Slippery Rock, Pa. – The Mercyhurst softball team split a PSAC West double-header Sunday at Slippery Rock, dropping a 9-1 decision in five innings before defeating The Rock 10-0 in five innings during the second game. 

Kristi Janoske pitched a two-hit shutout in game two, the first complete game shutout of her career and third shutout for Mercyhurst pitching this season. Michelle Schmitz and Emily Redig each homered in the first inning of the Lakers' 10-0 second game.

After falling 9-1 in five innings in game one, Mercyhurst set out to avenge the loss in game two. Mercyhurst took a 4-0 lead after the top of the first as Schmitz launched a three-run home run and Redig added a solo shot. Slippery Rock went scoreless in the bottom of the first, leaving two runners on base. The Lakers tacked on one run in the top of the second, as Megan Houston drove in Elizabeth Maier with a single. 

Leading 5-0 after two innings, Mercyhurst removed all doubt during the top of the third, as Anna Glomb plated a pair with a double, and Maier knocked in two runs with a single to make the score 9-0. Janoske pitched a one-two-three bottom of the third, and then in the top of the fourth, Amber Rapose knocked in Shannon Kissel for the Lakers' 10th run. Both teams went scoreless during the fifth inning, and Mercyhurst prevailed with a 10-0, five-inning victory. 

Janoske earned the win, allowing just two hits, both in the first inning, and her record is now 7-7. She struck out six batters. The Lakers scored 10 runs on 13 hits in game two. Schmitz went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Maier hit 3-of-4 with a double, two runs and two RBI, while Glomb recorded two RBI with her double in the third inning. Houston batted 3-for-4 with one RBI, Redig went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, and Rapose batted in one run. 

Mercyhurst got off to a slow start in the first contest against Slippery Rock, and the team was held without a base-runner for their first two times at bat. Meanwhile, The Rock posted one run in the bottom of the first and held the 1-0 edge through two and a half innings, as the Lakers left the bases loaded in their half of the third. Slippery Rock connected for a three-run homer in the bottom of the third to take a 4-0 lead. The Lakers trimmed the deficit to three runs in the top of the fifth when Schmitz singled in Maier. The Rock scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the game, 9-1. 

Amanda Norman took the loss, and falls to 6-7 on the season, while Shauna Walker gave up just one run on six hits in five innings of work for The Rock. Maier batted 2-for-3, stole a base and scored the Lakers' lone run, while Schmitz went 1-for-3 with one run batted in. 

The Lakers' record now stands at 13-14, including a 3-3 mark in PSAC West play. The Rock is now 14-14, and also holds a 3-3 PSAC West record. Mercyhurst and Slippery Rock are currently tied for second place in the PSAC West behind California (Pa.). 

Mercyhurst will play in five doubleheaders in as many days, beginning Tuesday, April 7 at home against Tiffin University, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.