After missing several games due to weather problems the past week, Slippery Rock Softball was back in action at Gannon University on Sunday for more Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference(PSAC) play. The Rock dropped both games to the Golden Knights in after trading leads several times with Gannon in the first game and striking first in the second. After the two losses, Slippery Rock drops to 13-10 overall and 0-2 in PSAC West Division play while Gannon improves to 14-9 and 6-2.
In the first game, the Green and White struck first with two runs. The first came off a single from freshman Becca Roesch that sent senior Emily Nagle to home plate. Senior Lauren Hawley then sent junior Megan Brown to home plate off a sacrifice fly ball to left field to make it a 2-0 lead for The Rock. Gannon had no answer in the bottom of the first but came back with a punch in the bottom of the second with a two-run homer to tie the game and then a solo home run to take the lead 3-2.
In the top of the third, Nagle hit a triple to lead off the inning and was then sent in to score by a single by Brown to tie the game at 3 each. Junior Kailey Myers would give SRU the lead back with a double to make the game 4-3 Rock advantage. The 4-3 lead for the Rock would go all the way to the bottom of the fifth, but Gannon loaded the bases and sent one over the wall for a four-run grand slam to take a 7-4 lead over Slippery Rock. After putting a runner in scoring position in the seventh, the Rock was unable to get the win over the Golden Knights.
Freshman pitcher Camie Shumaker went 4.1 innings allowing seven runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Senior Brooke Dawson took over in the fifth to go 1.2 innings striking out three.
In the second game, Slippery Rock struck first again putting a run up on the board in the top of the second. Hawley walked to start the inning and was then sent to second base after a bunt from Myers. A wild pitch moved Hawley up to third and a ball out over center field from senior McKenzie Garland gave Hawley the opportunity to run for home. The first baseman made a misplay and allowed Garland to move up to first which sent Hawley in to give the Rock a 1-0 lead. Gannon answered big
with five runs in the bottom of the second to make it a 5-1 Golden Knight lead. Then in the bottom of the fourth Gannon scored three more to make it an 8-1 lead.
Sophomore Alexa Guglielmino hit an RBI double in the seventh to make it 8-2 but the Rock was unable to overcome the deficit and lost with a final score of 8-2.
Dawson pitched 2.0 innings surrendering five runs on six hits and only striking one runner out. Senior Paige Flore and junior Andria Copelli combined for 4.0 innings allowing three runs on two hits.
The Rock is back in action Wednesday with another PSAC doubleheader at Mercyhurst University.
