Mark DeVita
Joe Mattis
Redshirt junior Mark DeVita extended his hit streak to seven games with his fourth multiple-hit performance of the season.
2
Gannon University GAN 10-19, 2-13 PSAC-W
9
Winner Slippery Rock ROCK 16-12, 7-8 PSAC-W
Gannon University GAN
10-19, 2-13 PSAC-W
2
Final
9
Slippery Rock ROCK
16-12, 7-8 PSAC-W
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Gannon University GAN 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 5 1
Slippery Rock ROCK 0 3 0 6 0 0 X 9 10 1

W: Jon Anderson (2-1) L: Cricks, David (2-4)

6
Gannon University GAN 10-20, 2-14 PSAC-W
7
Winner Slippery Rock ROCK 17-12, 8-8 PSAC-W
Gannon University GAN
10-20, 2-14 PSAC-W
6
Final
7
Slippery Rock ROCK
17-12, 8-8 PSAC-W
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Gannon University GAN 0 1 2 0 0 2 0 1 6 14 1
Slippery Rock ROCK 1 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 7 9 1

W: James Divosevic (2-1) L: Cox, Kyle (0-2)

Next Game:

at Lock Haven University

4/8/2015 | 1:00 PM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Apr. 08 (Wed) / 1:00 PM
at Lock Haven University

Game Recap: Baseball | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Baseball Team Drops Back-And-Forth Affair at Slippery Rock

THE RUNDOWN
  • Game One Score: at Slippery Rock 9, Gannon 2
  • Game Two Score: at Slippery Rock 7, Gannon 6 (8 innings)
  • Records: Gannon (10-20, 2-14 PSAC West), Slippery Rock (17-12, 8-8 PSAC West)
  • Location: Slippery Rock, Pa. - Critchfield Park
  • The Short Story: The Slippery Rock baseball team completed a four-game sweep of Gannon Monday afternoon with two runs during the seventh inning and two more in the eighth. The Rock captured the second game 7-6 when the Golden Knights attempted to pick off a runner at first base with no one covering the base. Slippery Rock opened the day with a 9-2 victory.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME ONE
  • Slippery Rock struck first with three unearned runs during the bottom of the second inning.
  • Gannon plated its first run during the fourth inning. Junior Jared Wiesen (Girard, Ohio/Liberty) led off with a single to left field, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a ground-out and scored on senior Sean Sutton's (Toronto, Ontario/Brebeuf College) two-out double to right field.
  • Slippery Rock immediately answered with the decisive at-bat, exploding for six runs during the bottom half of the frame. The Rock sent nine batters to the plate. The inning was capped by consecutive home runs.
  • Gannon completed the scoring with another run during the sixth inning. Wiesen reached and advanced to second on an error. After moving to third on a ground-out, he scored on redshirt senior Jeff Bellanca's (Grand Island, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) RBI ground-out.

GAME NOTES - GAME ONE
  • Five different Golden Knights recorded a hit.
  • Wiesen went 1-for-3, scoring both Gannon runs.
  • Sophomore Nico DiPaolo (Bridgeville, Pa./Bishop Canevin) tossed a scoreless sixth inning out of the bullpen.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Wiesen scored multiple runs in a game for the fourth time this season.
  • DiPaolo didn't allow an earned run for the third consecutive appearance.

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME TWO
  • Slippery Rock opened the contest with a run during its first at-bat, but Gannon countered with a single run during the top of the second inning.
  • Sophomore Nick Restuccia (Ormond Beach, Fla./Father Lopez Catholic) walked after a 10-pitch at-bat and freshman Kyle Cox (Dorchester, N.J./Millville) followed with a single. Two batters later, freshman Ross Dirienzo (Somerset, Pa. Somerset) brought home the tying run with a two-out double.
  • Gannon used the long ball to move ahead during the third inning. Bellanca gave the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead with a one-out homer to left field. Junior Aaron Cox (Dorchester, N.J./Millville) then went deep to left center later in the inning for a 3-1 advantage.
  • The lead was short lived as Slippery Rock answered with the tying runs during its third-inning chance despite not recording a hit. The Rock used two hit by pitches, three walks, a wild pitch and RBI ground-out to tie the score.
  • Gannon regained the lead with a two-run spot during the top of the sixth inning. Kyle Cox and redshirt junior Mark DeVita (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) began the frame with singles. The duo then moved up 90 feet due to a wild pitch. Both eventually scored on a throwing error and squeeze play by Wiesen.
  • The back-and-forth contest needed extra innings after Slippery Rock knotted the score on Adam Urbania's two-run homer during the bottom of the seventh inning.
  • Refusing to be denied, Gannon surged back ahead during the top of the eighth inning. DeVita led off with a single to left field and later scored on Dirienzo's RBI single to right field. 
  • But Gannon couldn't stop the back-and-forth swing in the bottom of the eighth.  A walk and two singles plated the tying run with one out. With runners on the corners, the Golden Knights tried to pick off the runner at first. But no one was covering first base which allowed the winning run to score when the throw went into the outfield.

GAME NOTES - GAME TWO
  • Six different Golden Knights recorded multiple hits. The group consisted of Weisen, Bellanca, Aaron Cox, Kyle Cox, DeVita and Dirienzo.
  • DeVita scored twice while Dirienzo had three RBIs.
  • Senior Matt Tobin (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) received a no decision after allowing three runs on five hits in six innings of work. He struck out three.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon played its second extra-inning game of the season and first since a 1-0 victory against Findlay March 1 in Winter Haven, Florida. 
  • The Golden Knights lost for the first time in seven games when leading after six innings.
  • Gannon had 14 hits for the third time this season and first time since having 15 against California (Pa.) on March 20.
  • The Golden Knights scored six runs for the first time since March 21 at California (Pa.).
  • Aaron Cox moved into sole possession of fourth place all-time at Gannon with his 13th career home run. His sixth home run of the season already ranks as the fourth-highest single-season total all-time at Gannon.
  • Wiesen recorded his team-best 12th multiple-hit game.
  • DeVita's fourth multiple-hit game of the year extended his hit streak to seven games, the longest on the team this season.
  • Bellanca and Aaron Cox extended their hit streaks to six games with their sixth and fifth multiple-hit performances, respectively. 
  • Kyle Cox had his seventh multiple-hit game, the second-highest total on the team.
  • Dirienzo drove home three runs after entering the game with one RBI.
  • Tobin made his first start since March 21 after two consecutive relief appearances.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns to action Tuesday, April 7 at Lock Haven. The non-conference twinbill is slated for 1 p.m.
  • Lock Haven and Gannon will be meeting for the first time since both teams were members of the Western Division in 2013. The Bald Eagles moved to the Eastern Division after Pitt-Johnstown and Seton Hill joined the conference in 2013-14.
  • The two programs split a pair of doubleheaders during a four-game series March 29-30, 2013.
  • Gannon and Lock Haven have split their last three four-game series in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
  • The Golden Knights are 10-10 against the Bald Eagles since joining the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
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Players Mentioned

Jeff Bellanca

#8 Jeff Bellanca

C
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
Aaron Cox

#19 Aaron Cox

P/INF
6' 4"
Junior
R/R
Mark DeVita

#2 Mark DeVita

INF
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
Nico DiPaolo

#15 Nico DiPaolo

P
5' 11"
Sophomore
R/R
Nick Restuccia

#14 Nick Restuccia

INF
6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
Sean Sutton

#7 Sean Sutton

OF
6' 1"
Senior
L/L
Matt Tobin

#31 Matt Tobin

P
5' 11"
Senior
L/L
Jared Wiesen

#20 Jared Wiesen

INF
5' 11"
Junior
R/R
Kyle Cox

#18 Kyle Cox

P/OF
6' 3"
Freshman
R/R
Ross Dirienzo

#3 Ross Dirienzo

INF
5' 11"
Freshman
L/R

Players Mentioned

Jeff Bellanca

#8 Jeff Bellanca

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
C
Aaron Cox

#19 Aaron Cox

6' 4"
Junior
R/R
P/INF
Mark DeVita

#2 Mark DeVita

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
INF
Nico DiPaolo

#15 Nico DiPaolo

5' 11"
Sophomore
R/R
P
Nick Restuccia

#14 Nick Restuccia

6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
INF
Sean Sutton

#7 Sean Sutton

6' 1"
Senior
L/L
OF
Matt Tobin

#31 Matt Tobin

5' 11"
Senior
L/L
P
Jared Wiesen

#20 Jared Wiesen

5' 11"
Junior
R/R
INF
Kyle Cox

#18 Kyle Cox

6' 3"
Freshman
R/R
P/OF
Ross Dirienzo

#3 Ross Dirienzo

5' 11"
Freshman
L/R
INF