Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

MURFREESBORO, NC – Robbie Zinsmeister (Hatfield/North Penn) went 3-for-8 with five RBI and five runs scored on the day as IUP split its doubleheader with Chowan on Sunday, falling 7-2 before rallying for an 11-3 victory. The Crimson Hawks finished their 2012 season opening weekend with Chowan with a win in four games.

Zinsmeister scored game one's first run, stealing second after a leadoff walk before Dylan Songer (Baden/North Allegheny) knocked him in on a single up the middle.

After a four-run inning for Chowan in the second, Zinsmeister got things going for the Crimson Hawks in their half of the third with a single to center to lead off the inning. He promptly stole second before a groundout by Mike Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) moved him over to third. Troy Foster (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) then brought Zinsmeister home again with a double to left. The Crimson Hawks threat would end there with two straight groundouts to wrap up the inning with Chowan up 4-2.

Chowan would extend its lead with a three-run fourth on just one hit, taking a 7-2 advantage into the fifth.

Cory Sawka (Uniontown/Uniontown) started the top of the fifth stanza with a single to right center while an infield single by Mike Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) two batters later advanced him to second. A groundout by Foster moved runners to second and third with two down, by a groundout by Songer ended the threat with the pair left on, IUP's final good shot for runs in the game.

Craig Hibell (New Bethlehem/Redbank Valley) started on the mound for the Crimson Hawks and went four innings, striking out a pair while giving up six hits and four earned. Both IUP and Chowan had nine hits apiece, with eight different Crimson Hawks collecting at least one.

The Crimson Hawks again picked up a run in the first inning of game two, Mike Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) reached one an error and then moved up to second on a single to left by Foster. With two down, Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) singled to left, bringing home his brother while Foster moved up to second. A walk by John Beatty (New Castle/Mohawk) loaded the bases but a fly out to center ended the threat.

After starter Evan Phillips (Harrisburg/Susquehanna Township) threw a scoreless bottom half of the first, IUP increased their lead with a three-run second, including a two-RBI double to left center by Zinsmeister. He would later score the Crimson Hawks third run on an RBI single by Mike Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) as IUP took a 4-0 lead.

Chowan would add a run in the bottom half along with a pair in the third to make it a 4-3 IUP lead heading to the fourth, where Zinsmeister would cross the plate again after a double to left center by Songer.

Three more runs came in each of the next two innings as the Crimson Hawks opened up the game and their lead. The highlight of the fifth came after back-to-back singles by Ryan Uhl (St. Marys/St. Marys) and Austin Mock (State College/State College) as Zinsmeister continued his impressive day with a homer to left, his second of the weekend.

RBI doubles by Beatty and Mock in the sixth gave IUP its three runs to take an eight-run lead. Matt Szukics (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) came on in the bottom of the sixth to go the final 1.2 innings, striking out one and not allowing a single runner on base to close out Chowan for the win.

Phillips went 3.1 innings to pick up the win, striking out two and giving up two earned on six hits.

Zinsmeister finished game two by going 2-for-5 with a double, homer, five RBI and three runs scored. Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown), Beatty, Mock Uhl and Foster each picked up a pair of hits along with Zinsmeister as IUP had 15 total in the game.

The Crimson Hawks are back in action this weekend with four games in three days at the Ram Invitational in Shepherdstown, WV.