SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team began the day facing a three-run, fifth-inning deficit in the resumption of April 17's weather-impacted contest with Clarion, but quickly scored four runs to defeat the Golden Eagles 8-7 Wednesday at Kasnevich Field.
 
The series victory and home sweep of Clarion moves The Rock to 22-24 overall with a 15-12 record in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division. The Golden Eagles fell to 12-30 on the year and 7-19 in conference play.
 
Jeanna Sukey led Slippery Rock in a 2-for-3 showing with three RBI, while Alexsa Hurd gifted the game-winning home run to Slippery Rock, going 1-for-3 with two RBI. Emma Kennedy (2-for-4) and Julia Nutter (2-for-3) both doubled with each getting a pair of hits.
 
In a game that Slippery Rock came away with a 12-7 lead in hits, Arielle Brown (1-for-2), Naomi Childs (1-for-2), Mackenzie Freeman (1-for-4), Aubrey Mansfield (1-for-3) and Julia Montie (1-for-4) all put the ball in play as well.
 
Kelsi Anderson (9-10) tossed 150 pitches in the win, striking out 10 batters. She allowed no hits in the latter day of action. Taylor Eckles (1-3) opened and closed the game for Clarion but earned the loss in the circle after allowing Hurd's home run. She netted three strikeouts in bookended 4.1 innings pitched.
 
GAME TWO – Slippery Rock 8, Clarion 7
It took one week from April 17-24 to decide a winner, but Slippery Rock came out on top in another comeback win against Clarion, 8-7.
 
After a 7-6 game one win that featured five lead changes April 17, Clarion looked to get off to a hot start in game two with a first-inning home run that scored three runs. An error in the second quickly gave Clarion a 4-0 lead despite a Kennedy double to lead things off for The Rock.
 
Slippery Rock cut into Clarion's lead in the bottom of the third when back-to-back singles from Mansfield and Montie turned into a run when Freeman doubled deep past the left line.
 
With a 4-1 lead, Clarion sent three runners home in the top of the fourth to nearly double the score to 7-1 on a strong double off the wall in left center.  
 
SRU's rally began in the bottom of the fourth on a Sukey RBI double followed by a solid strike into right center by Brown, both scoring one run in what became a 7-3 game.
 
Mansfield was hit by a pitch with bases loaded with a new Clarion pitcher to make the score 7-4, before the Golden Eagles left one on in the top of the fifth. With lightning in the area, play had to be stopped at that point.
 
Things picked up on a much chillier April 24, but that did not cool down Slippery Rock's bats. An RBI single placed through the gap gave SRU two quick runs in the bottom of the fifth to make things 7-6. With Brown having been walked, a home run from Hurd gave Slippery Rock the 8-7 lead that it would hold through what was left of the game.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Slippery Rock will play one last home doubleheader in 2024 when it hosts Seton Hill University 2 p.m. Friday at Kasnevich Field.





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).