Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
Postgame Video Interviews
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - An explosive offense and dominant pitching helped the Slippery Rock University softball team to a pair of wins, 5-1 and 15-0, over Wheeling Jesuit Thursday at the SRU Softball Complex. The victories pushed Slippery Rock's record to 10-2 and extended its winning streak to seven games. The record ties the 1984 and 2008 squads' 10-2 marks for the second-best starts since 1983, when Slippery Rock began the year 11-1.
Junior Shaylee Ianno (6-0) won her fifth straight game in Slippery Rock's 15-0 shutout of Wheeling Jesuit (6-13) in game two of the doubleheader. Ianno, who has not given up a run in her last 16 innings pitched, took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before a bunt single broke up what would have potentially been her second consecutive no-hit performance. The single was the first hit Ianno had given up in her last 11 innings pitched. The junior finished the game with nine strikeouts and lowered her ERA for the season to 0.54.
Senior Shardea Croes was one of four Rock batters to have a multi-hit game for SRU as the speedy outfielder went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one grand slam and six RBIs. Croes' homer came in the form of a towering shot in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Junior Kirsten Brant and freshman Breanna Tongel went 3-for-4 and 3-for-3 respectively in the game with Tongel plating two RBIs and scoring two runs. Natalie Atkinson was the fourth SRU player with at least two hits, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI. Brant, sophomore Jenna Geibel and senior Jordan Zeunges all recorded RBIs in The Rock's highest-scoring game of the season. Zeunges also registered a triple.
While Ianno faced little opposition from the Wheeling Jesuit batters, the Slippery Rock offense was able to score seven runs in the second inning, two in the third inning and six in the fourth inning before the mercy rule came into effect in the fifth inning to end the game.
Runs were not as plentiful or easy to come by in game one as Slippery Rock was held without a hit for the game's first three innings before pulling away for the 5-1 win. However, senior Shauna Walker (4-2) was able to scatter eight hits and surrender just one run while striking out four batters to keep Wheeling Jesuit in check for the game and pick up the win.
The Rock's offense came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning when the game was tied at 0-0. With sophomore Karra White on third base and senior Samantha Pfister at first base, sophomore Amanda Hedgepeth singled to move Pfister over to second while a throwing error then allowed White to score and give SRU a 1-0 lead. Croes then came to the plate and singled to bring Pfister home to put The Rock up 2-0 at the end of five innings of play.
Wheeling Jesuit responded by scoring one run in the sixth frame before Walker was able to work out of a jam and strand two runners to end the inning with SRU leading 2-1. Slippery Rock secured the win in the bottom half of the sixth by scoring three more runs thanks to one RBI from sophomore Katie Saluga and a two-run double by Tongel. For the game, Tongel was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Slippery Rock will look to keep its winning streak going with two more wins Friday as it opens up Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division play against Gannon at the SRU Softball Complex. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. It was also announced Thursday that Slippery Rock's previously scheduled doubleheader with Edinboro that was rained out on Tuesday and rescheduled for March 29 will now be played 1 p.m. Saturday at the SRU Softball Complex.
