SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team extended its winning streak to six games with 7-6 victory over Cedarville University Tuesday at Critchfield Park.
 
The Rock's extensive winning streak has improved their overall record to 23-11 while the visiting Yellow Jackets end the day at 15-22.
 
As has been the case for the majority of its winning streak, Slippery Rock once again capitalized on a multi-run first inning to take a lead it would never relinquish. SRU is now 10-1 this year when scoring in the first inning and 17-3 when scoring before its opponent.
 
Freshman first baseman Stone Powell paced The Rock's offensive efforts Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two RBIs and a walk. In addition to his homer, Powell also registered a triple. He's now batting .364 with two home runs and 18 RBIs as a rookie.
 
At the top of SRU's batting order, left fielder Gage Gillott and catcher Treston Nemeth compiled two hits and one RBI apiece. Both of Gillott's hits were of the extra base variety with a double and triple.
 
Third baseman Brandon Butler went 1-for-2 with two runs, one RBI and three walks. Shortstop Tyler Cerame, second baseman Clay Wiesen and centerfielder Cam Panyko Morris added one hit apiece with Wiesen collecting two RBIs and Cerame stealing a pair of bases – his team-leading 11th and 12th of the year.
 
Designated hitter Andrew Frye also reached base twice courtesy of two walks to round out Slippery Rock's top offensive performers.
 
Ethan Edkins turned in a solid start for Slippery Rock on the mound. The senior went five innings, allowing just two runs – only one of which was earned – on three hits while striking out four.
 
Robert Herr logged 3.2 innings of middle relief in his 45th career pitching appearance – which is tied for eighth most in program history with Matt Jones (1993-95), Mike Cecil (1990-93) and Ryan Oglesby (2011-15). He registered six strikeouts while surrendering four runs – two being earned – on nine hits.
 
Parker Hogge came on for Herr in the bottom of the ninth to get the game's final out for his first save.
 
Gillott set the tone for The Rock early on with a leadoff triple in the first inning before scoring on a Nemeth groundout.
 
Slippery Rock added three more runs in the inning via an RBI-double by Butler that plated right fielder Michael Kitko followed by a two-run single off the bat of Wiesen which brought in Butler and Cerame.
 
Following SRU's early scoring barrage, The Rock and Yellow Jackets proceeded to trade one-run innings over the following five frames with Slippery Rock taking a 7-3 advantage into the eighth.
 
Cedarville pushed Slippery Rock to the brink with two runs in the eighth inning and a final tally in the ninth to make it a one-run contest but Hogge, who came on for Herr with one runner on and two outs in the ninth inning, recovered from giving up a base hit to the first batter he faced by inducing a game-ending groundout to third base en route to the 7-6. Win.
 
CU used six pitchers in the loss. Starter Kyle Watson (0-1) took the loss after giving up four runs on four hits and two walks before being pulled with two outs in the first inning. Jackson Leaman went 3-for-4 with two runs, one home run and an RBI.
 
Slippery Rock returns to competition 3 p.m. Wednesday when it hosts West Liberty University at Critchfield Park.
 

 
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