Despite fast starts in both games, SRU softball could not finish and lost both of their contests at Shepherd University this Monday.
The Rock brought two runners around to score after two walks, a stolen base and an Aubrey Mansfield single.
Shepherd did not get on the scoreboard until the third inning, but their three runs scored would match the White and Green’s output for the whole game. The Rams tacked on a run in the bottom of the fourth that would prove to be the dagger.
SRU pulled within one run in the fifth when Julia Nutter scored on an Arielle Brown single, but no runs would score after that, and Shepherd won 4-3.
Kelsi Anderson was tagged with the loss. The lefty allowed no hits, but her five walks were enough for Shepherd to bring around their initial three runs, although only one was earned.
Mackenzie Barkovich came on in relief and prevented much more traffic on the basepaths. The sophomore righty allowed four hits, no walks and one run, zero earned, over her four innings.
Brown, the first-inning catalyst, had the best day at the plate for the White and Green from a statistical standpoint. The shortstop had two hits, an RBI, a run scored, a stolen base and reached base safely three times.
Four other Rock players tallied a hit, with Nutter and Julia Montie both tagging doubles.
Game two started in a similar fashion, albeit more explosive.
An Emma Kennedy single, Grace Smith single and sacrifice off the bat of Nutter brought in four runs in the top of the first. Shepherd had a large hill to climb right out of the gate, but Slippery Rock could not capitalize.
A three-run homer in the fourth, a bases-loaded walk and a single in the sixth, and The Rock’s four-run lead became a two-run deficit.
Alexsa Hurd, last week’s PSAC-West Pitcher of the Week, was roughed up more than usual in this one. To her credit, a bad Hurd outing is not as bad as many others.
The righty allowed three earned runs on four hits and three walks over four innings, also racking up four strikeouts.
Borkovich was given the loss. Despite allowing zero earned runs, three runs crossed the plate during her 1.2 innings. Paige Gresgott got one out pitching in relief for Borkovich.
Kennedy finished the game with a double and a single which was good for the most hits on her squad. She drove in the most runs as well at two. Mansfield also reached base two times.
SRU softball will look to rebound when The Spring Games begin. The Rock opens the pre-conference set of games against Notre Dame College (Ohio) on DiamondPlex Field A. All matchups of The Spring Games will take place at the DiamondPlex of Winter Haven, Fla.
