2
Away Record: 5-9
Neutral Record: 6-9
PSAC West Rank: 4^th  
Streak: W3
Last Five Games: 4-1
Head Coach: Stacey Rice | 10^th season at SRU (172-221-1)
 

SERIES HISTORY
	Hurst	Clarion	Boro
All-time Record	39-46	71-41	65-78
Streak	L1	W1	W4
Last Meeting	March 27, 2024 Game One: W, 6-5 Game Two: L, 1-0	March 25, 2024 Game One: L, 12-7 Game Two: W, 10-2	April 29, 2023 Game One: W, 7-2 Game Two: W, 14-12

 
Slippery Rock's split with Mercyhurst March 27 gave SRU its first win over the Lakers since April 24, 2019, snapping an eight-game losing skid. Slippery Rock's most recent win over Mercyhurst at home came April 3, 2019 in a 4-2 victory.
 
SRU and Clarion have split the last two doubleheaders played between the squads, including a high-scoring affair at Clarion March 25. The Rock have earned sweeps in seven of their last eight home twin bills against the Golden Eagles, dropping both games a year ago.
 
A win in game one over Edinboro would give Slippery Rock its fifth straight win over the Fighting Scots, which has not happened since a five-game streak from 1980-82. A sweep would grant SRU its longest streak of wins over Edinboro in program history, having won all four games in the 2023 season.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock strung together its second streak of at least three wins on the season to wrap up a 5-3 week, splitting with California (Pa.) and stealing both from IUP.
 
Slippery Rock recovered from a 3-2 loss to Cal April 13 with a 2-1 win in game two, as Kelsi Anderson and Alexsa Hurd combined for 20 strikeouts.
 
SRU needed eight innings in both games April 14 for a sweep against Indiana (Pa.), first picking up game one, 3-2. Game two looked to be all but over in the fifth, when Slippery Rock trailed 11-2. However, an eight-run fifth inning and a run in the seventh forced extra innings where Julia Montie crushed the comeback-clinching homer out of the park for a 12-11 win.
 
LAST WEEK:
4/9 @ IUP – L, 10-1 (5 inn.)
4/9 @ IUP – W, 7-3
4/10 vs. Gannon – L, 1-0
4/10 vs. Gannon – W, 10-2 (6 inn.)
4/13 vs. California – L, 3-2
4/13 vs. California – W, 2-1
4/14 vs. IUP – W, 3-2 (8 inn.)
4/14 vs. IUP – W, 12-11 (8 inn.)
 
WHERE THEY STAND
Slippery Rock's three-game win streak propelled SRU up to fourth in the PSAC West with an 8-8 record. The Rock begin the week just half a game back from Gannon University (9-5) in third. Slippery Rock holds a half-game advantage and a tiebreaker over IUP (8-9) in fifth.
 
Clarion, Mercyhurst and Edinboro hold sixth, seventh and eighth in the PSAC West, respectively, needing a boost of momentum from the outside looking in.
 
The top five teams in the PSAC West will qualify for the 2024 PSAC Tournament in Quakertown, Pennsylvania May 1-4.
 
LEADING THE ROCK
Arielle Brown still holds the top rung of the offense with a .293 batting average. The infielder leads Slippery Rock with 20 RBI, having hit one home run, one triple and one double, slugging .354. Brown also leads SRU with a .466 on-base percentage.
 
Montie is up to a .262 batting average, now slugging a team-best .563 with seven home runs, eight doubles and a triple.
 
Aubrey Mansfield (.252) got back into the hitting column last weekend going 3-for-8 with three doubles and three RBI against IUP. The sophomore from Stow, Ohio has two home runs, seven doubles and 18 RBI on the year now.
 
Alyssa Sheely (.237) has hit a pair of home runs and a trio of doubles this year, now slugging .330. Julia Nutter (.231) has 10 RBI with three home runs, a double and a triple, while Hurd (.219) added her second home run and tallied her seventh double of the 2024 campaign over the weekend.
 
Grace Smith (.217) has driven 13 runs in with three home runs, four doubles and a triple while Emma Kennedy (.213) has logged 12 RBI with three doubles and one triple.  

A STUNNING SWEEP
Slippery Rock defied the odds when it overcame a nine-run deficit in the fifth inning April 14 against Indiana (Pa.) and won the game in extra innings, 12-11.
 
After picking up a 3-2 game one win in eight innings, SRU trailed 11-2 in the fifth inning before scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the score to 11-10. A game-tying run in the seventh forced extra innings with an 11-11 score, setting up the opportunity for Montie to walk it off with a home run on the first pitch in the bottom of the eighth.
 
The brace of wins marks Slippery Rock's first PSAC West sweep of the season and its second straight home sweep over IUP. The Rock swept seven PSAC West doubleheaders a year ago, three of which occurred in the friendly confines of Kasnevich Field.  
 
HURD IS DEALING
Hurd tossed over 650 pitches last week, putting together a 3-2 record with one save and a 1.27 ERA.
 
Through PSAC West play this season, Hurd has fanned 80 batters in 58.2 innings pitched, averaging 9.5 strikeouts per seven innings. In that span, she has allowed just 15 earned runs and has shut opposing batters down to a .222 batting average.
 
The Suffield, Ohio junior spent 19.0 innings in the circle through the last four games, tossing 23 strikeouts and allowing just two earned runs. Through the Cal and IUP doubleheaders, she went 2-1 with the second save of her career.
 
GOING YARD
Montie's game-winning walk-off home run against Indiana was her seventh of the season and the team's 20^th of the year. As a team, SRU now holds a +5 home run differential over opponents faced this year.
 
Montie is now tied for 16^th all-time for most home runs in a single-season with seven. Two more home runs would move her into the top 10.
 
Seven SRU players have recorded at least one homer this season. Nutter and Smith both have three while Hurd, Mansfield and Sheely have both sent two past the fence. Brown added her first home run of the season April 10 versus Gannon.
 
HOME IS WHERE THE ROCK IS
Due to how rescheduled games from weather-impacted games that were postponed fell this year, Slippery Rock is continuing its 14-game homestand, the longest in program history.
 
The last time that Slippery Rock played this many consecutive games at home was in a 10-game stretch of contests in 2010. SRU hosted IUP, California, Gannon, Bowie State University and Shippensburg University from March 27-April 2 that year, recording a 6-4 record in that window.
 
Since 2021, Slippery Rock has gone 29-28 at Kasnevich Field, jumping above .500 with the IUP sweep.
 
BROWN ROUNDING THE BASES
Brown's .293 batting average is just one statistic she leads the team in. Brown carries a .466 on-base percentage, which currently stands as ninth all-time for SRU in a single season.
 
The Galena, Ohio product has slugged .354 this season and has been hit by a pitch eight times and walked 24 times. Her 0.7 walks per game rank second in the PSAC and 29^th in Division II.
 
Once on base, Brown has been eager for more, stealing 0.5 bases per game and ranking seventh in the conference. Brown has accounted for 50 percent of Slippery Rock's stolen bases this year, commandeering 17 of the team's 34 extra bags.
 
ADVANCING THE RUNNER
As a team, Slippery Rock ranks second in the PSAC and first in the PSAC West with 33 sacrifice bunts on the season. Naomi Childs has produced six of those sac-bunts, a team-high. Childs is riding a .371 batting average through her 26 appearances, going 13-for-35 at the plate with an RBI.
 
WINNING PAST SEVEN
Slippery Rock is now 6-1 in extra innings games this season after picking up both home games against IUP in eight frames apiece. Earlier this year, The Rock came away with a 9-6 thriller at Shippensburg March 3 before beating the University of New Haven and falling to Hillsdale College in The Spring Games.
 
The Rock have now won 12 of their last 16 extra innings games and nine of their last 11.
 
THE BULLPEN REPORT
Hurd (6-8, 1 save) leads Slippery Rock's pitchers with a 2.12 ERA, now having racked up 122 strikeouts in 99.0 innings pitched.
 
Anderson (4-8) has started a team-high 17 games in the circle for The Rock this year. The veteran wing enters the week with a 4.11 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 78.1 innings under her belt.
 
Mackenzie Borkovich (5-3) saw two innings of relief time last weekend for SRU, now up to 49.0 total innings pitched in 2024. The Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania native has tossed 33 strikeouts in that span. Paige Gresgott (0-1) and Alexa Uphold have combined for 5.1 innings and four strikeouts as well.
 
A SUPERB STAFF OF PITCHERS
As a unit, SRU's bullpen is limiting batters faced to a .257 batting average, led by Hurd's .228 opposing batting average. Slippery Rock leads the PSAC West with a team ERA of 3.29.
 
Hurd ranks third in the PSAC and 28^th in Division II averaging 8.6 strikeouts per seven innings. Right behind her, Anderson is eighth in the PSAC and 67^th nationally with 7.5 Ks per seven innings pitched.
 
Hurd also ranks 11^th in the PSAC with a 1.29 WHIP and sixth throughout the conference with 122 total strikeouts.
 
RECORD WATCH
Anderson is now tied with Brooke Dawson for most wins all-time at Slippery Rock with 33. Dawson totaled her 33 wins in the circle from 2015-18.
 
Anderson did surpass Dawson for second all-time in innings pitched last week, now with 453.0 columns in the circle. Jordan Hertzog leads SRU all-time with 462.2 innings from 1997-00.
 
With 291 strikeouts, Hurd moved into the top five all-time in SRU history. She is just four away from tying Carly DeRose's 295 Ks in 2014-17 for fourth.
 
Montie's seventh home run put her into the top 20 all-time in the single-season record book. Head coach Stacey Rice hit a program-best 14 home runs in the 2007 season.
  
THE FIGHTING SCOTS BY THE NUMBERS (as of April 14)
Overall Record: 7-17
PSAC West Record: 4-8
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 4-8
Neutral Record: 3-9
PSAC West Rank: 8^th
Streak: W2
Last Five Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Dan Gierlak | 35^th season with Edinboro (514-743-5, .409)
 
EDINBORO SCOUTING REPORT
The Fighting Scots will be seeing Slippery Rock for the first time this season 2 p.m. Thursday at Kasnevich Field. Edinboro opened up PSAC West play going 4-8, splitting with IUP and Mercyhurst prior to a sweep of UPJ.
 
Freshman Adeline Maguire has spearheaded Edinboro's offense, batting .343 and slugging .629. Maguire has 16 RBI, three home runs and 11 doubles, good enough to be ranked fourth in Division II with 0.5 doubles per game.
 
Macy Sral (4-7) has been the go-to wing for the Fighting Scots, tossing 44 strikeouts in 68.2 innings and earning a 5.64 ERA. Edinboro's bullpen has recorded a cumulative ERA of 7.53 this season.
 
Edinboro will host Pitt-Johnstown Monday and California Wednesday before making the trip south to Slippery Rock Thursday. The two teams are slated to meet again at Edinboro 1 p.m. April 27.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Slippery Rock will celebrate Senior Day 1 p.m. Saturday against Pitt-Johnstown in its seventh consecutive home doubleheader. The Rock will then play the second half of its season series with the Mountain Cats just a day later 1 p.m. Sunday on the road.





To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter, @Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).




 

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GAMES 36-37
Opponent: Mercyhurst
Date: Tuesday – 2 p.m. / 4 p.m.
Location: Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Venue: Kasnevich Field
Live Video: Rock Athletics Digital Network
Live Stats: Slippery Rock Athletic Communication
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Mercyhurst leads, 46-39
Current Streak: Mercyhurst +1
Last Played: March 27, 2024 (Game One: W, 6-5 | Game Two: L, 1-0)
 
TOP ACTIVE SRU CAREER STATS vs. MERCYHURST
Alexsa Hurd – 10-for-27 (.370), 4 HR, 10 RBI, 6 runs (9 GP)
Julia Nutter – 3-for-8 (.375), 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 runs (4 GP)
Alyssa Sheely – 4-for-11 (.364), 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 run (6 GP)
Kelsi Anderson (1-4), 3.89 ERA, 33 strikeouts (36.0 IP)

THE LAKERS BY THE NUMBERS (as of April 14)
Overall Record: 10-21
PSAC West Record: 6-12
Home Record: 4-4
Away Record: 3-9
Neutral Record: 3-8
PSAC West Rank: 7^th
Streak: L2
Last Five Games: 1-4
Head Coach: Leanne Baker | 11^th season at Mercyhurst (177-261-2, .405)
 
MERCYHURST SCOUTING REPORT
Since splitting with Slippery Rock March 27 in Erie, the Lakers have gone 4-8, getting swept by IUP and Seton Hill University and splitting with Pitt-Johnstown, Gannon and Edinboro. Slippery Rock took game one in Erie, 6-5, walking off on a double play in the eighth inning before falling to Mercyhurst in game two, 1-0.
 
Madison Fry-Fachet is Mercyhurst's top batter with a .352 batting average on five doubles, a triple and eight RBI. The graduate student from Gasport, New York has been struck out just twice all year. Alexa North (3-6) has led the bullpen with a 5.53 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 53.2 innings pitched.
 
The Lakers begin the week seventh in the PSAC West, also hosting California (Pa.) Monday. As a team, Mercyhurst has been hitting .278 and slugging .365 with a .331 on-base rate. The bullpen has combined for a 7.18 ERA.

GAMES 38-39
Opponent: Clarion
Date: Wednesday – 2 p.m. / 4 p.m.
Location: Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Venue: Kasnevich Field
Live Video: Rock Athletics Digital Network
Live Stats: Slippery Rock Athletic Communication
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Slippery Rock leads, 71-41
Current Streak: Slippery Rock +1
Last Played: March 25, 2024 (Game One: L, 12-7 | Game Two: W, 10-2)
 
TOP ACTIVE SRU CAREER STATS vs. CLARION
Alexsa Hurd – 12-for-30 (.400), 1 HR, 1 3B, 1 2B, 8 RBI, 7 runs (8 GP)
Aubrey Mansfield – 10-for-25 (.400), 1 HR, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 4 runs (6 GP)
Mackenzie Freeman – 8-for-23 (.348), 2 2B, 8 RBI, 4 runs (11 GP)
Kelsi Anderson (3-2), 3.14 ERA, 51 strikeouts (35.2 IP)
Alexsa Hurd (1-0), 3.75 ERA, 28 strikeouts (18.2 IP)

THE GOLDEN EAGLES BY THE NUMBERS (as of April 15)
Overall Record: 10-20
PSAC West Record: 5-9
Home Record: 85-7
Away Record: 1-5
Neutral Record: 4-8
PSAC West Rank: 6^th
Streak: L3
Last Five Games: 1-4
Head Coach: Marissa Pullo | Second season at Clarion (27-49, .355)
 
CLARION SCOUTING REPORT
The Golden Eagles have lost eight of their last 10 games after splitting with Slippery Rock March 25. Clarion split with Cal and Mercyhurst and was swept by IUP once and Seton Hill twice. In their last eight games, the Golden Eagles have been outscored, 72-18.
 
Five batters sit at .300 or greater, led by Haylie Rimmey at .347. The true freshman from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania has put together 13 RBI with eight doubles, a triple and a home run, slugging .528 with a .405 on-base percentage this year.
 
Sophomore Emma Hipps (9-6) has been Clarion's standout pitcher with a 3.83 ERA. Hipps has tossed 77 strikeouts in 82.1 innings pitched. She is Clarion's lone pitcher with an ERA under 8.00 and has held batters to a .253 average at the plate. Hipps ranks seventh in the PSAC with a 1.25 WHIP.
 
Clarion's team slash line stands at .275 / .338 / .374 entering the week. The pitching staff has combined for a 6.80 ERA. The Golden Eagles will host Gannon Tuesday before heading to SRU Wednesday.