Slippery Rock University Athletics

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University baseball team wrapped up its regular season schedule with a doubleheader sweep of California (Pa.) Saturday at Critchfield Park.
 
The Rock earned a 2-1 victory over California in game one before finishing out the perfect day with a 7-5 win game two. Saturday's sweep combined with a doubleheader split against California Friday gives SRU a 3-1 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division series victory over the Vulcans.
 
Slippery Rock ends the regular season with a 30-17 overall record. SRU has now won 30 games in two of the last three seasons. At 16-12 inside the PSAC West, Slippery Rock finishes the year fourth in the divisional standings and as such will face Shepherd University in the opening round of the 2026 PSAC Tournament 3 p.m. May 6 at Critchfield Park.
 
Saturday's losses move California's record to 26-22 overall and 14-14 in league games. The Vulcans also qualified for the PSAC Tournament by finishing fifth in the PSAC West standings and will meet Millersville University in their first-round game 11 a.m. May 6.
 
Slippery Rock was led Saturday by the trio of Treston Nemeth, Gage Gillott and Clay Wiesen.
 
Nemeth went a combined 3-for-5 over the doubleheader with one run scored, four RBIs and a walk. Gillott was 4-for-8 with three runs, one home run, a double and one RBI. Wiesen rounded out the group, going 3-for-6 with one RBI and a walk.

GAME 1: SRU 2 – CAL 1
W: Nolan Comerford (2-2)
L: Nathan Holmes (3-2)
 
Slippery Rock earned the 2-1 opening half of its doubleheader sweep thanks to a two-run sixth inning and a strong day on the mound by Parker Hogge and Nolan Comerford.
 
Hogge pitched 4.1 shutout innings in his Senior Day start before giving way to Comerford (2-2) who picked up the victory after giving up just one run in 2.2 innings of relief to go with four strikeouts.
 
Wiesen recorded two of The Rock's six hits in game one as part of 2-for-3 day at the plate. Nemeth and Max Bernadowski each had one hit and one RBI as well with Bernadowski also scoring a run.
 
Gillott, who has now reached base in 17 straight games, and Morgen Billotte registered the other two Rock hits with Gillott's being a double that came alongside a run scored and Billotte stealing a base.
 
With the game in a scoreless tie entering the bottom of the fifth inning, Gillott drove a one-out double down the right field line before scoring the next at-bat courtesy of an RBI-single from Bernadowski.
 
After Stone Powell was hit by a pitch, Nemeth stepped in and shot a single through the right side of the infield which allowed Bernadowski to score from second base, giving SRU a 2-0 lead.
 
While the Vulcans cut The Rock's lead in half with a run in the seventh inning, Comerford forced a game-ending pop out to second base, leaving two Vulcans in scoring position.
 
Cal starter Nathan Holmes (3-2) gave up both runs while pitching 4.1 innings in the loss.
 
GAME 2: SRU 7 – CAL 5
W: Joey Vanzin (4-2)
L: Roman Gill (5-2)
 
Game two saw an uptick in offense as Slippery Rock slugged its way to a 7-5 victory to close the 2026 regular season.
 
Gillott and Powell each hit home runs in the nightcap to highlight a 10-hit game for SRU.
 
Gillott closed the day by going 3-for-4 with two runs and his third home run of the season, while Powell was 1-for-3 with one run, one home run, two RBIs and a walk. Powell enters the PSAC Tournament as SRU's leader in both home runs (9) and RBIs (48).
 
Nemeth and Michael Kitko chipped in two-hit games as well in the win with Nemeth going 2-for-3 with one run, three RBIs and a walk and Kitko going 2-for-4 to keep his batting average above .400 on the season (.406).
 
The Rock's middle infield combination of Wiesen (1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 walk) and James Miller (1-for-3, 1 run) had SRU's other two hits.
 
Pitchers Zachary Hare and Joey Vanzin (4-2) combined to throw the final seven innings of the regular season. Hare was charged with five runs on three hits and four walks while striking out four in 3.2 innings. Vanzin pitched the final 3.1 innings, striking out five batters and allowing just two hits.
 
Slippery Rock held a 5-0 lead entering the fourth inning when the Vulcans erased SRU's advantage with a five-run frame. However, Gillott led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run to give The Rock a lead they would not relinquish.
 
SRU added an insurance run in the sixth via a Nemeth RBI-single that plated Bernadowski while Vanzin pitched three shutout innings, limiting the Vulcans to just a single baserunner over the timeframe en route to the win.
 
Roman Gill (5-3) was the pitcher of record for California in game two after giving up six runs in three completed innings.
 
Prior to Saturday's doubleheader The Rock's 2026 senior class of Gillott, Wiesen, Hogge, Kitko, Darryn Callahan, Nate Malak and Mark Wilbur were recognized in a brief Senior Day ceremony.
 




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