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April 18, 2003
Contact: Bob McComas (724) 738-2777 e-mail: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
ROCK HARDBALLERS SWEEP TWINBILL FROM CALIFORNIA
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University expanded
its lead in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s
Western Division to four games Friday night as it swept a twinbill
from visiting California U. of Pa. by 3-2 and 8-4 scores.
The
Rock (31-8 overall, 12-2 PSAC-West) can clinch the division title
on Wednesday when it hosts Clarion in a 1 p.m. twinbill at Jack
Critchfield Park.
SRU,
ranked 16th in the latest Collegiate Baseball national
ranking, hosts West Liberty State (W. Va.) at 2 p.m. on Monday.
California dropped to 19-16 overall
and into a tie with Indiana U. of Pa. for second place in the
PSAC-West with an 8-6 conference mark.
California travels to Indiana for a
doubleheader next Wednesday, April 23.
Junior shortstop
Nathan Statzer (Harmony/Seneca Valley HS) hit a
sacrifice fly to right field in the bottom of the seventh inning to
plate the winning run in Friday’s first game. Earlier in the
game, Statzer doubled for SRU’s only extra-base hit of the
game.
The Rock had only
four hits off losing pitcher Nick Damico (3-2) in the first game;
SRU was led by a 2-for-4 effort by senior center fielder Joe
Neidrick (Osceola Mills/Phillipsburg-Osceola HS).
The winning
pitcher in the first game was sophomore right-hander John Katich
(Deer Lakes/Deer Lakes HS), who scattered 10 hits and
struck out six and improved his record to 5-2.
SRU had 13 hits in
the second game, led by a 3-for-4, 2-RBI effort by junior catcher
Joe Pascarella (New Castle/Neshannock HS) and a
3-for-3 effort by senior first baseman Brandon Stewart (New
Kensington/Plum HS).
Junior southpaw
Steve Norris (Clearfield/Clearfield HS) was the
winning pitcher. Norris (6-0) allowed four earned runs on five
hits, struck out three and walked five in 6 1/3 innings. Sophomore
right-hander Nick Armstrong (Murraysville/Franklin Regional
HS) got the final two outs to record his first save of the
season.
Bernie Smith was
3-for-4 to lead California’s first-game effort, while Mike
Larson hit a two-run home run in the second game.
Justin Taylor
(4-1) was tagged with the second-game loss after he allowed five
earned runs on eight hits, struck out four and walked two in four
innings.
# ROCK PRIDE #
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