Underneath the Florida sun in Kissimmee is where Slippery Rock women’s softball team started its season and played its first 11 games of the season at the Rebel Spring Games.
The Rock left Florida with a 6-5 record. In their six wins they beat Minnesota State University-Moorehead and Northwood State University twice, and took one victory against University of Minnesota-Duluth, and Tiffin University.
In the final two games of the Rebel Spring games, SRU took a 6-1 loss to Wayne State University and then went on to beat Northwood, 7-0.
In the loss to Wayne State, senior outfielder Gina Brenzo went 2-3 with a run scored and freshman first baseman Breanna Tongel went 1-3 with the only RBI for SRU, which came in the third inning.
Freshman pitcher Ashley Knight (2-3) suffered the loss while pitching three innings, giving up five runs on five hits, walking three and striking out one. Junior Amy Erickson came in relief and struck out two in three innings of work on the mound.
In their win against Northwood, the offense exploded for seven runs while blanking the opposition on the scoreboard.
Junior third baseman Jenna Geibel belted her second home run in three games and finished the game, 2-3, with two RBI’s.
Brenzo and freshman outfielder Alaynna Beers each produced a hit and an RBI. Senior pitcher Shaylee Ianno (4-2) blanked Northwood with a terrific performance and posted her second consecutive shutout. She gave up only four hits and struck out six on her way to her 24th career victory. At the plate, Ianno connected on her first home run this season while collecting three RBI’s.
SRU head coach Becky Sciacca said that the team has hopes of having a solid season and making a run for the playoffs.
“My expectations for the year are to have a winning season and make playoffs,” she said. “I thought the team did an excellent job [at the Rebel Games]. They played their hearts out and I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Sciacca said that the team also wants to look deeper than just focusing on one player for production this season and wants it to be a full team effort.
“You can’t count on just one person when it comes to softball,” Sciacca said. “It’s a team effort. I count on all 24 girls to show leadership and responsibility.”
Next on the schedule for the Rock is a double-header at Glenville State College today with the first pitch at 3:00 p.m. Then they return for the home opener to face Mansfield University in a double-header on Saturday at SRU Softball Complex with the first pitch at 1:00 p.m.
