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ARROYO'S THREE-RUN BLAST GIVES ‘VILLE BASEBALL TEAM FIRST-ROUND TRIUMPH

April 30 – Enrique Arroyo's (sr. Bensalem, Pa./Dominican Univ.) three-run opposite field homer in the eighth inning gave Millersville a dramatic 5-3 comeback victory over Slippery Rock in the first round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Playoffs (PSAC) on Wednesday.

Arroyo's blast just cleared the high wall in right field of Clipper Magazine Stadium and drove home Derek Kline (fr. Cleona, Pa./Shippensburg Univ.) and Cody Wile (jr. Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor HS).

The round-tripper was part of a five-run eighth inning that brought Millersville (23-24) out of a 3-0 deficit that Slippery Rock (25-22) had built over the first two innings.

Millersville starting pitcher Brett Rhoads (sr. Landisville, Pa./Hempfield HS) struggled with his control early – he walked seven batters on the game – but settled down nicely to throw 8-2/3 innings for the win. He scattered six hits and threw over 130 pitches – a career high.

Jesse Shablin (sr. Langhorn, Pa./Bucks CC), who ranks second in the conference with a 2.27 earned run average, relieved Rhoads with two outs in the ninth. The senior lefty allowed a double down the left field line to put the tying runs in scoring position, but induced a lineout to second baseman Ryan McCormick (fr. West Chester, Pa./West Chester Henderson ) to put the game away and record his first save of the season.

Lance Miller (jr. Newville, Pa./Mansfield Univ.) and Miles Gallagher (so. Lancaster, Pa./ Univ. of Pittsburgh) began the game-turning eighth inning with consecutive singles. Kline walked to load the bases before Wile was hit by a pitch to drive home MU's first run.

Rhoads then grounded out to plate Gallagher before Arroyo's fourth homerun of the season put the Marauders in front for good.

Millersville – the PSAC East Division's top seed – will now take on either Indiana (Pa.), second seed in the west, or Kutztown, second seed in the east, tomorrow (Thursday) at 6 p.m. The Crimson Hawks and the Golden Bears play Thursday at 9 a.m.

The PSAC baseball tournament is double elimination and includes six teams.