SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Mercyhurst College softball team split its second doubleheader in two days. The Lakers took on The Rock of Slippery Rock University today, April 10. Junior
Emily Redig's three-run homer led to a six run seventh inning comeback in which the Lakers won 8-5. Slippery Rock would take game two, 4-0.
Both teams registered two runs in the first inning with the Lakers posting three hits including a RBI single by both senior
Michelle Schmitz and freshman
Courtney Smith. Slippery Rock struck again scoring three runs in the home half of the fourth inning. Shauna Walker of Slippery Rock held the Lakers to five scoreless innings until Mercyhurst awoke in the top of the seventh.
Down 5-2, junior
Andrea Sauers started a Laker rally with a single into right field. Senior leadoff hitter,
Kara Gorgos followed with a double into right center advancing both players into scoring position. Redig the next batter, sat back on the pitch and drove a ball over the right field fence for her fifth homerun of the season and arguably the biggest, knotting the game at 5 apiece. Junior
Samantha Eimers kept the rally going with a double that landed in left field. Eimers would later score off of a fielder's choice by sophomore
Julie Harmon. With two runners on, senior
Amber Rapose joined the hit parade, doubling to left center scoring both runners. After the dust had settled the Lakers scored six runs off of seven hits, taking the lead, 8-5.
Senior
Amanda Norman, freshman
Megan Smith, and sophomore
Megan Hopton all pitched during the first game. Norman started the game and was relieved by M.Smith. Hopton played the role of a closer and shut The Rock down in the bottom of the seventh to earn her second save of the season. M.Smith was credited with the win and now holds a 2-1 mark on the season.
Slippery Rock scored two runs in two different innings during the second game to beat the Lakers 4-0. The Rock's Shaylee Ianno won her 12
th game of the season inside the pitchers circle. She earned the win after striking out seven and tossing seven scoreless innings.
Mercyhurst registered seven hits in the game including C.Smith's perfect 2-2 showing at the plate but couldn't manufacture any runs. The loss drops the Lakers overall record to 21-17 and gives them a 6-6 showing in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
The squad is scheduled to take on Clarion University next on Tuesday, April 12. First pitch is set to be thrown at 3 p.m.
