Boxscore

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Senior first baseman #Derek DiRuscia smacked an RBI double off the right-field fence in the top of the ninth inning Thursday night to plate the only Slippery Rock University run in a 7-1 baseball loss to Ashland (Ohio) University at Henley Field.

DiRuscia also had a single in the game to finish with two of The Rock's five hits.

The loss was the second straight and sixth suffered by The Rocki (6-6) in its last seven games after the Green and White opened their 2011 season with five straight wins.

Ashland improved its season record to 8-1 with Thursday's win.

Rock sophomore southpaw Joby Lapkowicz allowed six runs (three earned) on eight hits, struck out six and walked three batters in four innings to suffer his second loss in as many starts this spring.

Junior southpaw Zach Jeney pitched the final four frames and yielded one unearned run on three hits, struck out three and walked two.

The Rock returns to the diamond Friday for a 4:30 p.m. nine-inning single game vs. NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional rival West Chester University. SRU beat then-unbeaten WCU by a 3-2 score last Tuesday in the teams' first meeting of the season.

SRU closes out its 11-game spring trip with a 9:30 a.m. single game Saturday against regional rival Mansfield University.