Rodney Shultz tossed a complete-game and fanned 10 to lead Pitt-Johnstown to a 2-1 victory in game one of Friday's PSAC West opener at Slippery Rock.  The Rock got the split with a 5-2 win in the nightcap.  The Mountain Cats are now 9-10 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
 
In game one, Michael Kitko's two-out, RBI single to right field opened the scoring for Slippery Rock, but Pitt-Johnstown quickly knotted it on Brody Roberts' sacrifice fly that allowed Erik Rhodes to score from third in the top of the fourth.
 
It stayed that way until the top of the sixth when Devon Boyles led off with a triple to right and eventually scored on Josh Reynold's sacrifice fly that put the Mountain Cats on top, 2-1.
 
The Rock loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Mountain Cat starter Shultz was able to get a ground out to end the game and wrap-up the complete-game, 2-1, win.
 
Shultz, who improved to 1-2, allowed just one run, scattered five hits, struck out 10, and walked three.
 
Josh Ulery went 2-for-4, while Boyles tripled, and Roberts had a hit and drove in one for Pitt-Johnstown.
 
A bases loaded walk to Rhodes in the top of the first gave the Mountain Cats an early 1-0 lead to start game two, but the Rock strung three straight singles together to tie it with a run in its half of the first.
 
After Slippery Rock scored three more runs in the second, including Gage Gillott's two-run double, Pitt-Johnstown scratched out an unearned run on two Rock throwing errors in the top of the fifth to cut it to 4-2.
 
Kitko's RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the frame got that run back for Slippery Rock
 
Kitko then came in and pitched the final two innings to earn his second save of the season and preserve the win for starter Slippery Rock Parker Hogge.
 
Justin Turcovski and Rhodes each had a hit and an RBI, while Alex Ebeling singled for the Mountain Cats.
 
Ben Tomb got the start for Pitt-Johnstown tool the loss to slip to 2-3 after allowing five runs (3 earned) on eight hits in six innings.  Tomb struck out four and walked one.
 
With the split, the Rock is now 9-4 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC West.
 
The Mountain Cats will make their 2024 home debut and close out the PSAC series with Slippery Rock with a doubleheader at Point Stadium on Saturday starting at 2 p.m., before hosting a non-conference game against Lock Haven on Tuesday at 2 p.m.