Softball 3/31/2010 12:00:00 AM

Brant, Brickner swing big bats as Rock sweeps Gannon, 3-2 and 4-3

Kirsten Brant hit two home runs in the first game, including a game-winning shot, while Leah Brickner slapped a game-winning single in the second game

Game one boxscore
Game two boxscore

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Sophomores Kirsten Brant and Leah Brickner each had a game-winning hit Wednesday afternoon to lead the Slippery Rock University softball team to a 3-2, 4-3 doubleheader sweep of visiting Gannon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division action at the SRU Softball Complex.

Brant hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to account for the winning run in the first game, while Brickner slapped a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh to push across the decisive run in the second game.

Brant also smacked a solo home run to account for SRU's first run in the opening game. The circuit clouts were the first hit this season by The Rock shortstop.

The timely hits gave SRU its second doubleheader sweep of the season; SRU also “took two” from hosting Johnson C. Smith University in season-opening action March 5.

With the wins Wednesday, The Rock improved its overall record to 13-8 and its PSAC-West mark to 3-1. Gannon saw its season records drop to 12-11, 0-4.

The Rock will look to carry the momentum of Wednesday's wins over to Thursday's home non-conference doubleheader vs. Bowie State (Md.). The first pitch is set for 3 p.m.

Thursday's games are the third in a series of four home doubleheaders The Rock will play in as many days as part of a string of 24 games scheduled in the span of 16 days.

Gannon received a bases-loaded walk in the top of the first inning of Wednesday's first game and extended its lead to 2-0- on the strength of a solo home run by Casee Piquet in the top of the fifth before The Rock began to chip away at the deficit.

Brant got The Rock on the scoreboard with her first home run of the game of the game in the bottom of the fifth before freshman Jenna Geibel successfully executed a squeeze bunt to allow senior Shardea Croes to sprint home with the tying run in the sixth inning.

Brant then completed the comeback with her second roundtripper of the game with one out in the bottom of the seventh.

Junior Shauna Walker pitched a complete game for SRU to improve her season record to 7-1. She allowed two earned runs on eight hits, struck out five and walked two in seven innings for her fifth complete game of the season.

Geibel gave The Rock an early 1-0 lead in Wednesday's second game when she smacked her fifth home run of the season, a solo shot, in the bottom of the second inning.

Three innings later, Geibel again swung a big bat as she lined an RBI single to right field to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.

Geibel led The Rock offensive attack Wednesday with four hits in six at-bats, capped off by a 3-for-3 effort in the second game. She also collected three RBIs in the twinbill, two of which came in the second game.

Gannon trimmed the difference in half with a run in the top of the fifth before senior catcher Jessica Kortz clobbered her team-leading seventh home run of the season, a solo shot to straightaway center field with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to push The Rock lead to 3-1.

Undaunted, Gannon scored two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the score at 3-3.

It appeared The Rock and the Golden Knights were headed for extra innings in the second game as the first two SRU batters were retired in order in the bottom of the seventh. But the scenario quickly changed as sophomore Natalie Atkinson slapped a double to center field and Brickner followed with her game-winning single into the right-center field gap.

Brickner's hit gave junior Lauren Grace her fourth win of the season in 10 decisions. Grace allowed three earned runs on five hits, struck out two and walked one in the process of recording her fifth complete-game effort of the season.

Print Friendly Version