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SHIPPS AHOY: Rock baseball prepares for pivotal four-game series against Shippensburg this weekend

By Caleb Pardick
Rocket Editor-in-Chief

Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: Sports
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Rock junior first basemen Dan Hudeck tries to lay down a bunt during last week's game against Indiana (Pa.). Hudeck and the Rock will need to bring their bats against Shippensburg this weekend. SRU needs only one win against the Red Raiders to clinch a PSAC playoff spot.
Media Credit: Nate Daymut
Rock junior first basemen Dan Hudeck tries to lay down a bunt during last week's game against Indiana (Pa.). Hudeck and the Rock will need to bring their bats against Shippensburg this weekend. SRU needs only one win against the Red Raiders to clinch a PSAC playoff spot.
[Click to enlarge]
No one would have blamed the Rock baseball team if it had overlooked its Tuesday doubleheader with West Liberty State (W.Va.) College.

But it didn't.

Everyone would have been able to understand if the hardballers were more focused on their four-game showdown with Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division-leading Shippensburg University this weekend.

But they weren't.

And with the twinbill sweep of West Liberty State (18-19), the Rock (28-12 overall, 11-5 PSAC) now sits in prime position for a regional playoff berth on the eve of a series that will likely determine the team's conference playoff status.

"We played the games with West Liberty like they were conference games," said Rock Head Coach Jeff Messer, whose team now needs just one win or one Indiana (Pa.) loss to lock up a berth in next week's PSAC Playoffs. "It was difficult mentally because we knew we have a big four-game set with Shippensburg coming up, but at the same time we had to use it as a game to make our case for a regional berth, too."

With the sweep and last weekend's four-game drubbing of PSAC-West for Clarion, the Rock has now won six in a row and nine of its last 11.

A California (Pa.) loss and a sweep of Shippensburg would also give the Rock the PSAC-West crown and a higher seeding in the conference playoffs, which are two things Messer said he isn't particularly concerned with.

"We have a chance at winning the West, but really, that's just a title," Messer said. "I have no problem playing (PSAC-East leader and No. 2 nationally-ranked) Kutztown. Once you get into that tournament setting, anything can happen."
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