SLIPPERY ROCK — With his team leading 4-3 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, West Chester University baseball coach Greg Mamula elected to pull starter Frank Gailey.

It was a decision he would later regret.

Slippery Rock University tallied 10 runs on 11 hits against West Chester relievers Dave Slusser and Kyle Guers en route to a 13-5 victory in the first round of the PSAC Tournament Wednesday at SRU's Critchfield Park.

SRU (32-13) will face California (Pa.) (34-13), a 7-1 victor over East Stroudsburg Wednesday night, at noon today at Critchfield Park.

The Rock inflicted most of its damage with Slusser on the mound. The sophomore right-hander pitched 1Z\c innings, giving up eight earned runs on seven hits and four walks.

Slusser, who shouldered the loss, entered the game with a 2.79 ERA in 42 innings.

"I could tell (Gailey) was getting tired," Mamula said of his starter. "He was leaving a lot of pitches up and I felt we'd have a better chance if we went to Slusser. Obviously, I was wrong."

While West Chester's bullpen was getting ambushed, The Rock's relievers shut down the Golden Rams (30-14), who entered the game with a conference-best .342 team batting average.

After SRU starter and eventual winner Derek Blyzwick gave up four runs on nine hits in six innings, Craig Misiewicz pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth before Vince Lloyd finished the game by giving up one run on two hits in the ninth.

"Craig's been doing it all year for us," SRU coach Jeff Messer said. "He can start and come on in relief.

"We pulled him after two innings, just in case we need him for a start later on," Messer added. "And it was a good time to get Vince some experience."

SRU had three runs on eight hits entering the bottom of the sixth inning, but that's when The Rock's offense came alive.

Rich Michalek drove in Jim Eimiller with a base hit and Phil Butch followed with a single to right that plated Karns City graduate Travis Trimbur to give SRU a 5-4 edge.

A sacrifice fly to center field by Grove City product Bill Herman scored Michalek to end the scoring in the sixth, but The Rock's offense found even more success in the seventh frame.

After Misiewicz set the Rams down in order in the top of the seventh, Slusser was able to retire only one of the nine batters he faced in the home half of the inning, and that was on a sacrifice bunt from Michalek.

Butch managed a two-run single in the inning, while Matt Adams, M.J. Parsons and Scott Bender each drove in a run with a base hit and Dan Hudeck tallied an RBI with a bases-loaded walk.

By the end of the inning, Guers had replaced Slusser, but the damage was done.

Butch led SRU with a 4-for-5 day at the plate, including two runs scored and four RBI.

"Their No. 1 pitcher (Gailey) was so much better than anybody else they had, we were kind of relieved when they took him out of the game," Butch said. "We just kept getting more confident, and that's what it's all about: confidence at the plate."

West Chester 000 310 001—5 11 2Slippery Rock 001 203 61x—13 19 0Frank Gailey (5IP, 3K, 1BB), Dave Slusser (L, 1Z\cIP, 0K, 4BB), Kyle Guers (12/3IP, 2K, 0BB) and Bob Stumpo; Derek Blyzwick (W, 6IP, 7K, 2BB), Craig Misiewicz (2IP, 1K, 0BB), Vince Lloyd (1IP, 1K, 1BB) and Matt Adams.

West Chester (30-14): Nick Spisak 2-1B RBI, Kevin McGrath 1B, Drew Pare 1B, Charlie Kelly 2-1B 2R SB, Blair Dameron 1B 2B R RBI, Matt Cotellese 1B, Bob Stumpo 1B R RBI, Connor Thorp 1B R RBI

Slippery Rock (32-13): Phil Butch 4-1B 2R 4 RBI, Bill Herman 1B R RBI, Matt Adams 3-1B R 2 RBI, Dan Hudeck 2-1B 2 RBI, M.J. Parsons 1B RBI, Scott Bender 2-1B HR 2R 2 RBI, Jim Eimiller 1B R, Travis Trimbur 2B 3R, Rich Michalek 3-1B 3R RBI

Today's Schedule9 a.m. — Kutztown vs. ShippensburgNoon — Slippery Rock vs. California3 p.m. — Kutztown-Shippensburg loser vs. West Chester6 p.m. — Kutztown-Shippensburg winner vs. East Stroudsburg