Softball Recap: Slippery Rock Comes Up Short

Slippery Rock had lost seven straight on the road dating back to last season, but on Thursday they dropped their record down to 2-10 to make it eight. They came up short against the Hickory Hornets, falling 10-0. The Rockets were not able to repeat the success they had when they faced the Hornets earlier this season, when they won 6-4.

Slippery Rock saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Savannah Smith, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base.

As for Hickory, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a massive bump to their 6-8 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games.

On Hickory's side, AJ Jarzab made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Jarzab has been consistent: she hasn't given up a single earned run in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Layla McClung, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. Emma Johnston was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.

We've got plenty of inter-conference action coming up soon. Slippery Rock will take on rival Sharon at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Hickory is set to face off against their familiar foe Franklin at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.