Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

INDIANA, PA - Shutout gems are becoming old hat for ace Stephen Cooke (Severn, MD/Archbishop Curley), as the senior propelled the IUP baseball team to a doubleheader split with Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West rival Slippery Rock Saturday. The Crimson Hawks took game one 1-0, but were unable to complete a late rally in a 6-5 loss in game two.

Cooke scattered just three hits and struck out five in the complete game shutout, his fourth this season. The Slippery Rock hitters were completely stifled in game one, advancing just three runners into scoring position in seven innings.

Lou Trivino was equally impressive on the bump for the Rock, surrendering just one unearned run on five hits in six innings of work. The Crimson Hawks were unable to solve Trivino until the bottom of the sixth, when pinch-runner Hunter Bigler (Washington/Trinity) scored on an error by Slippery Rock.

The Rock (25-15, 7-7 PSAC West) looked to start a rally in the top of the seventh when Will Kengor reached on a single up the middle, but Cooke would notch the final out and stymie any thoughts of a comeback.

Troy Foster (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) and Brett Quiggle (Weedville/St. Marys) each had hits for the Crimson Hawks in the sixth, while Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown), Austin Mock (State College/State College) and Dylan Tice (Perkasie/Pennridge) had the other IUP hits. Kengor, Kevin Jovanovich, and Jake Weibley were the only Slippery Rock players to tally a hit in game one.

Game two featured much more offense from both teams, as the Rock withstood a late IUP rally to take game two 6-5. Kyle Zambanini (Jerome/Conemaugh Twp.) got the start on the mound for the Crimson Hawks in game two and allowed four earned runs in a no decision, while John Kovalik tossed 2.1 innings in relief for Slippery Rock and earned the win.

Trailing 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Crimson Hawks erased the deficit with four runs in the frame. Tice got the scoring started with a double to right that plated two runs, and two more runs would follow on an error late in the inning.

The contest would not stay tied for long, however, as a pair of RBI doubles from John Shaffer and Graeme Zaparzynski just an inning later would give the Rock a 6-4 lead after six.

IUP would look to rally in the bottom-half of the frame when a Ryan Uhl (St. Marys/St. Marys) sacrifice fly sliced the Slippery Rock lead to just one, but the Crimson Hawks were unable to plate the tying run in the sixth or seventh.

Foster went 3-for-3 with a run scored in game two, while Tice went 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Zaparzynski and Jovanovich each had a pair of hits for the Rock.

The Crimson Hawks (21-14, 7-7 PSAC West) are back in action tomorrow after when they complete the weekend series at Slippery Rock. Game one from Critchfield Park is set for 1:00 p.m.