The Slippery Rock University baseball team opened their season with a three-game series sweep in Cary, North Carolina, this past weekend. The team played Kutztown University in a doubleheader last Friday and then took on Frostburg State University the next day.
Game one
Starting out with the first game at the USA Baseball Training Complex against Kutztown, Slippery Rock was first at bat. Gage Gillott was first on base after getting hit by a pitch.
Jake Robinson hit a single to right field, which allowed Gillott to advance to third.
The Rock opened the scoring after a fielding error. Robinson took second, and Gillott crossed home plate.
The Rock got one more athlete on base before a fly-out to center field ended the top of the first, and it was the Golden Bears’ turn at bat.
After their first batter fouled it out, Michael Burns walked to first base. Burns made it all the way to home plate on an advancement and a stolen base.
Kutztown was able to tie the score, but that was all to close out the first inning.
After the White and Green did not score in the second, the Golden Bears took the lead by two. Drew Wheeler singled it to the middle, then Bo Barthol hit a home run, sending them both home.
The third inning remained scoreless for both teams, but Slippery Rock gained momentum in the top of the fourth.
Stone Powell took first base off a single to left field. After another single from Michael Kitko and a stolen base, Powell scored on a passed ball.
After Darryn Callahan walked to first, Morgan Billotte got on base thanks to a throwing error. That allowed Callahan to advance to second, and Kitko scored, bringing SRU to tie with Kutztown.
Max Bernadowski got on base, followed by Gillott, which allowed Callahan and Billotte to cross home plate, giving The Rock the lead by two.
Bernadowski stole home after Robinson flied it out to center field. After three more advancements, Gillott crossed home plate, bringing the score 7-3 before the inning ended.
Innings five and six ended scoreless for both SRU and Kutztown. The Golden Bears got an athlete on base in the bottom of the sixth, but nothing came of it.
The White and Green ended their last inning at bat, earning three more runs from Luke Anderton, Callahan and Billotte.
Zach Tropiano singled it to left field but was left on base after Aiden Soumas grounded into a double play and Preston Warne grounded it out to end the first game.
Game two
To start the second game of the weekend series, Kutztown was first at bat this time. They gained their momentum early on.
Burns was first to get on base for the Golden Bears. He stole second and advanced to third on an error. When Jared Ferguson hit a single, Burns scored for Kutztown.
Two more KU batters got on base, sending Ferguson home and giving the Golden Bears a 2-0 lead.
SRU was unable to get a batter on base in the bottom of the second. And Joel Bonner opened the third inning with a home run for Kutztown.
That was their only run of the inning.
Powell was first to get on base for The Rock in game two after he doubled to right field. He then stole third base after Billotte grounded out to second base.
Powell took home to put a run up for SRU after Callahan hit a single.
The Golden Bears left a runner on second base and ended their inning scoreless.
The White and Green worked to catch up to Kutztown in the bottom of the third.
Anderton walked to first base and then made it around the diamond after Gillott smacked a double to center field.
Gillott advanced to third base off the next SRU hitter. He tied the score at three after Brandon Butler flied it out.
The next three innings remained scoreless for both teams. Six batters were left on base between SRU and KU.
The Golden Bears were unable to add runs to their side of the scoreboard.
Billotte walked on base to start the bottom of the seventh. He was advanced to second, then stole third on a wild pitch.
After Anderton got on base thanks to a fielder’s choice, Billotte took his chance to cross home plate but was unsuccessful.
Bases were loaded when Robinson singled it down the right field line, which allowed Bernadowski to advance home, giving SRU the victory in game two.
Game three
Coming off a two-game victory, SRU came in Saturday ready to take on Frostburg State University.
FSU opened the scoring in the bottom of the first after Drew Jourdan scored unearned.
The Rock was able to even the scoring when Treston Nemeth took home after Powell hit a double to center field.
The Bobcats quickly reclaimed the lead at the bottom of the second when CJ Carmichael stole home after Jourdan’s at-bat that allowed another FSU hitter to advance to second.
The following three innings were blank frames for SRU and FSU.
The White and Green finally broke that drought during the top of the sixth. Powell walked to first base and was then advanced to third after Kitko hit a double to center field. A single to left field delivered by Billotte allowed Kitko and Powell to cross home plate, giving SRU the lead.
Their jump was solidified during the eighth inning when The Rock gained two more runs due to Callahan and Billotte.
The Bobcats tried to even the score, but fell just a run short.
Carmichael advanced home after a double was delivered by Brian Scott that allowed Zane Bohn to go to third.
Scott and Bohn also gained runs for FSU, but a strikeout, a failed stolen base and a runner out at third base ended the Bobcats’ opportunity for a victory.
The team was set for a fourth game at the USA Baseball Training Complex against Goldey-Beacom College, but weather forced a cancellation. Now, SRU baseball returns home for a four-game series at Critchfield Park this weekend.
