The distance between New Castle, Pa., and Slippery Rock isn't much more than 10 or 15 miles. Just jump on East Washington Street in New Castle and follow it up a little way to State Route 108. Go straight for about five miles or so, through the four-way stop and on by the buffalo farm.
The Rock baseball team could very easily be sitting in fourth place in their division after a four-game series with Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division rival Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the last week. But thanks to a pair of seventh-inning, come-from-behind wins, the Rock (22-12 overall, 7-5 PSAC West) still sits in third and within striking distance of division leaders California (Pa.
The Rock softball team split against non-conference Mercyhurst on Thursday and swept the Golden Eagles of Clarion on Wednesday at home and moved to over .500 on the season. SRU (19-17 overall, 5-7 PSAC West) took the doubleheader by scores of 8-0 and 13-5 against Clarion while beating Mercyhurst 6-3 in game and losing in game two by the same score.
The Rock men's and women's track team had two meets last weekend with the team recording seven first-place finishes and setting two school records. The first of the two meets was the Bucknell Invitational, in which only six SRU runners participated. "We had a great meet," Coach John Papa said.
The SRU women's water polo team won its third straight game when it blanked Penn State Behrend 14-0 on the road Wednesday night. With the win, the Rock's record now stands at 6-13 and the team has assured itself a third-place finish in the Collegiate Water Polo Association Division.
The Rock women's tennis team could find itself listed under the most wins record in the school record book with one more win this season. With a 5-1 win over Bryant College at the Bloomsburg Duals last weekend, the team moved into a tie with the 2002-03 team at 21 wins on the year.
SRU will host two professional sports teams this summer, as SRU Athletic Director Paul Lueken announced that the New Castle Thunder of the North American Football League, a minor league football organization, will play its home games at Bob DiSpirito Field at N.
They say baseball is just a game. But to some, the game of baseball is life. Greg Jelks, 46, was recently named the manager of the Slippery Rock Sliders. He is one of those whose life is baseball. "Baseball made me who I am today," Jelks said. "I am married to the game.
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