SLIPPERY ROCK— It was only the first of 20 PSAC West baseball games.

Slippery Rock University coach Jeff Messer hopes it's not an indicator of the following 19.

California (Pa.) University's Chris Doerschner pitched a three-hit shutout and did not allow a Rock runner to reach second base until the final inning Friday in the Vulcans' 5-0 victory in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Critchfield Park.

The Rock (13-7) scored three runs in the sixth inning to rally for a 3-1 triumph in Game 2.

"He just had our number,"Messer said of Doerschner. "His slider was working big-time. We started to figure him out a little bit late in the game."

But it was too late.

The Game 1 loss was SRU's fourth in five games.

Doerschner threw 101 pitches, 66 for strikes. The Rock had only three baserunners in the first six innings.

Phil Butch led off the first frame with a single to center, but was promptly cut down trying to steal second. Matt Adams drew a two-out walk in the fourth, Billy Messer reached on an infield error in the sixth.

Adams and Dan Hudeck opened The Rock seventh with singles, but were left stranded.

"Chris just pitched a great game and beat a very good team,"California coach Mike Conte said. "When his slider is on like that, it's hard to make solid contact on it because it breaks so sharply."

Rock starter Derek Blyzwick entered Game 1 with a 2-0 record and 0.50 earned run average. He breezed through the first two innings before the Vulcans strung together four straight hits to score three times in the third.

"Derek got a few pitches up and they hurt him,"Messer said.

The Vulcans' Alex Lefcakis wound up with three hits and three RBIin the first game, including a two-run single in the seventh. The first four batters in California's lineup were a combined 9-for-15, collecting all five runs scored and RBI in the contest.

California seemingly was on its way to a sweep in the second game before SRUfinally got to Vulcans pitcher Andrew Rafalski.

Karns City graduate Travis Trimbur hit a run-scoring double off the left field wall to knot the game at one in the sixth. SRUmoved in front on a two-runsingle by Jim Eimiller.

Freshman left-hander Rich Hocanson pitched a four-hitter for The Rock, striking out nine and walking none. His only blemish was allowing a home run to Lee Rohan in the third inning.

"Winning the second game ... It stops the blood, so to speak,"Messer said. "Losing both games would put a lot of pressure on us going down there."

SRUand California conclude their weekend series with a Saturday twinbill at Falconi Field.

Game 1California 003 000 2—5 11 1Slippery Rock 000 000 0—0 3 1WP: Chris Doerschner (7 IP) 5 strikeouts, 1 walk.

LP: Derek Blyzwick (7 IP) 3 strikeouts, 3 walks

California: Lee Rohan 2B 2-1B 2-R, Robert Hedrick 2-1B 2-R RBI, Drew Aniceti 2BRBI, Alex Lefcakis 2B 2-1B3-RBI, Jon Selby 2-1B

SRU: Phil Butch 1B, Matt Adams 1B, Dan Hudeck 1B

Game 2California 001 000 0—1 4 0Slippery Rock 000 003 x—3 6 0WP: Rich Hocanson (7 IP) 9 strikeouts, 0 walks.

LP: Andrew Rafalski (5Z\c IP) 4 strikeouts, 4 walks

California (11-8): Lee Rohan 2BHR, Drew Aniceti 1B, Alex Lefcakis 2B

SRU (13-7): Billy Herman 1B, M.J. Parsons 1B, Travis Trimbur 2BRBI, Jim Eimiller 2-1B 2-RBI, Kyle Smith 1B

Saturday: SRUatCalifornia