Game one boxscore
Game two boxscore
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Senior catcher Jessica Kortz and junior outfielder Jordan Zeunges each collected three hits Saturday to lead the Slippery Rock University softball team to an 8-6 upset win over 11th-ranked Indiana (Pa.) in the second game of a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference interdivisional doubleheader.
The win was SRU's second this season over a nationally ranked team. The Rock beat then-No. 18 C.W. Post, 1-0, March 8 in Kissimmee, Fla.
The win over Indiana also gave The Rock (10-7) a split of the twinbill against the Crimson Hawks (18-3), who won Saturday's first game by a 5-1 score.
Kortz was 3-for-4 with a home run, her sixth of the season, and picked up three RBIs in Saturday's second game. Zeunges had a double, one RBI and scored three runs.
Senior Shauna Walker was the winning pitcher in relief of sophomore starter Shaylee Ianno. Walker allowed two runs on three hits, struck out one and walked two in the final four innings to pick up her fifth win in six decisions this spring. Ianno allowed four runs on eight hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter in the first three innings.
Ianno also aided The Rock cause at the plate as she was 2-for-2 with a double and picked up two RBIs.
The Rock answered a three-run Indiana effort in the top of the first inning with back-to-back three-run innings of its own to take a 6-3 lead into the third frame.
Key hits in the first three-run rally were a two-run home run by Kortz and an RBI single by freshman shortstop Kiana Dotson.
Ianno got the second-inning rally started with a solo home run before Zeunges smacked an RBI double and Kortz slapped a run-scoring single.
Indiana trimmed The Rock lead to 6-4 with a run in the top of the third inning before Ianno plated what proved to be the winning run with an RBI double in the bottom of the third to give the hosts another three-run advantage, 7-4.
Indiana scored two more runs in the top of the fourth to cut the margin to one run, 7-6, and had the potential tying run on third base with no outs in the fifth before Walker worked out of the jam.
A sacrifice fly by Rock freshman third baseman Jenna Geibel in the bottom of the sixth accounted for the final run of the game. Walker then slammed the door on the Crimson Hawks as she retired them in order in the top of the seventh.
The Rock and Indiana battled to a 1-1 stalemate in the first three innings of Saturday's first game before the guests scored three times in the top of the fourth to take firm control of the game.
Junior Lindsey Grace (3-5) pitched the entire game for The Rock and allowed five earned runs on 11 hits, struck out four and walked one.
Senior Shardea Croes went 4-for-4 at the plate with four singles and scored the lone Rock run in the third inning on an RBI single by Kortz. Senior right fielder Kendra Kutz had a leadoff single in the seventh inning to account for the only other Rock hit in the game.
Indiana's Erin Holloway went the distance to improve her pitching record to 11-0. She struck out 11, walked four and allowed one earned run on six hits.
The Rock was scheduled to open PSAC-Western Division play Sunday with a 2 p.m. doubleheader vs. Gannon.
Weather permitting, Friday's doubleheader was the first of six twinbills The Rock will play in the span of seven days.
