EDINBORO, Pa. (April 27, 2015) - The Edinboro softball team took one step closer to making the PSAC Tournament for the second straight season with a sweep of Slippery Rock on Monday. The Fighting Scots defeated The Rock 11-3 in six innings of the first game and 8-1 in the finale to move to 23-12-1 on the season and 15-10-1 in the PSAC West. Slippery Rock, who entered the day still in the PSAC playoff hunt, was eliminated today and finishes the season 15-23 overall and 12-16 in conference.

The Fighting Scots will now travel to take on Indiana (Pa.) tomorrow afternoon. If the Scots win a game tomorrow, they will be rewarded with the final spot in the PSAC Tournament. If the Crimson Hawks win both games, they will earn that slot. They split a doubleheader with Gannon today after a three-run bottom of the sixth inning gave them a 6-4 win in the second game. The Crimson Hawks are 16-22 overall and 14-14 in the PSAC West.

Edinboro's 19 runs on the day was its most for a PSAC doubleheader this season. They scored 20 runs back on March 13 against Salem International.

GAME ONE: Edinboro 11, Slippery Rock 3 (Six Innings)
The Fighting Scots and The Rock battled through the first five innings before Edinboro ended the game with a seven run explosion in the bottom of the sixth inning to win the game 11-3 due to the eight-run mercy rule.

 

Each team scored once in the first inning and was then quiet over the next two innings. Jessica Hyland's three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning broke the silence as the sophomore left fielder's first home run of the year gave the Scots a 4-1 lead.

Slippery Rock retaliated quickly in the top of the fifth inning. Ashley Samluk singled up the middle with two runners in scoring position to close the deficit to 4-3.

The Fighting Scots surged in the bottom of the sixth with seven runs on nine hits, one error, and one hit by pitch. The decisive run scored when Alexandra Carroll singled to right field with the bases loaded. It was the freshman's first career RBI and pushed Edinboro's lead to 11-3 where the game was called.

Abby Sotter started the game for the Fighting Scots and improved to 3-2 on the season. The sophomore pitched five innings and gave up three runs, one earned, six hits, one walk, hit on batter, and struck out three.

Taylor Payne earned her second save of the season after pitching the top of the sixth inning. She allowed one hit and struck out one in that frame.

Carly DeRose was credited with the loss. She fell to 8-12 and threw 5.1 innings allowing 18 hits, two walks, and one hit by pitch. DeRose had two strikeouts.

Hyland finished 1-for-3 at the plate with the one home run and three RBI. Brooke Callaghan added three RBI and went 2-for-4 with two runs.

GAME TWO: Edinboro 8, Slippery Rock 1
The Rock provided little resistance in game two as Edinboro jumped on them quickly with a three run first inning. Haley Struebing's two RBI single up the middle plated Kylie Mason and Laura Crooks to start the scoring off. That was followed by Heather Tighe scoring as a result of a passed ball on a dropped third strike while Shelby Proctor was batting.

Proctor provided another RBI in the third inning when her single up the middle scored Tighe. Fleckenstein then brought home Proctor on a 6-3 groundout. The Fighting Scots now led 5-0.

Slippery Rock seemed to score its first run in the top of the fourth inning. With Alaynna Beers on second base, Taylor Welch singled and Beers seemingly came around to score. However, it was ruled that she did not touch third base and was ruled out on the play.

Payne came on once more to pitch in relief in the top of the sixth inning. The Rock scored one run in the inning on an RBI single by Allie Fischer but Edinboro responded with a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Claire Johnston was pinch-hitting for Tighe when she launched a ball over the left field fence for her first career home run. Rachele Eckels and Katie Holmes each scored on the play.

Now with a comfortable 8-1 lead, Payne retired the side in order which was capped off by a superb catch by second baseman MaryLouise Lindner on a line drive.

Kalet Lenart started for the Fighting Scots. She pitched five innings and moved to 7-4 this season. The Cicero, New York native allowed no runs, four hits, two walks, and had one strikeout. The victory was the 16^th of her career, tying Jennifer Anderson for 10^th in school history.

Sarah Petrash threw all six innings for Slippery Rock. The loss gave her a 1-2 record to end the season. She allowed eight runs, six earned, eight hits, three walks, and one hit by pitch while striking out eight.