Boxscore: Rock 11, Assumption 5
Boxscore: Minnesota State 5, Rock 2

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Slippery Rock University's 17th-ranked baseball team scored a split Friday in opening-day action of its annual spring trip to Florida.

SRU (5-1) beat Assumption of Massachusetts (0-1) by an 11-5 score in the day's first game, then droppeda 5-2 decision to 10th-ranked Minnesota State (1-0) in the second game.

The Rock returns to action for a doubleheader Saturday vs. NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional rival Seton Hill University.

Senior shortstop Adam Jury was 3-for-4 with five RBIs to lead SRU to its win over Assumption. Junior right fielder Derek Carr and senior center fielder Matt Howard were each 2-for-3 with two RBIs to complement Jury's effort.

Senior southpaw Rich Hocanson picked up the pitching win in his first game back after missing two seasons with an arm injury. He allowed one earned run on four hits, struck out two and walked one in five innings of work.

Catcher Matt Accardi was 3-for-4 to lead The Rock hitting attack against Minnesota State, which competed in last spring's Division II national tournament. Howard had an RBI triple and senior designated hitter Mitchell Monas smacked an RBI double to account for the only extra-base hits The Rock had in either game.

Southpaw Zach Jeney (0-1) was tagged with the loss after he allowed four earned runs on five hits, struck out five, walked two and hit two batters in five innings.

The Rock's spring trip continues through March 12 and will include a total of 11 games.

SRU returns home to open its Jack Critchfield Park schedule March 18 vs. defending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion California (Pa.).