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. IUP
The Rock (13-7, 5-3 PSAC)	IUP (14-6, 6-2)
Roster	Roster
Schedule	Schedule
Statistics	Statistics
Coach Jeff Messer	Coach Steve Kline
Program Records	Program Records
PSAC Standings
PSAC Leaders
PSAC Schedule
Jack Critchfield Park

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team returns to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition this weekend with a four-game series against Indiana (Pa.).
 
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
All four games of this weekend's series will be played at Jack Critchfield Park with doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday will serve as IUP's "home" games in the series with The Rock's coming Sunday. First pitch of game one on both days is set for 1 p.m.
 
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 Sunday's games 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.
 
SERIES DETAILS
Opponent: Indiana (Pa.)
Location: Critchfield Park
In-game Updates: Twitter/X (@Rock_Athletics)
Games 1-2: Saturday – 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
Live Stats: Link
Games 3-4: Saturday – 1 p.m. / 3 p.m.
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
All-Time Series: SRU leads 118-88
Last Played: April 3, 2023 (Split DH)
 
SERIES HISTORY
While Slippery Rock holds a healthy 118-88 record all-time against IUP dating back to 1968, the Crimson Hawks have had the upper hand in the series of late with a 6-2 record versus The Rock the last two years.
 
Top Rock Performers vs. IUP
Koby Bubash: 10 Games - .296 (8-27) – 3 Runs – 5 RBI – 2 2B
Braden Olson: 5 Games - .500 (5-10) – 2 Runs – 2 RBI
Joey Purcell: 3 Games - .500 (4-8) – 2 Runs – 2 BB – 2 SB
 

TALE OF THE TAPE
STAT	ROCK	IUP
Runs*	4.2	7.2
Runs Allowed*	3.8	10.5
Hits*	7.5	9.2
Hits Allowed*	6.8	10.5
Team Batting Average	.255	.280
Opp. Batting Average	.233	.312
Team OB%	.333	.395
Opp. OB%	.331	.398
Team ERA	3.29	6.71
Opp. ERA	4.50	6.28
* per game stats

LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock lost a non-conference game Tuesday against Charleston, 3-2, while IUP closed out its series against Clarion March 29 with a split doubleheader.

SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 13-7
PSAC West Record: 5-3
PSAC West Standings: 3rd
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 8th
Home Record: 7-5
Away Record: 3-1
Neutral Site Record: 3-1
Streak: L1
Last Five Games: 2-3
Head Coach: Jeff Messer | 39th season (1,106-730-5 / .603)
 
SRU'S RECENT RESULTS
March 29 – Mercyhurst – W, 2-0
March 29 – Mercyhurst – L, 7-1
March 30 – Mercyhurst – L, 8-1
March 30 – Mercyhurst – W, 5-3
April 2 – Charleston – L, 3-2
 
SUNDAY BEST
Slippery Rock is 3-1 this season in games played on Sunday.

ROCK FOURTH IN ERA
In 20 games, Slippery Rock's pitching staff has compiled a 3.29 ERA, which ranks fourth in all of Division II.
 
Of the 923 schools competing across all three divisions of the NCAA, SRU has the 15th lowest ERA in country. D3 Salve Regina leads all teams with a 2.41 ERA.
 
SRU is also seventh in hits allowed per nine innings (7.79) and 17th in WHIP (1.33).
 
THE ROCK ROTATION
• In addition to their exploits at the plate, Gage Gillott and Joey Purcell have anchored the Slippery Rock starting rotation so far this season.
 
• Gillott, The Rock's ace, has been dominant in his six starts. Over 36.2 innings, Gillott has compiled a 4-1 record with a scant 0.98 ERA to go along with 35 strikeouts and a .171 opponent batting average. He has thrown three complete games and had a hand in three shutouts (two solo / one combined).
 
• Gillott is coming off a two-hit, six-strikeout complete game shutout of Mercyhurst.
 
• Purcell has been equally impressive, going 3-2 with a 2.17 ERA, .160 opponent batting average and 33 strikeouts in 29 innings of work.
 
• Over seven appearances, including four starts, Parker Hogge is 2-2 with a 3.42 ERA and .253 opponent batting average. At 23.2 innings, only Gillott and Purcell have been on the mound more than Hogge this season. Most recently, he pitched a scoreless inning of relief against Charleston.
 
• After serving as a reliever in his first five appearances of the season, Michael Kitko made his first collegiate start in last week's 2-0 win over Mercyhurst. He provided The Rock with 5.2 scoreless innings against the Lakers while giving up just two hits and striking out four.
 
• Nate Malak made his first start of the 2024 campaign against Charleston. On a scheduled bullpen day, the sophomore pitched three flawless innings that included four strikeouts.
 
• Other Rock pitchers to make at least two starts this year include Hunter Loomis (0-0, 5.1 IP, 13.50 ERA) and Ethan Edkins (0-0, 7.2 IP, 7.04 ERA).

THE ROCK BULLPEN
• Prior to his start against Mercyhurst, Kitko worked exclusively as a relief pitcher. All told, he has gone 2-0 with two saves in 16.2 innings that have spanned six total appearances. He'll carry a 1.08 ERA and .193 opponent batting average into the IUP series.
 
• Robert Herr has made an SRU-best eight appearances. In 16.1 innings, Herr is 2-1 with one save, a .267 opponent batting average and a 4.41 ERA.
 
• Herr is yet to allow an inherited run to score (5).
 
• Gino Marra (1 save, 3.00 ERA, 6.0 IP) and Mark Wilbur Jr. (0-1, 3.52 ERA, 7.2 IP) round out The Rock's most used relievers with four appearances apiece.

ROCK DUO AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
Gillott ranks third in the nation in ERA, eighth in WHIP (0.85) and 14th in hits allowed per nine innings (5.40).
 
Purcell is fifth in D2 in WHIP (0.83), seventh in hits allowed per nine innings (4.97) and 35th in ERA.
 
AT THE PLATE
• Purcell, who serves as The Rock's first baseman when not pitching, brings Rock-highs in batting average (.421), on-base percentage (.532), runs scored (12), stolen bases (4) and walks (9) into the weekend in addition to slugging .500 with seven RBI.  
 
• Purcell has three multi-hit games in last five starts.
 
• Like Purcell, Gillott and Kitko have also been offensive leaders for The Rock when finding themselves in the lineup as corner outfielders and not taking their turns on the mound.
 
• Kitko hits .392 with eight runs scored, two home runs, 14 RBI and a .436 on-base percentage while slugging .569.
 
• Seven of Gillott's 19 hits this year have gone for extra bases (4 doubles / 3 triples) as the transfer from USC Upstate has hit .388 with 11 runs, seven RBI, a .423 on-base percentage and a team-best .592 slugging percentage.
 
• Cam Panyko Morris has carved out a role for himself as The Rock's everyday centerfielder. He has belted a team-best three home runs to go with nine runs scored and 13 RBI.
 
• Koby Bubash has started a Rock-high 19 games as SRU's second baseman. Bubash, who holds a .329 on-base percentage with one home run and eight runs scored, enters the Indiana series tied with Kitko for team-best honors in RBI with 14.
 
• Rounding out the regulars in The Rock's starting lineup is outfielder Eddie Morris (.364 OBP, 10 Runs, 2 RBI), designated hitter Noah Ross (.306 OBP, 5 RBI), catcher Robby Barrientos (.313 OBP, 4 runs, 3 RBI) and shortstop Braden Olson.
 
• Over the opening 20 games of 2024, freshmen Brandon Butler and Brett Galcik have split time at third base with Butler making 11 starts and Galcik seven. They have combined for seven RBI.

HITTING WHEN IT MATTERS
The quartet of Bubash, Kitko, Panyko Morris and Purcell have combined to hit .467 (28-for-60) with runners in scoring position.
 
Purcell: 8-for-16 (.500)
Bubash: 6-for-13 (.462)
Panyko Morris: 5-for-11 (.455)
Kitko: 9-for-20 (.450)

ROCK REMAINS 8TH IN REGION
For a fourth straight week, Slippery Rock remained eighth in the latest set of NCBWA Atlantic Region rankings released on Monday. IUP comes to The Rock ranked 10th in the region according to the NCBWA voting committee.
 
NCBWA Atlantic Region Top-10 (4/1)
1. Millersville (25-5)
2. East Stroudsburg (24-3)
3. Charleston (20-6)
4. California (17-6)
5. Seton Hill (17-9)
6. West Chester (18-5-1)
7. Frostburg State (17-7)
8. Slippery Rock (13-6)
9. Shippensburg (16-11)
10. Indiana (Pa.) (14-6)
 
WINNING THE CLOSE ONES
Slippery Rock opens the week 9-3 in games that have been decided by three runs or less.
 
GET A LEAD, KEEP A LEAD
SRU is 10-1 this season when leading after four innings.

INDIANA PRIMER
Overall Record: 14-6
PSAC West Record: 6-2
PSAC West Standings: t-1st
NCBWA Regional Ranking: 10th
Home Record: 3-1
Away Record: 11-5
Streak: W1
Last Five Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Steve Kline | Third season (66-57 / .537)
 
IUP'S RECENT RESULTS
March 26 – Bloomsburg – W, 10-7
March 28 – Clarion – W, 16-2
March 28 – Clarion – L, 5-3
March 29 – Clarion – L, 13-4
March 29 – Clarion – W, 9-8
 
TOP IUP HITTERS
Zach Miller: .381 (16-42) - 14 Runs – 5 RBI – 7 SB - .480 OBP
Ricardo Aponte: .370 (27-73) – 17 Runs – 1 HR – 18 RBI - .442 OBP
Harrison Pontoli: .280 (23-82) – 19 Runs – 3 HR – 21 RBI - .404 OBP
Au'Sean Owens: .294 (20-68) – 16 Runs – 11 RBI – 5 SB - .364 OBP
 
TOP IUP PITCHERS
Mark Edeburn: 3-0 – 2.97 ERA – 36.1 IP – 18 K / 5 BB - .240 OBA
Derrick Sheilds: 1-2 – 7.33 ERA – 23.1 IP – 22 K / 7 BB - .371 OBA
Jake Black: 3-2 – 6.75 ERA – 21.1 IP – 26 K / 9 BB - .311 OBA
Nate Mankoski: 1-0 – 7.62 ERA – 13.0 IP – 10 K / 12 BB - .315 OBA
Jimmy Tooley: 0-1 – 4.08 ERA – 17.2 IP – 16 K / 14 BB - .261 OBA
Casen Sandri: 2 Saves – 1.69 ERA – 5.1 IP – 5 K / 3 BB - .238 OBA
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock hosts Mansfield University for a non-conference doubleheader April 9 at Critchfield Park. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
 



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