Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CLARION, PA - After a late game one loss to the Golden Eagles, IUP rallied to take a 6-0 lead in game two, holding off a late rally as the Crimson Hawks split with Clarion in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division baseball doubleheader on Friday afternoon in Clarion. The Crimson Hawks won the second game 6-5 after a 3-2 loss in game one.

In that game two win, the Crimson Hawks (17-18-1, 5-9) didn't waste any time getting on the board, scoring a run in the top of the first. Robbie Zinsmeister (Hatfield/North Penn) led off the game with a single before stealing second. Two batters later Dylan Songer (Baden/North Allegheny) singled to center, driving home Zinsmeister as IUP went up 1-0.

After two hits and four total baserunners yielded no runs for IUP in innings two through four, the Crimson Hawks struck again in the fifth with three runs to take a 4-0 lead for starter Matt Szukics (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley).

Dylan Tice (Perkasie/Pennridge) led off the inning with a single, moving up to second when Songer was drilled by a pitch. A wild pitch moved each up one base and two batters later, Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) flied out to left, bringing Tice home for the first run. Ryan Uhl (St. Marys/St. Marys) then singled to left, moving up one base on an error by the left fielder, allowing Songer to score run number two. Mike Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) then brought around the third run of the inning with a double, scoring Uhl.

Szukics performed well on the mound for the Crimson Hawks, allowing just two hits and striking out four Golden Eagles through for the first five innings.

IUP added to its lead in the sixth, banging a single to left, driving home both Zinsmeister and Tice, who had stolen third and second to move into scoring position during the at bat.

Clarion (9-23, 6-12), however, started its comeback in the bottom half of the inning, getting back-to-back two-out singles, capitalizing on an error to get a pair of runners in scoring position. Bill Hasson then singled, scoring both, before crossing the plate himself after a an RBI double by Matt Rossi made it a 6-3 ball game.

Austin Mock (State College/State College) then entered for Szukics in the seventh, getting two quick outs before two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases. Ken Morgan came through with a single, scoring two to make it 6-5, but Mock was able to get Hasson to ground out, preserving the IUP win.

Szukics picked up the win for IUP to move to 3-2 on the year, giving up three earned on six hits with four strikeouts. Mock's save was his sixth on the season.

IUP collected 10 hits, including a 2-for-3 day by Songer, who drove in three runs. Cory Sawka (Uniontown/Uniontown) also went 2-for-3 while Zinsmeister and Tice each crossed the plate twice.

The Crimson Hawks took a 2-0 lead in the opener, getting a sacrifice fly by Songer in the first and an RBI single by Mock in the second while starter Stephen Cooke (Severn, MD/Archbishop Curley) threw a perfect first two innings.

Clarion would then load the bases on a single, walk and error in the third before scoring two on a fielding and throwing error, knotting the score at 2-2.

Both teams then managed five total hits until the bottom of the seventh, when a sacrifice bunt moved a runner into scoring position and with one out, Berkes had a walk-off RBI single to win the game.

The loss was the first of the year for Cooke, as he drops to 5-1 on the year, allowing five hits and one earned run in 6.1 innings of work, striking out seven.

Tice went 2-for-3 in the game with a triple while Troy Foster (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) and Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) each had a double. 

IUP and Clarion wrap up the series on Saturday in Indiana with a doubleheader that has been moved up from 1:00 p.m to 11:00 a.m. due to incoming inclement weather.