SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Edinboro and Slippery Rock softball teams split in Friday's PSAC showdown with The Rock taking game one by a 2-1 final score. In game two, the Fighting Scots rebounded and came away with a 3-1 victory over their PSAC West rival. 
 
Game One 
 
Slippery Rock 2 - Edinboro 1 

Slippery Rock took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Erin Gardner reached on an error to begin the home half of the inning number one. After she was bunted to second, she then was able to advance to third on a ground out. With two outs now, Cami Fisk walked and then stole second to put two Slippery Rock runners in scoring position with two away. 

A passed ball allowed Fisk to advance to third and Gardner to come home and score to give The Rock an early lead. Edinboro ace Macy Sral (Lilly, PA/Penn Cambria) was able to hold the runner at third to end the inning. 
 
Despite taking the loss in this one, Sral pitched a great ball game; throwing six and a third innings and giving up seven hits, two runs, one earned run, walking two, and striking out four.  
 
The Fighting Scots managed eight hits of their own, but mustered just one run in the first of two contests held Friday afternoon. Edinboro knotted the score at 1-1 in the top half of the third as Nya Adams was able to take advantage of a Slippery Rock miscue and steal third and eventually score on a throwing error.  
 
Lauren Gierlak (Edinboro, PA/General McLane) and Cheyenne Shughart (Shermansdale, PA, West Perry) each collected two hits for Edinboro in game number one of the day. Maura Pasquale (Zelienople, PA/Seneca Valley), Maya Kozup (Pittsburgh, PA/Avonworth), Lauren Bush (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside), and Stephanie Krick (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) all collected one hit in the ball game. 
 
With the score still tied at one in the bottom of the seventh, Slippery Rock was able to get their first two batters of the inning in Gardner and Anna Villies on base with no outs. After a lineout, Fisk singled to center to score Gardner and end the ball game and make Slippery Rock a 2-1 winner. 

Game Two 
 
Edinboro 3 - Slippery Rock 1 
 
Edinboro used an efficient pitching performance from first-year Lauren Bush to edge The Rock in game number two of the day by a 3-1 final score. 

Bush fired just 77 pitches in the game and used a strong defensive performance behind her to go the distance in a complete game victory. She surrendered just four hits and one run in seven innings on the bump while striking out three. It was her second career collegiate victory. 
 
It was a slow offensive start to the game and the teams combined for just ten total hits. The Fighting Scots kicked off the scoring when in the top of the fifth, Krick was able to walk with one out in the inning. Nya Adams (Finleyville, PA/Ringgold) continued her strong season by singling down the left field line to put two Fighting Scots abroad with just one out.  

After a pitching change for Slippery Rock, Gierlak showed some opposite field power by connecting for a two RBI double which plated Krick and Adams to give Edinboro a two run lead.  
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Slippery Rock drew closer by scoring their lone run of the game. With one out in the bottom of the inning, Slippery Rock played some small ball as Gardner was able to bunt for a hit. After a pop up, Leah Vith smacked a double to right center field which scored Gardnder and made it a slim one run lead for the Fighting Scots. 

Edinboro would respond in the next half inning as Gierlak collected her second hit of the game and her fourth hit of the day overall as she singled through the right side of the infield. This brought up Pasquale and she delivered in the clutch for Edinboro by doubling to left center field which allowed Gierlak to come around and score.  
 
Edinboro held onto a narrow 3-1 lead, but it proved to be enough as Bush set the home team down one-two-three in the last half frame to help the Fighting Scots secure their sixth win of the season. 
 
Hits in the second game came off the bat of Adams, Pasquale, Mackenzie Quider (Sanborn, N.Y./Niagara Wheatfield), Kozup, and twice from Gierlak. 

After Friday night's action, Edinboro is now 6-8 with an identical PSAC mark. Slippery Rock has managed to play 20 games already and have a 4-16 on the season and in conference. 

The two teams will prepare for the back half of the season series Saturday afternoon, April 10, with games slated to begin at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. at the Edinboro University softball fields.