Continuing a trend this season, the Slippery Rock University softball team was unable to offer any run support to Rock pitchers during a pair of losses to Point Park University on Wednesday in Pittsburgh.
After an 0-1 loss in game one, The Rock (12-19, 4-4 PSAC) were unable to get a run on the scoreboard until the seventh inning of game two’s 1-5 loss.
Sophomore ace Camie Shumaker pitched all six innings, allowing an unearned run while striking out seven in a losing effort. The Pioneers’ only run came courtesy of a fielding error from junior center fielder Alexa Guglielmino.
Rock batters were unable to solve the Pioneers’ (15-14, 8-4 RSC) pitching staff and only managed to muster three hits while striking out nine times.
With freshman pitcher Chloe Sharman on the mound, game two appeared to be more of the same for SRU.
While Sharman pitched a decent game, going four and two-thirds innings on the mound while allowing four earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts, Rock batters struggled to find a spark.
The Pioneers’ piled on runs in the second, third, fifth and sixth inning to hold a five-run leading heading into the seventh inning. With just six hits through the previous 12 innings, the result of the game was never in question.
Sophomore third baseman Becca Roesch cracked a home run to center field with two outs in the seventh to quell the streak of run less softball for SRU but one batter later, the game was over.
With just seven hits on the day, the trend of SRU leaving its pitchers out to dry continued. Since the calendar turned to April, the Green and White have scored more than two runs just four times in 10 games.
Despite the away sweep against the Pioneers, SRU controls its own destiny heading toward the playoff. Locked in a battle with practically every team in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-West, The Rock will have the rest of the month to make a playoff push.
SRU will host Gannon University for a doubleheader at the SRU Softball Complex on Thursday. The opening pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
