Alyssa Hileman tossed a two-hit shutout in Pitt-Johnstown's 8-0, five-inning victory over Slippery Rock in Saturday's PSAC Western Division opener at V.E. Erickson Complex, before Hileman's complete-game in game two led the Mountain Cats to a 4-2 win and a split in the four-game series.  Pitt-Johnstown is now 8-22 overall and 7-17 in conference-play.
 
In game one, Hileman tossed a two-hit shutout, and Pitt-Johnstown used a seven run third inning to break open a one-run game.
 
Back-to-back singles from Olivia Porter and Taylor Mendicino and a Jade Stubblefield sacrifice fly gave the Mountain Cats a 1-0 lead after one inning
 
Pitt-Johnstown sent 12 hitters to the plate and exploded for seven more runs in the bottom of the third.  Porter opened the inning with a bunt single and scored from second on Mendicino's bunt single.  The Mountain Cats loaded the bases and got an RBI from Tori Radvan and an unearned run on an error, before Bree Ginther drove in Carly Santillo and Radvan with a base hit to right field.  A Slippery Rock error also let Stacey walling score from first on the play to make it 7-0.  A Maddie Flowers single up the middle plated Ginther to push it out to 8-0.
 
Hileman did the rest in the circle for the Mountain Cats.  Hileman tossed a complete-game shutout and held the Rock to just two hits, an Alexa Guglielmino single in the second, and Kaitlin Bowman's base hit with two outs in the seventh.  Hileman, who improved to 2-6, struck out one and didn't allow a walk.
 
Mendicino went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run, while Porter had two hits and two runs for Pitt-Johnstown.  Ginther singled and drove in a pair, and Stubblefield had an RBI for the Mountain Cats.
 
In game two, Pitt-Johnstown scored two runs in the first and two more in the sixth to complete the sweep with the 4-2 win.
 
Pitt-Johnstown loaded the bases with three straight bunt singles to start the bottom of the first.  Santillo drew a walk to allow Porter to score, and a wild pitch sent Mendicino home from third to give the Mountain Cats an early 2-0 advantage.
 
An unearned run in the bottom of the fifth made it 3-0.  Stubblefield led off with a double, moved to third on Santillo's fly out, and scored when Radvan's ground ball was misplayed by Slippery Rock.
 
Erin Gardner's RBI double and Leah Vith's ground ball scored Regan Hozak to cut Slippery Rock's deficit to 3-2 in the top of the sixth.
 
The Mountain Cats got that run right back in the bottom of the sixth after Ali Belgiovane tripled and scored on Porter's sacrifice fly.
 
Hileman, went out and pitched a perfect top of the seventh to get her second win of the day.  Hileman, who improved to 3-6, allowed just two runs on four hits.
 
Stubble was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored, Porter had a hit and RBI, and Santillo drove in a run for the Mountain Cats.  Belgiovane tripled, and Maddie Flowers and Mendicino each singled.
 
Chloe Sharman took the loss after giving up four runs (3 earned) on six hits in six innings.
 
With the losses, The Rock fell to 10-24 overall and 8-20 in the PSAC West.
 
Pitt-Johnstown travels to California (PA) on Monday and to Gannon on Thursday for a PSAC doubleheaders, before closing out the conference series against the Golden Knights on Friday at 1 p.m. at V.E. Erickson Complex.