SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Both games came down to the last at-bat. One produced a walk-off while the other saw a pitcher shut down the threat. The end result was another Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division split for the Gannon baseball team Sunday afternoon at Slippery Rock. The Rock walked off game one by a 5-4 count, before the Golden Knights withstood a late rally in a 4-3 victory during the nightcap.
In the second game, Gannon jumped in front 2-0 with a pair of runs during the second inning.
Taylor Anderson (Niagara Falls, Ontario/A.N. Myer Secondary) had the big knock, driving in two runs with a two-out, bases-loaded single to center field.
Slippery Rock nibbled away and tied the contest with single runs during the third and fourth innings. Gannon then used another two-run inning to produce the eventual difference. This rally came during the Golden Knights' fifth inning.
Jared Wiesen (Girard, Ohio/Liberty) led off the frame with a single and advanced to second on Anderson's sacrifice bunt.
Aaron Cox (Dorchester, N.J./Millville) followed with a single, before an error by the rightfielder placed Golden Knights on second and third.
Zack Ranta (Hamilton, Ontario/Orchard Park Secondary) immediately dealt the death blow, driving home both runners with a single to left field for a 4-2 lead.
However, Cox needed to extinguish one more fire to secure the win. Slippery Rock cut the deficit to 4-3 with an unearned run during its last at-bat and loaded the bases with two outs. But Cox was able to get Kyle Vozar to fly out for the final out.
Wiesen, Anderson and
Bob Roach (Erie, Pa./McDowell) recorded two hits each during the nightcap. The top four hitters in the lineup (Wiesen, Anderson, Cox, Ranta) accounted for six hits, two runs and four RBIs.
Cox tossed his seventh complete game of the season, improving to 5-3. The sophomore right-hander allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.
The opener had a similar script, but with a different ending. Gannon raced out to a 3-0 lead after three at-bats. Ranta's two-out RBI single plated Wiesen to open the scoring in the first inning. The Golden Knights took advantage of Slippery Rock's sloppy defense in the third inning, scoring two runs on a pair of errors.
Slippery Rock bombed Gannon with a three-run explosion during its half of the third inning. The tying run scored on a wild pitch.
The Golden Knights then regained the lead during the fifth inning. Roach and Wiesen led off with back-to-back singles. Following Anderson's sacrifice bunt, Roach scored the go-ahead run on Cox's sacrifice fly to right field.
The Rock rallied during its final at-bat, but came through in the clutch this time. After two quick outs to begin the inning, Slippery Rock needed four more hitters to win the game. A walk, an error and three consecutive singles gave the Rock the tying and walk-off runs.
Wiesen accounted for two of Gannon's five hits, scoring once.
Aaron Jackson (Sugar Grove, Pa./Eisenhower) recorded his third complete game, but suffered the loss after allowing four earned runs (five total) on five hits. The redshirt freshman struck out three and walked four.
Gannon moved to 8-20 overall and 4-10 in the PSAC Western Division with this weekend's four-game split. Slippery Rock is now 20-10 overall and 9-5 in divisional play. The Golden Knights return to action Tuesday, April 8 at Salem International. The non-conference twinbill is scheduled for 1 p.m.
