Slippery Rock softball left their doubleheader against Indiana University (Pa.) with one win and one loss on Tuesday.
Both schools still remained tied for first in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Division after SRU took game one but fell 16-10 in game two at Kasnevich Field.
The night was looking good for Julia Nutter as she tallied three home runs between the two games. Aubrey Mansfield and Alyssa Sheely also smacked out home runs.
Alexsa Hurd had some power behind her pitching with 11 strikeouts just in game one.
Game one
The White and Green took two innings to break onto the scoreboard, scoring their first run in the bottom of the third. The Crimson Hawks made all their runs in the top of the second when one runner came in and Jordan Sylvia homered it with bases loaded.
The Rock’s first runs came from Sheely taking the opportunity to steal home after Arielle Brown stole second.
SRU continued tallying up their runs when Nutter hit her first home run of the night. After Sheely homered to left center, she sent Sydney Brown home with her. A single from Hurd allowed Brown to cross home. The final run of the game came from Hurd after Mansfield singled it to right field.
IUP was unable to get any other hits out, leaving four on base for the remainder of the game.
While Hurd led the charge with 11 strikeouts in seven innings, the Crimson Hawks were able to toss out six in four frames.
The senior ranks second in SRU history in strikeouts and eighth in starts for pitching. She tossed out 151 strikeouts in 123.0 innings pitched last season, which broke the SRU single-season record with 8.6 strikeouts per seven innings.
Game two
IUP was first to score again when a batter ran home after a sacrifice bunt.
The Rock got four runs in at the bottom of the first. Shaylyn Shall crossed home plate, followed by two home runs from Mansfield and Nutter right after that. Mansfield’s home run sent Hurd home too.
The Crimson Hawks cranked out seven runs in the top of the second with a score on an error, an advancement to home, and a homer sending another batter home as well.
IUP scored eight more times in four innings with three runs on an error and an advancement in the third and two advances to home in the fourth and fifth. They closed out the seventh with three more runs.
Slippery Rock was able to make six more runs in three innings, four of those being in the bottom of the fourth. Montie and Nutter had two home runs. Mansfield was able to cross home plate after Nutter’s homer. The last to score a run for The Rock was Sheely when she scored on an error.
The efforts fell short, and IUP took the win 16-10.
The White and Green shift their focus to a doubleheader against California University (Pa.) at Lilley Field next Thursday.
