The Rock baseball team (25-16) split a doubleheader at Bloomsburg University (12-18) Sunday, winning game one 9-1 before dropping game two 4-3 in an interdivisional matchup.
“It was tough to travel four hours on Sunday to follow up a four-game series on Friday and Saturday,” Rock head coach Jeff Messer said. “We battled and had opportunities late in the second game but we seemed a little drained toward the end. You never like to split after winning the first game, but you just have to move on from it get ready for playoffs.”
Sophomore Ty Zimmerman led SRU’s offense in game one, going 3-4 with four RBIs.
Senior Adam Urbania was also able to play a big part in the Rock’s offense after going 2-4 with two RBIs, including an RBI double down the left field line in the third inning.
Junior Jordan Faretta went 1-2 with a two RBI single in the seventh inning, while redshirt sophomore Logan Brown hit his eighth homerun of the season in the fifth inning.
“I was just seeing the ball pretty well,” Zimmerman said. “Hitting is contagious, so hitting in our offense can be a lot of fun. When one guy gets going, the rest of us can follow.”
Freshman pitcher Alex Pantuso, who was named PSAC pitcher of the week, began the game on the mound for the Green and White in game one. Pantuso lasted 6.1 innings before being replaced in the seventh after allowing Bloomsburg’s first run of the game.
Sophomore James Divosevic struck out the final two Bloomsburg batters of the game.
Pantuso was credited with the win, and his record improves to 3-2 on the year.
The Rock’s offense struck in the first inning with a double steal where freshman Tyler Walters took off for second base to create a diversion which allowed Zimmerman to score from third base and steal home.Walters was later driven in by Brown with an RBI double.
Sophomore Carson Kessler scored in the second inning as well thanks to an RBI single by Zimmerman.
Freshman Stephen McKee was the starting pitcher for SRU in game two, last four complete innings and allowing two runs on six hits.
Senior Geoff Sanner entered the game in the fifth inning and remained on the mound for the remainder of the contest. Sanner was credited with the loss after allowing two Bloomsburg runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Slippery Rock returns to action on Friday as they will host the University of Pitt-Johnstown (7-33-1) to begin a four-game home and away series.
The series will wrap up SRU’s regular season schedule as they will look to clinch the third seed in the out the PSAC-West in the PSAC Tournament.
“We would love to end the year on a sweep,” Zimmerman said. “We wanna get these seniors their last couple of wins at home, and we have the ability.”
