SLIPPERY ROCK — Laia Mortimer's first two at-bats were forgettable.

Her third trip to the plate, though, proved to be quite memorable for the Slippery Rock High shortstop.

In a hitting funk this season, Mortimer slashed a two-run, two-out double in the bottom of the fifth inning to put Slippery Rock ahead for good in a 5-3 home softball win over Titusville Tuesday.

Mortimer also made several stellar plays with her glove.

"Good ol' Laia has been struggling a bit with the bat," said Slippery Rock coach Zoe McDowell. "She made that really good clutch play in the field ... and I think that sparked her and reminded her of what a really good ballplayer she is."

Mortimer was moved from the No. 3 spot in the order to the No. 5 hole to take some pressure off her.

She responded in the clutch after striking out in her first two plate appearances.

"We all know she has a good bat," McDowell said. "Boy, did she come through."

Titusville grabbed an early lead on an RBI triple by Ashley Smith in the first inning and an RBI single by Chloe Ruot in the third.

Slippery Rock (2-2, 2-1) drew even with two runs in the bottom of the third inning, the first thanks to Smith's illegal pitch — softball's version of the balk.

Kalene Ireland followed with an RBI single.

Titusville snatched the lead back in the top of the fifth inning on another run-scoring single by Ruot before Smith quickly retired the first two Slippery Rock batters in the bottom of the frame and had a two-strike count on her pitching counterpart, Morgan Robinson.

But Robinson hit a single through the infield and Ireland followed with another seeing-eye hit to set the stage for Mortimer.

"We had some growth and development today," McDowell said. "We were really focused the whole game. That was something we needed to work on. I think it showed today."

Kara Kerr drove home Mortimer with an insurance run that Robinson never needed to cash in, thanks to her ability to wiggle out of a sixth-inning jam.

Titusville put the first two runners on base in the sixth and had runners on second and third with one out, but Ireland snapped a throw to third from her catcher's position for the second out and Robinson induced a grounder back to her to end the threat.

Robinson struck out six and walked two in her complete-game victory.

It wasn't her best outing. Robinson was wild at times, giving up eight hits and committing two errors, but she bore down and got outs when Slippery Rock needed them.

"I think as a senior, she is definitely a leader on the field," McDowell said. "She's calm. She knows her batters. I don't call the pitches. It's between her and the catcher."

Titusville 101 010 0 — 3 8 1Slippery Rock 002 030 x — 5 9 2W: Morgan Robinson 7 IP (6 K, 2 BB).

L: Ashley Smith 6 IP (10 K, 2 BB).

Titusville: Smith 3B, 2-1B, RBI; Chloe Ruot 2-1B, 2-RBI; Sam Savitz 1B; Alicia Ward 1B; Lindsey Sawatsky 1B

Slippery Rock (2-2, 2-1): Gara Mauthe 3B; Robinson 1B, 2-R, SB; Kalene Ireland 2-1B, RBI; Laia Mortimer 2B, 2-RBI; Kara Kerr 1B, RBI; Jamie Myers 3B, 1B; Alyssa Newcomb 1B

Thursday: Meadville at Slippery Rock