Lock Haven Splits The Rock to End The Season, 2-1, 8-4

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Lock Haven University baseball (17-26, 7-13 PSAC West) finished their season today (April 30) by splitting two games with Slippery Rock University (31-13, 12-8 PSAC West) forcing them out of the PSAC tournament. Game one of the double-header was forced into extra innings when Kyle Elbin (Bedford, Pa./Delgado C.C.) scored the tying run on his brother Kurt Elbin’s (Bedford, Pa./Delgado C.C.) double to left center in the top of the seventh.

Unfortunately in the bottom of the eighth Slippery Rock’s Matt Kozusko hit a walk-off homerun to end the game 2-1.  Sophomore Blake Barbini (Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area ) took the complete game loss (5-4) while striking out five and only giving up five hits. The win was credited to the Rock’s Nick Armstrong (5-4). Lock Haven only produced two hits throughout the game both coming off of Kurt Elbin’s bat. 

Game two was a different story with the Lock Haven bats exploding early and often.  Kurt Elbin opened the game with a double down the left field line. The next batter junior Neil Herman (Coatesville, Pa./Delaware County C.C.) gave Kurt Elbin third on a sacrifice bunt.  Then Kyle Elbin stepped up to the plate and returned his brother’s favor by driving him home with a single to right centerfield.

Lock Haven then gave up four runs in the next two innings to set up for an explosive third inning. Down 4-1 sophomore Derek Houtz (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) stepped to the plate and singled to left field. This brought up Kurt Elbin who was hit by a pitch putting men on first and second with no outs. The next batter flew out to centerfield setting up another big at bat for Kyle Elbin.  Once again he stepped up big doubling down the leftfield line driving home both runners cutting the lead to one. Sophomore Travis Ruane (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) was patient and got the free pass to first setting up another first and second with one out situation.

Senior Dave Miller (Tyrone, Pa./Bellwood-Antis) knew this was his last game in a Lock Haven uniform and singled to right field bringing home Elbin and moving Ruane to third to tie the game at four. Not satisfied with a tie junior Aaron Neideigh (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) singled to leftfield to bring home Ruane and advance Miller to second. One out later, senior Chris Miller (Tyrone, Pa./Bellwood-Antis) singled to left center bringing home Neideigh and increasing the lead to 6-4. The Rock coaching staff had seen enough and brought in a relief pitcher who struck out the next batter.

From that inning on the Rock was held scoreless while the Bald Eagles drove in two more runs in the fifth to finish the game 8-4. Sophomore pitcher Ian M. Whinnery (Towanda, Pa/Towanda) was credited with the win (2-2) while Colin Scott suffered the loss (5-2). Senior Mike Fredrick (Williamsport, Pa/S. Williamsport) started the final game of his Bald Eagle career giving up six hits and striking out one.