Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

The IUP bats woke up in the second game after being silenced in the opener, banging out 12 hits in a 12-1 victory over Clarion to gain a split of its PSAC West doubleheader Tuesday at Pullman Park in Butler.

Clarion won the first game 4-1 behind a one-hitter by Brandon Slater. The Crimson Hawks are 18-22 overall and even in the PSAC West at 10-10 while the Golden Eagles are 9-26 and 7-13 in the division.

Going into a four-game series against California next weekend, IUP is in control of its own destiny for a berth in the PSAC playoffs. The Crimson Hawks currently hold down fourth place, three games ahead of Lock Haven, Gannon and Clarion in the loss column.

Slippery Rock is the division leader with a record of 14-6, one-half game ahead of Mercyhurst, which is 13-6. California is 9-8 and plays a doubleheader against Gannon tomorrow before playing at IUP Friday and hosting the Crimson Hawks at Consol Energy Park the following day.

IUP plays a non-conference doubleheader at Millersville tomorrow before taking on the Vulcans.

Slater walked three and struck out four while allowing one unearned run in his first game gem. IUP's only run came in the fifth when Andrew Welch (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) reached on an error with the bases loaded and two outs to score Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown). Clarion took the lead in the second on a two-run double by Dane Dobson and added a two-run homer by Matt Rossi in the third.

The Crimson Hawks jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game, scoring once in the second on an RBI single by Dylan Songer (Baden/North Allegheny) and three in the third, with the rally starting with two outs and no one on.

After Frank Sirolli (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) singled and Vern Powell (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) walked, Mike Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) singled in a run and Powell scored on the back end of a double steal. Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) followed with IUP's fourth hit of the inning, an infield single that scored his brother to cap the uprising.

Clarion scored an unearned run against starter and winner Chris Douglas (Canonsburg/Canon-McMillan) in the third, but IUP broke it open with six in the fifth. Sirolli drove in a run with a double and Powell rolled a single up the middle to make it 6-0 and chase starter Scott Berkes.

Songer greeted reliever Sam Skraba by drawing a bases loaded walk, Brett Quiggle (Weedville/St. Marys) knocked in two with a double and Tyler Mroz (Pittsburgh/Chartiers Valley) drove Dobson to the wall in left for a sacrifice fly to make it 10-1. Powell added a two-run single in the sixth, and the game was called after the bottom of the inning due to rain.

Douglas (5-3) worked the first three innings, allowing two hits and the one unearned run. He walked one and struck out two. Stephen Cooke (Severn, MD/Archbishop Curley) took over in the fourth and went the rest of the way, allowing three hits in three shutout innings to earn the save.