The Rocket
SPORTS
B-1
April 26, 2013
SRU splits doubleheader Green and White goes even with Golden Knights By Matthew Morgan Rocket Contributor
On Tuesday night, the Slippery Rock University women's softball team closed out their regular season home schedule with a double header against Gannon University. Like the prior two doubleheaders, SRU split the series with one win and one loss. The Rock got off to a slow start in game one with the team batting a collective 4–24 and scoring one run. Senior Katie Saluga, junior Emily Lobdell, senior Jenna Geibel, and sophomore Alaynna Beers were the only players with any hits during the game. The opposing pitcher, Megan Dragon, walked no Rock players. Gannon defeated SRU by a final score of 5–1, the Rock’s only run coming off the bat of Lobdell, scoring Beers. Sophomore Ashley Knight is credited with the loss, bringing her record to 10–12 on the season. Game two was an adrenaline rush for both the players as well as the fans, all the way down to the last at-bat. Starting the game off with a show, freshman Katie Kaiser and Geibel went back-to-back with home runs, their fourth and seventh four-baggers respectively. The scoring for SRU would resume in the bottom of the second inning, seeing four runs come across home plate for the Green and White. Saluga batted in her first run of the game, Geibel brought in her second
and junior Breanna Tongel brought home two with a double. By the end of the fourth inning, Gannon had worked their way back into contention by tying the game at 6–6. That tie would be short lived. Tongel connected for a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, her fourth home run of the year, giving the Rock a 7-6 advantage. This lead would be wiped away in the top of the seventh inning as Caitlyn Colucci of Gannon University smashed a two run blast, giving Gannon an 8–7 lead. The bottom of the seventh inning would be the last plate appearances for the Rock at their home field for the season. It was also Saluga’s last home at-bat of her career, and she didn’t want to see that go to waste with her team down by a run. With two outs, two on base, one ball and no strikes, Saluga stepped up to the plate and closed out her home career with a game winning blast. The home run was Saluga’s team leading ninth home run. Saluga has three more home runs than her past two seasons here at SRU combined. “I accredit my offense this season to a couple of things. I have an amazing father who worked with me extra hours when I went home to make sure I was where I wanted to be offensively,” Saluga said about her explosive season at the plate. “I feel like I did succeed at the best of my abilities at SRU. I wouldn’t change a thing about my career here." In addition to the home run hitters in the game, Beers went 3–4 at the plate, as well as junior Lindsey Kelenske who went 2–3. Lobdell earned the win, pitching all seven innings and throwing three TYLER PAINTER/THE ROCKET
SEE LADIES, PAGE B-3
Sophomore pitcher Ashley Knight winds up for a pitch at the doubleheader against Clarion University April 17. Knight earned five runs and two strikeouts against Gannon University Tuesday.
Track earns
Rock stands in fourth place four event By Cody Gray Rocket Contributor
TYLER PAINTER/THE ROCKET
Junior catcher Kevin Jovanovich awaits a catch at the doubleheader against Notre Dame (Ohio) April 17. Jovanovich has started in every game this season for the Rock and has earned 20 runs.
wins at IUP By Kristin Karam
The Slippery Rock baseball team took three out of four games from conference-rival Indiana University of Pa. in a home series over the weekend and improved their record to 27-15 (9-7). The Rock currently stands in fourth place in the western division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. California is in first, followed by Gannon and Mercyhurst. On Sunday, Slippery Rock hosted IUP for an afternoon doubleheader and came away with the clean sweep. In game one of the Sunday doubleheader, the Green and White sent sophomore Kyle Schneider to the mound. Schneider gave his squad an excellent outing, going the full seven innings shutting out IUP while giving up three hits and one walk. The sophomore also struck out four batters. The Rock batters gave Schneider plenty of run support. Juniors Will Kengor and Graeme Zaparzynski combined to score three runs. Zaparzynski and senior John Shaffer drove in the
The Slippery Rock men’s outdoor track and field team posted 19 PSAC qualifying marks and recorded four wins at Indiana University of Pa.'s Ed Fry Invitational Saturday. Despite having to cope with undesirable weather conditions, head coach John Papa feels his athletes are pushing themselves to compete at a high level. “We’ve been performing consistently and are preparing ourselves for the PSAC Championships in May,” Papa said. “Our events are progressing well this season.” Senior Mason McLaughlin, senior Ethan Geisler, junior Trevor Foley, and sophomore Hunter Williams paired up in the 4x400-meter relay at the Ed Fry Invite and posted a winning time of 3:26.12. In the 110-meter hurdles, junior Jonathan Boyd ran his best time of the season, taking the win with a time of 14.74 seconds. Geisler took third with a time of 15.42 seconds. Senior Kyle Toms took the top spot in the shot put with a throw of 15.62 meters. Toms was joined by
SEE SLIPPERY, PAGE B-2
SEE MEN'S, PAGE B-2
Assistant Sports Editor