SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team will look to build on its successful opening weekend when it heads to Shippensburg University for a three-game series against the Raiders.
 
SERIES SCHEDULE
Slippery Rock and Shippensburg open the series with a nine-inning game 2 p.m. Friday, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday with first pitch of game one set for 12 p.m.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Video and in-game statistics for this weekend's series are being provided free of charge by the Shippensburg Sports Information Department at the below links.
 
SERIES DETAILS
Opponent: Shippensburg University
Games 1: Friday (2 p.m.)
Games 2-3: Saturday (12 p.m. / 2:30 p.m.)
Venue: Fairchild Field
Video: Link
Live Stats (Game 1): Link
Live Stats (Game 2): Link
Live Stats (Game 3): Link
In-game Updates: Twitter/X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SU leads 61-45-1
Last Played: Feb. 26, 2023 (Split DH)
 
SERIES HISTORY
While Shippensburg owns a 61-45-1 all-time record over The Rock, SRU has taken three of the last five games in the series with a doubleheader split in 2023 and a 4-3 victory in the 2022 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
Only six current Rock athletes played in the 2023 series against Shippensburg with the top performers being Joe Purcell (2 hits, 2 walks, 1 run) and Robert Herr (2 appearances, 1-0, 4.0 IP, 0 runs, 5 K).  
 

TALE OF THE TAPE
STAT	ROCK	RAIDERS
Record	3-1	5-3
Runs*	8.3	7.9
Runs Allowed*	3.8	5.8
Hits*	9.8	12.4
Hits Allowed*	7.0	7.9
Team Batting Average	.312	.336
Opp. Batting Average	.233	.241
Team OB%	.400	.402
Opp. OB%	.326	.382
Team ERA	3.48	5.48
Opp. ERA	7.20	7.68
* per ga`me stats

SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
• Stats: Link
• Roster: Link
• NCBWA Atlantic Region Top 10: 6th
• Overall Record: 3-1
• Home Record: 0-0
• Away Record: 0-0
• Neutral Site Record: 3-1
• Streak: W1
• Last 5 Games: N/A
• Head Coach: Jeff Messer | 40th season (1,126-742-5, .603)

THE SEASON SO FAR
Slippery Rock opened its 2025 season by winning three of four games last weekend at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. SRU officially began its year by sweeping Kutztown University in a doubleheader, followed by a one-run loss to Frostburg State University and a redemption victory over Goldey-Beacom College to cap off the trip.
 
SRU's Recent Results
Feb. 21 – Kutztown – W, 9-1
Feb. 21 – Kutztown – W, 9-5
Feb. 22 – Frostburg State – L, 5-4
Feb. 23  – Goldey-Beacom – W, 11-4

MESSER ON CUSP OF CRACKING TOP 10
Slippery Rock head coach, and American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer, Jeff Messer heads to Shippensburg with a career record of 1,126-742-5 (.603). Messer needs just one win to tie – and two to pass - Frank Vieira (New Haven, 1963-2006) for 10th place on Division II's career head coaching wins list.
 
DII Coaching Wins (All-Time)
1. Mike Metheny (Southeastern Ok., 1981-17): 1,324
2. John Schaly (Ashland, Active): 1,316
3. Joe Roberts (Armstrong, 1980-13): 1,314
4. Tom Thomas (Valdosta State, 1968-07): 1,308
5. Charlie Migl (St. Mary's, 1987-21): 1,246
6. Greg Guilliams (Flagler, Active): 1,189
7. John Goelz (Sonoma State, 1985-24): 1,174
8. Mike Sansing (Shorter/Kennesaw, 1989-21): 1,158
9. Carl Lancaster (Mount Olive, 1987-18): 1,134
10. Frank Vieira (New Haven, 1963-2006): 1,127
11. Jeff Messer (Slippery Rock): 1,126

ROCK CLIMBS SPOT IN REGIONAL RANKINGS
Slippery Rock moved up one spot to sixth in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Atlantic Region rankings. The Rock's quick start to 2025 combined with Indiana University (Pa.), which was ranked first last week, dropping three of four games at USC Aiken led to an ascent up the rankings.
 
Shippensburg is ranked ninth in this week's poll as well.
 
NCBWA Atlantic Region Top-10
1. West Chester (3-1)
2. East Stroudsburg (4-0)
3. Millersville (2-1)
4. Seton Hill (4-1)
5. Frostburg State (2-0)
6. THE ROCK (3-1)
7. Indiana (Pa.) (1-3)
8. California (Pa.) (2-0)
9. Shippensburg (4-3)
10. Lock Haven (6-2)

A TREND OF HOT STARTS
Slippery Rock has gone at least 5-2 in its first seven games of the season for five consecutive years. SRU needs to take two of three games this weekend to continue the program's impressive trend of quick starts.
 
SRU's Record Through 7 Games
2024: 6-1
2023: 5-2
2022: 7-0
2021: 6-1
2020: 5-2

EARLY RETURNS
• Slippery Rock's bats were hot early as SRU recorded a minimum of seven hits in each of its first four games a week ago while scoring at least nine runs in three of the four contests.
 
• Of its first 39 hits in 2025, eight were of the extra base variety. SRU batters also exhibited patience early on with 17 walks.
 
• The Rock's pitching staff heads to Shippensburg ranked fourth in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.56), sixth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.9), 12th in walks allowed per nine innings (2.61) and 19th in WHIP (1.19).

ANOTHER FAMILIAR FACE IN THE OTHER DUGOUT
For the second time this season, head coach Jeff Messer will manage against one of his former players when The Rock travels to Shippensburg, which is led by 1995 Rock alum Matt Jones. Last week, Slippery Rock played Frostburg State, which is coached by another SRU baseball alum in Anthony Williams.  

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP FOR BUTLER
Brandon Butler followed up on a strong rookie year in 2024 with a great start to his 2025 season a week ago. The Rock's designated hitter in all four games during the Cary trip, Butler went 6-for-13 (.462) with four runs scored and two RBI. He also walked twice and benefited from a hit-by-pitch to compile a team-high .563 on-base percentage.
 
As a freshman, Butler started 36 of his 37 games played primarily at third base. He his .339 with three home runs, 23 RBI, a .382 on-base percentage and a .475 slugging percentage.

MONSTER START FOR CERAME
After battling through an injury-plagued 2024 season, Tyler Cerame showed what he can do when healthy. Over four games last week, SRU's shortstop hit .438 with six runs scored, one home run and five RBI. Cerame, who slugged .750 with a .471 on-base percentage in Slippery Rock's, also stole one base and registered a triple.

STRONG FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Catcher Treston Nemeth, third baseman Jimmy Sadler and second baseman Clay Wiesen all made their Slippery Rock debuts last weekend, doing so in grand fashion. The trio combined to hit .357 (15-42) with 10 runs scored, 11 RB, three doubles and four walks.
 
• Nemeth collected five hits in his first 12 at-bats, scoring two runs, driving in two more, slugging .417 and drawing three walks as well as being hit by a pitch for a .529 on-base percentage.
 
• Sadler matched Nemeth with five hits (.357) – one of which being a double - all the while scoring four runs, producing five RBI and stealing three bases. For comparison's sake, The Rock's leader in stolen bases in 46 games last season was Cam Panyko Morris with six.
 
• Wiesen went 5-for-16 in his first four games wearing a Rock uniform with four runs and four RBI. Of Wiesen's four hits three went for extra bases via two doubles and a triple.

GILLOTT PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF
2024 PSAC West Pitcher of the Year, and utility All-American, Gage Gillott (1-0) was The Rock's opening game starter against Kutztown. As was the case in the majority of his starts a season ago, Gillott put SRU in position to win against the Golden Bears by giving up just one run on three hits and four walks while striking out six batters over five innings as part of an eventual eight-run victory.

SHUTDOWN BULLPEN
One of the many bright spots of The Rock's opening weekend was the performance of its relief pitching.
 
• Mark Wilbur, Hunter Loomis, Robert Herr, Michael Kitko, Joey Vanzin and Parker Hogge combined to pitch 14 innings over SRU's first four games without allowing an earned run and limiting opponents to a collective .157 opponent batting average. The group walked just three batters while posting 20 strikeouts.
 
• Wilbur (1-0) earned his first win of the season in The Rock's game two victory over Kutztown as he helped finish off the sweep by scattering one unearned run over four innings while striking out a career-high six batters and giving up just one hit and one walk.
 
• Loomis was flawless for SRU as part of The Rock's seven-run victory against Goldey-Beacom. He provided Slippery Rock with three-shutout innings that came with four strikeouts with only one walk and hit surrendered.  
 
• In his first appearance on the mound since April 7, 2024, Kitko struck out four batters over two shutout innings as part of The Rock's season-opening victory against Kutztown. Kitko, who has not yielded a run in his last seven pitching appearances, surrendered only one hit and one walk in his first work of 2025.
 
• Vanzin came on for Herr (0-1) against Frostburg State and stranded the lone inherited runner The Rock's bullpen has had to date en route to striking out a pair and throwing 1.1 shutout innings.
 
• Rounding out the group is Hogge, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning of the Goldey-Beacom win.

MR. RELIABLE IN CENTER FIELD
Cam Panyko Morris served as The Rock's center fielder in all four games last weekend. He has now started 48 of The Rock's last 52 games dating back to the end of the 2023 season. In addition to making several diving catches defensively, Panyko Morris also collected three hits at the plate with three runs, three RBI and a pair of walks at the USA Baseball Training Complex.

EDKINS EARNS FIRST WIN SINCE 2022
Ethan Edkins (1-0) was the pitcher of record for Slippery Rock in its 11-4 win against Goldey-Beacom. The victory was a significant one for Edkins, who picked up his first win since beating Mercyhurst on May 7, 2022.
 
Edkins, who was making just his fifth appearance in a college game since beating Mercyhurst, went five innings against Goldey-Beacom. He struck out four batters while working around four runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings. Edkins allowed just one run and four hits in his final four innings pitched last week.
 
A member of The Rock's 2022 recruiting class, Edkins was named the PSAC West Freshman of the Year after going 6-1 with a 3.08 ERA, 36 strikeouts and a .201 opponent batting average over 38 innings. Since then, he has battled through two injury-plagued years to work his way back into SRU's rotation.

ROUNDING OUT THE ROTATION
Joe Purcell and Nate Malak joined Gage Gillott and Ethan Edkins in The Rock's starting rotation last week.
 
• Malak was Slippery Rock's starter in the second Kutztown game. He threw six strikeouts in three innings while giving up four runs. Malak, who went 3-2 with a 2.21 ERA last season, bounced back from a three-run first inning to give up just one run and two hits in his final two frames.
 
• Purcell drew arguably the toughest assignment of the weekend in 2024 NCAA Tournament qualifier Frostburg State. Like Malak versus Kutztown, Frostburg did most of its damage against Purcell in the first inning by plating two early runs. He closed the start pitching four innings with five strikeouts and three runs allowed.
 
• Purcell will enter his next start with 123 career strikeouts, six away from moving into a tie with John Kaitch (2002-06) for 20th on The Rock's career strikeout ledger.

MORE THAN JUST ARMS
As was the case last season, Slippery Rock will once again benefit from a collection of talented two-way players in the lineup this season in Gage Gillott, Joe Purcell, Michael Kitko and Robert Herr.
 
• Gillott, who was an all-conference outfielder in addition to his many pitching accolades last year, posted a .462 on-base percentage over three starts to begin 2025. He had three hits, three runs scored, three RBI, three walks and one stolen base.
 
• Purcell, who like Gillott garnered All-PSAC West honors last season, was once again SRU's starting first baseman and leadoff hitter when he wasn't on the mound. While he's still in search of his first hit in 2025, Purcell did draw four walks which resulted in four runs scored to go with an RBI.  
 
• Kitko started all four games in the outfield on the way to tallying four hits, two runs scored and three RBI.
 
• Herr started game one against Kutzown in right field, going 1-for-4 with one run and one RBI in his lone appearance of the weekend.

HITTING WHEN IT MATTERS (RISP)
Slippery Rock hit a blistering .436 (17-for-39) with runners in scoring position over its first four games of the 2025 season. Brandon Butler and Tyler Cerame both had three hits with runners in scoring position.
 
SRU Leaders in RISP
Tyler Cerame: 3-4 (.750)
Brandon Butler: 3-5 (.600)
Treston Nemeth: 2-3 (.667)
Jimmy Sadler: 2-4 (.500)
Michael Kitko: 2-4 (.500)
Clay Wiesen: 2-5 (.400)

RECORDS WATCH
Pitching Appearances (14-17)
t14. Andy McClymonds (2019-22): 42
t14. Vince Lloyd (2007-10): 42
t14. Luke Trueman (2019-23): 42
17. Kevin Talmadge (1991-94): 41
t18. Robert Herr (Active): 40
t18. Jon Anderson (2013-16): 40
 
Strikeouts (16-20)
16. Matt Gordon (2016-18): 142
17. George Hebert (2009-11): 139
18. Kevin Talmadge (1991-94): 137
19. Joby Lapkowicz (2010-12): 133
20. John Katich (2002-06): 129
Top Active: Joe Purcell: 123
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
March 7: at West Virginia State (9 innings)
March 8: at West Virginia State (9 innings)
March 9: at West Virginia State (9 innings)
March 15: vs. Saint Anselm (9 innings)
March 16: vs. Saint Anselm (DH Game 1)
March 16: vs. Saint Anselm (DH Game 2)
March 17: vs. Saint Anselm (9 innings)
 
SHIPPENSBURG PRIMER
• Stats: Link
• Roster: Link
• NCBWA Atlantic Region Top 10: 9th
• Overall Record: 5-3
• Home Record: 4-1
• Away Record: 1-2
• Neutral Site Record: 0-0
• Streak: W1
• Last 5 Games: 4-1
• Head Coach: Matt Jones | 19th season at SU (456-436-1, .511)

SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
Shippensburg has opened its 2025 season by winning five of its first eight games. After losing two of its first three games at No. 4 Catawba, Shippensburg has beat Pitt-Johnstown and Lincoln in single-game outings as well as taking two of three games from Gannon.
 
• The Raiders welcome The Rock averaging 7.9 runs per game thanks in no small part to 12.4 hits a contest and a .336 team batting average.
 
• Shippensburg pitchers allow 5.8 runs per game and carry a team ERA of 5.48 and a collective opponent batting average of .241.
 
• SU returns 19 players from last year's team which went 27-21 and qualified for the PSAC Tournament.

TOP HITTERS
AJ Wenrich: .452 (14-31) – 4 Runs – 1 HR - 7 RBI - .500 OBP
Thomas Cano-Piszel: .409 (9-22) – 5 Runs – 2 HR - 5 RBI - .462 OBP
Gio Calamia: .343 (12-35) – 5 Runs – 2 HR - 9 RBI – 5 SB - .359 OBP
Carter Hinds: .343 (12-35) – 7 Runs – 1 HR - 4 RBI – 3 SB - .410 OBP
 
TOP PITCHERS
Jaxon Dalena: 0-1 – 14 IP – 5.79 ERA –  16 K / 7 BB - .264 OBA
JT Weaver: 1-0 – 10.1 IP – 6.10 ERA –  7 K / 4 BB - .311 OBA
Cameron Goble: 1-1 – 8.2 IP – 5.19 ERA –  7 K / 6 BB - .235 OBA
Brenden Anderson: 0-0 – 7 IP – 0.00 ERA –  7 K / 4 BB - .125 OBA
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock will play a three-game series March 7-9 at West Virginia State University.





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