Slippery Rock’s softball team took a doubleheader sweep against Edinboro on Monday at Kasnevich Field. The wins secured them the No. 1 spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Division, sitting just above Indiana University (Pa.)
Alexsa Hurd led the charge with two home runs and tossing 13 strikeouts in seven innings. Kayla Williams, relieving Paige Gresgott, secured her second career win with one strikeout and only allowing one hit with no runs in her three innings.
Game one
While Edinboro scored two runs in the top of the first, The Rock retaliated with three runs of their own. Hurd and Arielle Brown were first to cross home plate for SRU after Julia Montie singled to left field and was able to advance to second. Aubrey Mansfield hit a double but got out at third, and Montie scored in a run.
Hurd kept the White and Green in the lead by striking out six of her 13 total between the second and third frames. The Fighting Scots managed to tie it up in the top of the fourth with a run on a wild pitch.
The game did not stay tied for long when Slippery Rock took the lead by two with one of Hurd’s home runs that sent Jessica Goldhardt home with her. Montie was last to score with a home run of her own, securing the lead.
Edinboro was able to make one more run on an advancement, but their efforts fell short, and SRU took game one 6-4.
Game two
Coming out of the gate strong, both teams made two runs in the first inning. Edinboro scored on an error and an opportunity to cross home after a single to left field. Slippery Rock kicked it off with a two-run homer delivered by Hurd.
The second frame was left scoreless, but SRU had one run over the Fighting Scots in the third. Two of Edinboro’s runners were sent home after a double was hit to right field. All three of The Rock’s runs were unearned in the bottom of the third.
The Fighting Scots took the lead in the fourth with two advancements and an unearned run. They kept the lead 7-5 throughout the fifth and sixth frames.
The White and Green took back the lead and won the game in the bottom of the seventh when Naomi Childs, Brown and Jeanna Sukey all crossed home plate, ending the game 8-7.
While The Rock’s game against California University (Pa.) is postponed to Sunday, they return to action on their home field Friday with the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.
