Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

Stefanie Poates belted six hits and drove in four runs to lead the Crimson Hawks to a pair of victories over Mercyhurst in a non-conference doubleheader Saturday at Podbielski Field.

IUP (19-2), ranked No. 14 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, won game one 10-2 in six innings and then took game two 12-6 to extend its winning streak to 11 in a row.

Mercyhurst (15-11) jumped out early on IUP starter Erin Holloway (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) in the first game when Samantha Eimer hit a two-run homer over the right field wall in the top of the first. Holloway bounced back with a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.

The Crimson Hawks answered with a run in the bottom of the inning when a Poates double plated Jen Beaver (Chester Springs/Owen J. Roberts). IUP took the lead in the third, taking advantage of two Laker errors.

Megan McCormick (Evans City/Seneca Valley) broke the game open with two-run triple in the fourth and then scored on a single by Poates. In the fifth Jen Beaver (Chester Springs/Owen J. Roberts) doubled home two runs and later scored on a Poates single. Tara Waldo (Pittsburgh/Baldwin) drove home the game ending run with a double that plated Michelle Bivona (Thorndale, Pa./Coatesville).

Holloway went all six innings, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out nine and walking just two batters to pick up her 11th win of the season.

In game two IUP scored twice in the bottom of the first. Marissa Leslie (Claysburg/Claysburg-Kimmel) led off the inning with a single and Beaver drew a walk. Kristen Tunno (Seaford, Va./Grafton) chased both runners around on a two-out double.

Beaver, Poates and McCormick laced consecutive singles in the second to give the Crimson Hawks a 5-1 lead. IUP scored four more times in the third including two bases loaded walks.

Mercyhurst responded with a run in the fourth and three in the fifth capped by a two-run home run by Emily Redig. IUP closed the door with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Kelly King (Nazareth/Bethlehem Catholic) picked up the win in the circle to improve to 8-1, pitching 5 1-3 innings and allowing six runs, five earned, with three walks and three strikeouts. Holloway closed out the game striking out two and walking one.

The Crimson Hawks take their winning streak on the road Tuesday when they travel to Clarion in a PSAC Central doubleheder that was postponed from Sunday.