SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University baseball team used an all-around team effort to defeat West Liberty University, 10-0, Wednesday at Critchfield Park for the program's seventh consecutive win.
 
The Rock's latest victory improves their record to 24-11 overall while West Liberty leaves SRU at 17-21 following the loss. Wednesday's win also improved Slippery Rock's record in games played at Critchfield Park to 13-3 in 2025.
 
Slippery Rock's current seven-game winning streak is the longest inside the program since The Rock won 11 straight games in 2022.
 
On the mound, Rock pitchers Gino Marra (3-0), Parker Hogge and Kyle Warnsman combined for the shutout – SRU's first in a nine-inning game since a 5-0 win over Saint Anselm a season ago.  
 
Making his first start in a Rock uniform, Marra struck out three batters while giving up just two hits over three innings before giving way to Hogge, who worked around six hits in four scoreless innings. Warnsman logged the final two innings to close out the shutout in his second collegiate appearance.
 
Marra, Hogge and Warnsman did not issue a walk in the win in addition to allowing just four Hilltoppers into scoring position through the nine innings, only one of which reached third base.
 
Offensively, nine Rock batters collected at least one hit Wednesday. The Rock's 11 hits against West Liberty marked the sixth double-digit hit contest over SRU's last eight games.
 
Outfielder Gage Gillott led the way as The Rock's leadoff hitter went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one home run, three RBI, a walk and a stolen base. Gillott now has three multi-hit games in his last four appearances while upping his home run total on the year to three in addition to posting his 11th stolen base.
 
Fellow outfielder Robert Herr also collected a pair of hits, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one RBI and a double. Centerfielder Cam Panyko Morris and Luke Anderton, who took Panyko Morris' spot as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning, both hit doubles with Panyko Morris also tallying two RBIs a walk and his sixth stolen base of 2025.
 
The left side of SRU's infield – third baseman Brandon Butler and shortstop Jimmy Sadler – had matching lines of 1-for-3, one run and one RBI with Sadler also drawing one walk. Butler is currently on a 10-game hitting streak.
 
Catcher Treston Nemeth, designated hitter Michael Kitko and first baseman Stone Powell were all 1-for-4 as well. Powell had one RBI and one run while Kitko also scored once in addition to reaching base a second time via a walk.
 
Slippery Rock put Wednesday's game out of reach early on thanks to a five-run opening inning that featured RBI hits from Butler, Powell and Sadler followed by a two-run double by Panyko Morris.
 
SRU has scored in the first inning 12 times this season, with 11 of those games having resulted in victories. Slippery Rock also excels when playing with a lead as it is 18-3 when scoring first in games.
 
Herr had a hand in two more runs in the sixth inning, first driving an RBI-double to right field that plated Panyko Morris before eventually scoring on a wild pitch later in the frame. The Rock capped off their offensive onslaught in the eighth when Gillott blasted a three-run homer drown the left field line.
 
One of three pitchers to be called on for West Liberty, Tanner Pelaez (1-1) took the loss on the mound after allowing seven runs on eight hits and three walks over 5.2 innings. Will Balgo went 3-for-4 with one double at the plate for the Hilltoppers.
 
Slippery Rock will take its seven-game winning streak into this weekend's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division series against Clarion. The Rock will host the Golden Eagles for a doubleheader Friday before heading to Clarion for two games Saturday. First pitch on both days is set for 1 p.m.





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