CLERMONT, Fla. – The Slippery Rock University softball team struggled to get the offense rolling in its first day at The Spring Games, falling to Winona State University 2-0 and Glenville State University 5-0 Saturday in Clermont, Florida.
 
The day sets The Rock back under .500, dropping the team's overall record to 2-4. The Winona State Warriors out of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference improved to 16-2 on the season, while the Glenville State Pioneers from the Mountain East Conference rose to 7-6.
 
Emma Kennedy accounted for two of Slippery Rock's three hits on the day, going 2-for-3 overall with a double. Alyssa Sheely claimed SRU's lone hit in game one, going 1-for-6 at the plate throughout the afternoon.
 
Paige Gresgott (0-2) suffered the game one loss, throwing four strikeouts in the complete-game appearance. Alexsa Hurd (1-1, 1) fanned six batters in the first 5.0 innings of game two, recording the loss. Kayla Williams (0-1) came into the circle in relief for the final 2.0 innings.
 
GAME ONE – Winona State 2, Slippery Rock 0
The Rock held one of the best offenses in Division II softball to two runs but couldn't get any of their own in a 2-0 loss to Winona State.
 
Neither team had a hit in the game until the Warriors logged a lead-off triple in the bottom of the third, eventually scoring on a sac-fly to take a 1-0 lead. Sheely singled into left field in the fourth but SRU was unable to get a tying run in, seeing the deficit increase to 2-0 when Winona State scored on an error in the home half of the frame.
 
Jessica Goldhardt came in to pinch run for Julia Nutter after she got on base getting hit by a pitch in the top of the seventh. Goldhardt quickly stole second base, but SRU's final two batters struck out to confirm the loss.
 
Sheely's (1-for-3) single was The Rock's lone hit of the contest, while Winona State tallied five hits and no errors. Gresgott (0-2) pitched all 6.0 innings, throwing four strikeouts and allowing just one earned run.
 
Izzy Howe (9-0) stayed undefeated on the year with a nine-strikeout performance through 7.0 innings for the Warriors. Jaden Johnson went 2-for-2 at the plate for the Warriors, as Sam Keller finished the game 1-for-1 with a triple.
 
GAME TWO – Glenville State 5, Slippery Rock 0
Slippery Rock's ninth all-time meeting with Glenville State brought déjà vu from the loss to Winona State, falling 5-0 to the Pioneers.
 
Glenville State quickly got on the board with a 2-0 lead when its first two batters were walked and were each able to score on an error in the outfield. SRU's first hit of the game came in the bottom of the second when Kennedy doubled into left field, but the score would remain with no RBI to follow.
 
The Pioneers increased their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth courtesy of back-to-back doubles toward left field. The sixth inning brought more run support to GSU when a hit, two walks and a wild pitch correlated into a 5-0 stronghold. Glenville State loaded the bases in the seventh but left all three on, needing to fend The Rock off one more time.
 
Goldhardt quickly got on base and stole second, soon advancing to third base when Kennedy drilled a single to the third baseman. That all came with two outs on the board however, and a groundout to follow shut down SRU's comeback chances.
 
Kennedy was SRU's top offensive asset (2-for-2), securing both of SRU's two hits in the game as opposed to Glenville State's four. Hurd (1-1, 1) tossed six Ks in the opening 5.0 innings to register the loss before Williams (0-1) closed out the game in the circle.
 
Meghan Stump (3-0) racked up seven punchouts in the complete game for Glenville State. Shelby McDaniels (1-for-2) and Addison Aguiniga (1-for-3) each put a double into play for the Pioneers.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock's second day of The Spring Games will feature two NSIC teams. SRU is set to face the University of Sioux Falls at 9 a.m. and Minnesota State University 11:15 a.m. tomorrow.





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