LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University softball freshmen
Rachel Baker and
Maddie Cavenaugh swept the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division weekly awards for the second time this season.
Baker and Cavenaugh become the first Rock duo to sweep the PSAC weekly awards twice in the same season. Cavenaugh is up to four PSAC West Athlete of the Week awards in 2026, the most in a single season by a Rock player, while Baker's three PSAC West Picher of the Week honors is the highest amount in a single season in program history.
Baker and Cavenaugh helped lead Slippery Rock to two sweeps over Pitt-Johnstown and Indiana University (Pa.).
In the circle, Baker pitched 15 innings and surrendered six runs (four earned) for a 1.87 ERA on nine hits and five walks with 17 strikeouts.
In a 6-3 win over Pitt-Johnstown, Baker threw seven innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts. This was Baker's second 10+ strikeout game of the season. In a 5-3 win over Indiana (Pa,) in eight innings, Baker threw a complete game, surrendering three runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
At the plate, Cavenaugh hit .647 (11-for-17) with four runs, six RBIs, two home runs, one double and one stolen base. Cavenaugh had three or more hits in three of the four games this week with three hits in game two against Pitt-Johnstown and game one against Indiana, while recording four hits in game two versus the Crimson Hawks.
In game one against IUP, Cavenaugh hit a game-tying three-run home run with two outs in the seventh inning. During the second game of the doubleheader against the Crimson Hawks, Cavenaugh hit a walk-off two-run home run with two outs in the 11th inning while down one run.
On the campaign, Baker is 9-3 with a 2.39 ERA in 13 starts. The freshman from Canal Fulton, Ohio, has given up 34 runs (27 earned) on 62 hits and 37 walks with 80 strikeouts in 79 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting just .212 against Baker.
On the season, Cavenaugh is batting .457 (42-for-92) with 30 runs, seven home runs, 32 RBIs, 17 extra base hits and 10 walks. The freshman from Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, is slugging .826 with a .500 on-base percentage, combining for a 1.326 OPS. On the base paths, Cavenaugh is a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen bases.
Both Baker and Cavenaugh rank among the leaders in multiple categories in the PSAC. Baker sits sixth in strikeouts, sixth in wins, seventh in ERA, seventh in opponent's batting average and ninth in innings pitched, while Cavenaugh ranks first in RBIs, second in slugging percentage, second in OPS, second in runs, third in batting average, third in hits, third in triples, tied for fifth in home runs and seventh in on-base percentage.
The Rock currently sit with a 16-10 record overall and a 10-2 record in the PSAC West, good enough for sole possession of first place in the division.
Slippery Rock is scheduled for two weekend doubleheaders 2 p.m. Friday at Edinboro and 1 p.m. Saturday against Gannon University at Kasnevich Field.
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