SLIPPERY ROCK - The long-awaited game turned out to be the longest game.

In the first game of a doubleheader, the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown took advantage of three errors to score three times in the 13th inning Wednesday for a 4-1 baseball victory over Slippery Rock at Critchfield Park.

The Rock (12-8) won the nightcap, 12-10.

The first game was the longest in the brief history of Critchfield Park. It was also the longest game Pitt-Johnstown has played in years.

"Thirteen innings marks a first for me," said UPJ coach Todd Williams, who is in his seventh year.

SRU hadn't played a game in 10 days while Pitt-Johnstown (13-7) hadn't played in 12 days. The teams played the twinbill in chilly temperatures and a light drizzle.

"We really struggled with our hitting," Rock coach Jeff Messer said. "That happens when you haven't played in a while.

"Our pitching was strong, but you can't make fielding mistakes like we did and expect to win," he added.

SRU starting pitcher Jeremy Becker worked eight innings and allowed just four singles. He struck out 10 and threw 135 pitches.

But he allowed a bizarre unearned run in the sixth inning.

UPJ's Adam Fairman opened the frame by reaching on a two-base throwing error by SRU shortstop and Seneca Valley graduate Nathan Statzer. It was the fifth time in six innings the Mountain Cats got their leadoff batter on base.

After Rick Baxter grounded to third, pinch-hitter Todd Unger lofted a deep fly to center field. Matt Kozusko caught the ball on the warning track but stumbled into the fence, jarring a portion of the wall loose.

The wall tumbled on top of Kozusko, knocking the ball from his glove. In the confusion, Fairman tagged and scored from second for a 1-0 lead.

SRU scored an unearned run of its own in the bottom of the inning. Statzer reached on an infield error and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt. He scored the tying run on Joe Pascarella's two-out double to left.

"We should have won this game in seven innings," Williams said. "We didn't hit. We had chances to score and left runners in scoring position."

The Rock missed a golden opportunity to win in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore Brad Wilson doubled to right to begin the inning, but Ben Marzullo didn't try to bunt him to third.

Instead, Marzullo flew out to right, Dave Gonos struck out and Phil Butch popped up to second, sending the game to extra innings.

"We were hitting so poorly that I decided to take three shots at scoring the guy from second instead of two shots at scoring him from third," Messer said. "That's why we didn't bunt there."

Freshman Josh Rape, a Mars graduate, wound up taking the loss for the Rock, despite pitching scoreless innings in the 11th and 12th frames.

Brent Matish singled to right - his third hit of the game - to begin the Mountain Cats' 13th. He advanced to second when the ball rolled under right fielder Gonos' glove.

Phil Pantano tried bunting Matish to third, but reached base himself when first baseman Dave Stapleton dropped Chase Rowe's throw, allowing Matish to score.

Baxter delivered a run-scoring single after Pantano stole second. Baxter got all the way to third when his hit rolled under left fielder Ben Marzullo's glove. Unger's sacrifice fly played Baxter.

Brian Chruscial pitched five innings in relief for the win. UPJ starter Tim Buzzard scattered six hits in eight innings, struck out four and threw 107 pitches.

"He's a four-year pitcher for us who has been through the wars," Williams said. "He kept us in the game."

Derek Blyzwick went the distance for the SRU win in the nightcap. Statzer had three hits and four RBI. Grove City High School graduate Trent Berner had two hits and two RBI.

SRU trailed 9-7 before scoring five runs in the sixth.

Notes:

Wilson had four hits in the first game and entered the game batting .344. … Statzer had four singles and a double on the day and already has 36 hits. He has a .456 batting average and .493 on-base percentage. … Rape has allowed only one earned run in eight innings - all in relief. … SRU hosts Salem International (W.Va.) in a 1 p.m. twinbill today and hosts Clarion in the PSAC West opener at 1 p.m. Friday.