Contact: Bob McComas (724) 738-2777 e-mail: robert.mccomas@sru.edu

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The nationally ranked Slippery Rock University baseball team recorded its fifth straight doubleheader sweep and extended its current win streak to 11 games Wednesday afternoon with 11-5 and 6-2 triumphs over California U. of Pa. at Falconi Field.

The Rock, ranked 14th in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America national poll and tied for 19th in the Collegiate Baseball magazine poll, improved its record to 20-5 overall, 4-0 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division action.

California, the two-time defending PSAC-West champion, lost its third straight game and dropped to 9-10, 0-2.

Junior shortstop Nathan Statzer (Harmony/Seneca Valley HS), senior second baseman Alan Reichl (Pittsburgh/Montour HS) and senior first baseman Brandon Stewart (New Kensington/Plum HS) had four hits each for The Rock, which totaled 23 hits in Wednesday's two games.

Statzer was SRU's first-game hero as he smacked a grand slam home run in the top of the fifth inning and had an RBI single in the sixth to finish the game 2-for-5 with five RBIs and one run scored. He was also 2-for-5 in the second game with one run scored.

Reichl, after going 1-for-4 with a run scored in the first game, was 3-for-5 with an RBI and one run scored in the finale. He had a pair of doubles in the second game to improve his team-high total to 13.

Stewart was 2-for-4 in the first game and 2-for-3 with an RBI and one run scored in the second game.

Junior designated hitter Ben Marzullo (Brookville/Brookville HS) hit a solo home run in the first game to increase his team-high total to six and also had a double (second of the season) in the first game.

Senior center fielder Joe Neidrick (Osceola Mills/Phillipsburg-Osceola HS) had a pair of hits in the first game, including his sixth double of the season.

Sophomore left fielder Matt Kozusko (Latrobe/Greater Latrobe HS) also had a pair of hits in the first game, while junior right fielder Jason Curry (Slippery Rock/Slippery Rock HS) slapped his third double of the season in the second game to round out The Rock's extra-base hits.

Seneca Valley High School graduate Brian Stoecklein, who entered the game as the PSAC's leading hitter with a .443 batting average, was a combined 2-for-7 with a double in Wednesday's games.

The Rock trailed 5-0 after four innings of the first game before scoring 11 unanswered runs to record the win. The Rock led by a 6-0 count heading into the bottom of the seventh inning before California scored two runs in its final at-bat in the second game.

Senior right-hander Kevin Dvorchak (Smock/Uniontown HS) improved his record to 2-0 as he picked up the first-game win in relief. Dvorchak pitched three scoreless innings, allowed five hits and struck out one. Senior southpaw George Johnson (Robinson Township/Carlynton HS) allowed five earned runs on six hits, struck out two and walked one in the first four innings.

Sophomore right-hander John Katich (Deer Lakes/Deer Lakes HS) pitched six shutout innings, allowed three hits, struck out two and walked two en route to his fourth win in five decisions this spring. Senior right-hander Dave Sansom (Grove City/Grove City HS) allowed two earned runs on one hit and walked two in the final inning.

With the wins Wednesday, The Rock improved its record vs. NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional rivals to 11-3.

The Rock returns to action Saturday when it travels to Clarion (5-13, 2-0) for a PSAC-West doubleheader set to start at 1 p.m.

SRU's next home game will be Monday when it hosts Gannon in a 1 p.m. twinbill at Jack Critchfield Park rescheduled from last Monday, March 31.

# ROCK PRIDE #