SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University softball team a completed sweep of Pitt-Johnstown with two victories, 6-3 and 5-0, Friday afternoon at Kasnevich Field.

With the victories, Slippery Rock improved to 14-10 overall with a 8-2 record in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division, while Pitt-Johnstown fell to 8-13 overall and 2-8 in the PSAC West.

Slippery Rock was led by five players who all had hits in both games of the doubleheader, as well as dominant pitching from Rachel Baker and Paige Gresgott. Maddie Cavenaugh and Jordyn Pelles had four hits apiece. Pelles finished 4-for-6 with two runs, while Cavenaugh went 4-for-7 with two runs and one RBI.

Aubrey Mansfield ended the day going 3-for-7 with two runs. Alyssa Sheely and Alyssa Massucci each finished the day with two hits. Sheely went 2-for-7 with one run and three RBIs, while Massucci had a 2-for-6 outing with two runs.

Baker and Gresgott combined to pitch 14 innings and give up just three runs on four hits and six walks with 15 strikeouts in the circle.

GAME 1: Slippery Rock 6 – Pitt-Johnstown 3
W: Rachel Baker (8-3)
L: Mia Smith (4-6)

Pitt-Johnstown kicked off the scoring in the first inning with one run and added two more in the top of the fourth.

Slippery Rock responded with a six-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth inning. Mansfield singled to start the frame and reached scoring position after stealing second base. Mansfield scored after Sheely's RBI-single. Following Sheely, Massucci reached on an infield-single where Sheely advanced to third. Massucci then stole second base to reach scoring position. Kayla Williams delivered on a two-RBI single, tying the game 3-3.

After Shaylyn Shall walked and Pelles singled, Cavenaugh gave The Rock their first lead of the game as Shall came around to score. Addie Deal followed Cavenaugh with a two-RBI double with two outs in the fourth.   

That would be all the offense Slippery Rock needed as Baker shutdown the Mountain Cats for the rest of the affair.

Offensively, Pelles finished the game going 2-for-3 with one run. Cavenaugh, Deal, Mansfield, Sheely, Massucci and Williams all went 1-for-3 in the game.

Cavenaugh, Mansfield, Sheely, Massucci, Shall and Pelles all scored one run for The Rock, while Deal (2), Williams (2), Cavenaugh (1) and Sheely (1) all picked up RBIs.

In the circle, Baker grabbed her eighth win of the season after her eighth complete game. Baker finished her outing surrendering three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts. This was Baker's second game with 10 or more strikeouts this season.

Mia Smith took the loss for Pitt-Johnstown after giving up six runs on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

GAME 2: Slippery Rock 5 – Pitt-Johnstown 0
W: Paige Gresgott (5-2)
L: Mahlon Yonkin (4-4)

Slippery Rock opened the scoring in game two with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Pelles and Mansfield started the inning with back-to-back singles, followed by Mansfield reaching second on a throw. Sheely then drove in Pelles and Mansfield, giving SRU a 2-0 advantage. Grace Smith added on a third run after knocking in Sheely with a single.

In the fourth inning, The Rock added on another run after Cavenaugh reached on a single and scored after a number of throws by Pitt-Johnstown on a Pelles groundball.

SRU finished its scoring in the fifth inning. Massucci opened the frame with a single, followed by two sacrifice bunts by Smith and Addie Warzala. Paige Parker then picked up an RBI-single, driving in Massucci.

In the circle, Gresgott tossed a one-hit shutout, while walking four batters and striking out five. The last Slippery Rock pitcher to throw a one-hitter was Alexsa Hurd against Seton Hill University in 2023.

At the plate, Cavenaugh, Pelles and Mansfield had multiple hits in for SRU. Cavenaugh ended the game 3-for-4 with one run, while Pelles and Mansfield each racked up two hits and one run scored.

Massucci and Parker each completed the game 1-for-3, while Massucci scored one run and Parker had one RBI.

Smith and Sheely rounded out the Slippery Rock batters with hits in game two. Smith went 1-for-1 with one RBI and one walk, while Sheely finished 1-for-4 with one run and two RBIs.

Mahlon Yonkin was handed the loss in game two after giving up five runs (four earned) on 11 hits and one walk with one strikeout for Pitt-Johnstown.

Slippery Rock rounds out the weekend with a doubleheader noon Saturday at Kasnevich Field against Indiana University (Pa.). Both teams will enter the day in a three-team tie atop the PSAC West with Seton Hill.




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