Slippery Rock University's pitchers danced around the raindrops all day.

Eventually, they got wet.

Zach Stone's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning handed Millersville a 3-2 PSAC quarterfinal baseball victory over The Rock Thursday afternoon at Kelly Automotive Park.

The winning run scored against SRU closer John Kovalik, who was working his fourth inning. Coach Jeff Messer had no one warming up in the bullpen.

“In a situation like this, we were going to win or lose with our best,” Messer said. “We went down fighting. We battled hard today.

“When you draw the No. 1 ranked team in the region in your first game of a single-elimination tournament, that's a tough way to go.”

Millersville's 6-foot-4 junior right-hander Chris Murphy — the two-time PSAC East Pitcher of the Year — worked the first seven innings for the Marauders before leaving with a no-decision. Murphy is 9-2 with a 1.85 earned run average this year.

“Every time Chris takes the mound, we expect him to hold the opposition to three or fewer runs,” Millersville coach Jon Shehan said. “That's just what he does. He's been outstanding all year.

“We just couldn't get the big hit for him when we needed it. Credit Slippery Rock for that. They repeatedly got big outs.”

The Marauders banged out 13 hits against Rock pitchers Kyle Schneider, Ryan Oglesby and Kovalik. They left 12 runners on base.

“All three of our pitchers gave outstanding efforts today,” Messer said.

The Rock took a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth when Will Kengor singled to center, moved to second on a balk, to third on a grounder to second and scored on a wild pitch.

Millersville grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning as Stone drilled a run-scoring double off the base of the fence in left-center. He scored on a single to center by Dan Stoltzfus.

Schneider left the game after Kurt Seiders doubled to give Millersville runners on second and third. Oglesby came on to induce a pop out to the mound and a strikeout to escape further damage.

Kevin Jovanovich led off the seventh with a homer to right against Murphy to knot the game.

“You go through the gauntlet when you play in this league,” Shehan said. “You never know what's going to happen.”

SRU stranded only four runners all day. Three of those were in the fifth inning.

With one out, Jovanovich doubled, Jordan Faretta walked and Kyle Vozar singled to load the bases. But Murphy struck out Seneca Valley graduate Carson Kessler and got Graeme Zaparzynskli to bounce out to second to quell the threat.

“That was our best chance,” Messer said. “We knew runs were going to be at a premium today. But they (Millersville) left runners on base, too.”

Millersville has defeated The Rock in their last four PSAC Tournament showdowns.

Numerous pro scouts were on hand to check out Murphy and SRU senior shortstop Kengor, who hit over .400 for the second successive season.

Both are expected to be drafted by major league teams next month.

“Will raised his stock a bit by getting two hits off Murphy,” Messer said. “Shortstop is the one position we're having trouble replacing. Besides that, we've got a strong recruiting class coming in.

“We'll restock, rebuild and come back at it again next year.”

Kengor and Vozar had two singles each for SRU. Tyler Orris had three singles for Millersville.

Slippery Rock 000 001 100 00 — 2 7 0

Millersville 000 002 000 01 — 3 13 0

2 outs when winning run scored

W: Adam Zipko 3IP (3K, 0BB). L: John Kovalik 3.2IP (2K, 2BB).

Slippery Rock (25-20): Will Kengor 2-1B, Alex Bell 1B, Kevin Jovanovich 2B HR RBI, Kyle Vozar 2-1B

Millersville (35-13): Chas McCormick 1B, Tyler Orris 3-1B, Zach Stone 2B 1B 2-RBI, Dan Johnson 1B, Dan Stoltzfus 2-1B, Kurt Seiders 2B 1B, David Summerfield 2-1B,

Today: PSAC semifinals-Millersville vs. Mercyhurst, noon; Pitt-Johnstown vs. Kutztown, 3 p.m.