Box Score
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - Matt Baer went 3-for-5 and Bob Stumpo hit a two-run home run, but Slippery Rock eliminated West Chester from the PSAC baseball postseason tournament with a 9-5 victory on Saturday morning at Point Park.
West Chester (36-12) will wait until May 9 to find out who and where its next opponent will be when the NCAA Division II Baseball Championships regional fields are announced. Slippery Rock (27-22) advances to play California (Pa.) at 3:30 p.m.
Slippery Rock scored four in the first inning and two more in the second to take a 6-0 lead early. West Chester got on the board in the third when Josh Heyne singled, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by The Rock's catcher. Joe Wendle then hit a single up the middle to score Heyne.
Stumpo's two-run shot in the top of the fourth cut Slippery Rock's lead in half (6-3). However, The Rock answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to go up 8-3.
Kevin McGrath singled home Baer in the sixth, and Baer knocked in Brandon Wolfe in the ninth for West Chester's other two tallies. However, four runs was as close as West Chester would come the rest of the way.
John Hopkins (0-1) suffered the loss, lasting 4.2 innings and giving up seven earned runs on eight hits. He walked three and struck out three. Joe Opalka pitched the last 3.1 innings. He allowed one run on three hits.
Stumpo and Wendle each finished 2-for-5 on the day.
