Baseball Moves Into Tie For Third-Place in PSAC Western Division
April 15, 2005
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Behind strong pitching performances from senior Lee McClintock (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) and sophomore Frank D'Agostino (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove), the Shippensburg University baseball team swept a doubleheader at Slippery Rock University on Friday afternoon, 6-1 and 6-0.
The Rock (24-10, 5-5 PSAC West), ranked No. 13 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Poll, entered the game in third-place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division, two games ahead of the Red Raiders. The two teams are now tied with identical conference records.
The PSAC Tournament, held from May 9-12, features the top three teams from both the Western Division and Eastern Division.
Following a commanding pitching performance by McClintock in game one, D'Agostino threw a complete game, two-hitter in game two for his first career shutout. He struck out eight and retired 21 of the 23 batters he faced. McClintock and D'Agostino combined to limit The Rock to only one run and six hits.
McClintock continued his stellar season in game one, pitching his fifth complete game in nine appearances this year. He carried a shutout into the sixth, holding Slippery Rock to just one hit, before allowing one run on three hits. McClintock also had nine strike outs, moving him into second-place on the school's career list, past Jason Kanovich (1996-98). He now has 223 for his career and trails career-leader Evan Englebrook (2001-04) by just 13.
As for the offense, Shippensburg (21-19, 5-5 PSAC West) totaled six runs on 14 hits in game one and six runs on 13 hits in game two. The Red Raiders scored at least one run in four innings in the first game, taking a 6-0 lead after 4 1/2 innings. Junior Scott Goss (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) scored the team's first run in the second on a RBI-single by sophomore Justin Garber (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown).
Shippensburg added two unearned runs in the third following two errors by The Rock before sophomore Jared Boger (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) hit a two-run homer in the fourth, scoring senior Chad Stecker (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley).
Garber added his second RBI of the game in the fifth with a double to left that scored senior Ryan Miscik (Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant). Garber was 2-for-3 with two RBI, a double and a stolen base.
Boger, Goss, Miscik and junior Eric Perlozzo (Cumberland, Md./Bishop Walsh) were all 2-for-4 while Boger added two RBI.
In the second game, Erdman was the offensive star, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. He just missed hitting for the cycle, totaling a double in the first, triple in the third and single in the seventh. Erdman drove in the game's first run in the top of the first inning when he doubled down the left field line, scoring Stecker for what proved to be the game-winning run.
Erdman then scored when junior Tyler Wise (Bedford, Pa./Bedford) singled up the middle. Wise and Hess were each 2-for-2 while Wise added two RBI.
The Red Raiders scored two more runs in the third on a sacrifice fly to center by Wise and an RBI-single by Miscik.
The two teams will battle again on Saturday afternoon at Fairchild Field with third-place in the PSAC Western Division, and possibly a seed in the PSAC Tournament, at stake. Shippensburg is 6-7 at home this season, but has won four of its last seven.
- Red Raider Baseball -
