The Slippery Rock University baseball team split a doubleheader at California (Pa.) Tuesday to remain in the thick of the PSAC West race.

The Rock (28-12, 9-7) won the first game, 4-3, then lost a 6-0 lead in dropping an 8-6 decision in the nightcap.

California (28-15, 11-5) has a two-game lead in the PSAC West over SRU, Shippensburg and Clarion. The top three teams in the league advance to the PSAC playoffs May 9-11 in Boalsburg, a suburb of State College.

J.D. Lowry had two RBI singles and Knoch graduate Chase Rowe had three hits to pace an 11-hit SRU attack in the first game. Todd Schickling had two doubles and Matt Kozusko added two singles.

Nick Armstrong got the victiry in relief of starter Colin Scott, working 3

innings. Armstrong took the loss in the second game in relief of starter Troy Wilson.

Schickling had two hits to lead The Rock's six-hit attack in the second game.

SRU meets Lock Haven in a four-game series this weekend to close out the regular season schedule. Friday's doubleheader is at Lock Haven with Saturday's twinbill set for Critchfield Park.

In other action:

In an unusual Presidents' Athletic Conference tripleheader Tuesday, Grove City College took two out of three from Thiel College.

The Wolverines picked up a 7-4 win to start the afternoon as the teams resumed a suspended nine-inning game from April 22.

Joel Diller went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while Jerry Ott had two hits, an RBI and a run scored for Grove City.

In the first game of the scheduled doubleheader, Thiel pulled out a 3-2 victory despite Mike Ritter and A.J. Stedford each registering two hits.

Grove City (6-19, 3-9) won the nightcap 4-3 as Diller and Michael McMillan each had two hits and Ott scored two runs. Justin Miller notched his second save of the day in this game.