Slippery Rock baseball is playing ‘amazing baseball’ after getting revenge vs Sharon
SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — For Slippery Rock, charity definitely began at home.
The Rockets took advantage of 10 walks, three hit batsmen and an error — being handed 14 runners in four innings — in cruising to a 13-0 District 10, Region 2 baseball victory over Sharon in five innings Monday.
The visiting Tigers (11-5) remain tied for the Region 2 lead and can virtually wrap up the region crown with a win Wednesday at Grove City. Both teams have two region losses. All three of Slippery Rock’s (9-3) losses are in region play.
But the Rockets like where they’re headed.
“We’re playing some amazing baseball right now,” SR third baseman Jacob Kunsman said.
“We could easily be 12-0 at this point,” pitcher Isaac McCandless added.
While they likely won’t win the region title, the Rockets enjoyed getting some revenge on Sharon.
The Tigers rallied from a 7-0 deficit to post a walk-off victory over Slippery Rock earlier this season in Sharon.
Two of the Rockets’ losses have come in walk-off fashion. The third was a rain-shortened setback at Hickory. Slippery Rock rallied to tie the game with a five-run inning, but the rains came and the final score wound up reverting to the previous frame.
“We’ve been in control of pretty much everything this season. But we couldn’t control the lightning in Hickory,” Slippery Rock coach Tyler Friel said. “We’re definitely improving as a team.
“We have eight seniors on the field, so it’s a veteran lineup with a very high baseball IQ. We’re learning to use that, take what teams give us and play smart situational baseball.”
That came into play Monday.
Five of Sharon’s walks wound up crossing the plate, as did the three hit batsmen and a runner reaching on an infield error. Slippery Rock hitters struck out only twice and forced four Sharon hurlers to throw a combined 124 pitches in four innings.
The Rockets scored in every inning. Parker Dalcamo’s two-run double to left highlighted a three-run first frame. Kunsman’s two-run single keyed a four-run second. Connor Zorn’s two-run single sparked a five-run fourth.
Zorn, Kunsman and Dalcamo all had three RBIs in the contest.
McCandless, who joins Bryce Covert in heading the Rocket pitching staff, struck out five in five innings, scattering three singles. He threw 77 pitches.
“It makes it so much easier to pitch when you get an early lead like we did, even easier when we add on,” McCandless said. “All of my pitches were working today. All I had to worry about was throwing strikes.”
Kunsman appreciated the fact there were runners in scoring position during each of his four plate appearances.
“I love that kind of support from my teammates,” Kunsman said. “My approach at the plate is always the same, though. Look for something over the plate I can hit hard somewhere.”
The Rockets had to be patient at the plate to get those pitches on this day.
“We showed a lot of plate discipline in taking those walks, then taking advantage of them,” Friel said. “We ran the bases well, too (six stolen bases). I preach aggression to these kids and if I’m going to do that, I have to let them take off.
“This was a good win all the way around.”
Sharon 000 00 — 0 3 1
Slippery Rock 341 5x — 13 9 2
WP: Isaac McCandless 5IP (5so,1bb). LP: Ian Fischer 1IP (1so, 5bb).
Sharon (11-5): Tino Gavin 1B, Donovan Parker 1B, Carter Fertig 1B.
Slippery Rock (9-3): Connor Zorn 1B 3-RBIs 3-R, Jacob Kunsman 3-1B 3-RBIs 2-R, Parker Dalcamo 2B 1B 3-RBIs, Casey Darr 1B, Doug Popovec 1B RBI, Bryce Covert 1B RBI, Jacob Slair 2-R, Owen Long 2-R.
Wednesday: Oil City at Slippery Rock
