SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst softball team kept their PSAC postseason window open with a doubleheader split at Slippery Rock on Saturday.
The Lakers dropped the opener 5-2 and in the must win game two, Mercyhurst rallied from an early deficit to win 7-6.
In game two, Slippery Rock jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three. The Lakers trimmed the lead in the top of the fourth. With one out Cheyenne Hindman singled and came around to score on an Allison Dejidas double. Sarah Koscho belted a two-run homer to left center to trim the Rock advantage to 5-3.
Mercyhurst took the lead in the fifth when Koscho hit her second of the contest, this one a three-run home run to make it 6-5. Slippery Rock tied the game in the bottom of the frame.
Hindman drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth to score pinch runner Jessica Clark to set the final.
With her two home runs Koscho became the first Laker to reach double-digit home run totals since Rachel DiBartolomeo hit 11 homers in 2017. Hindman collected a pair of hits and scored two runs.
Morgan Hilty picked up the win going five innings of relief allowing three runs on six hits while striking out two.
In the opener, the Rock scored four times in the fourth to taking advantage of a Mercyhurst error and four hits to take a 4-0 lead.
Madison Fry drew a bases loaded walk in the top of the sixth to trim the lead to 4-1. Slippery Rock answered with a run in the bottom of the frame.
The Lakers pushed back in the seventh loading the bases and pushing a run across on a walk by Celeste Ponce, but the rally ended there with the bases full of Lakers.
Brianne Egelston notched two hits for the Lakers. Mikaela Schramski took the loss in the circle pitching six innings allowing five runs, three earned with three strikeouts.
The Lakers and Rock will square off on Sunday at noon at the Mercyhurst Softball Field. The Lakers need a pair of wins to secure a spot in the PSAC postseason.
