Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

INDIANA, PA – Austin Mock (State College/State College) hit a walk-off three-run home run in game two, finishing off 12-10 comeback victory as IUP split its doubleheader with California in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West baseball action on Friday afternoon.

The Crimson Hawks dropped the opener 5-1 as they move to 26-22 on the season and 12-10 in divisional play. The Vulcans are now 32-15 overall and 14-8 in the West.

The split, along with a Slippery Rock-Gannon doubleheader split today, sets up an interesting Saturday afternoon that includes four teams vying for three PSAC tournament berths. Mercyhurst already clinched a spot heading into the weekend with a 15-9 West record. California and Gannon have identical 14-8 marks after today while IUP and Slippery Rock are tied at 12-10. The possibility of a four-way tie for second place exists with doubleheader sweeps by the Crimson Hawks and The Rock on Saturday.

Mock hit two three-run homers in the comeback, which started after California took a 10-4 lead with six runs in the fifth inning. The Crimson Hawks retaliated with five runs of their own in the bottom half, including a two-run double off the bat of Brett Quiggle (Weedville/St. Marys) and a Mock homerun to left to make it a 10-9 ballgame.

Demetrius Christofes (Grantville/Lower Dauphin) entered in relief for IUP, tossing shutout innings in the sixth and seventh. The final half inning started with a leadoff single by Troy Foster (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) and with one out Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) forced a walk to put two runners on. After Vulcans reliever Kyle Petty struck out John Beatty (New Castle/Mohawk), Mock smashed the first pitch he saw over the scoreboard in left center for the victory.

Christofes got the win to improve to 2-1 on the season. Mock finished 3-for-4, adding a double, and drove in seven runs in the game.

Robbie Zinsmeister (Hatfield/North Penn) started off the game with a solo homer to left while Mock and Jordan DeLuca (Broad Top/Tussey Mountain) picked up RBI hits in the second to give IUP a 3-0 lead. The Vulcans came back with four in third to take the lead before a solo home run from Beatty tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth.

In game one, California took a 3-0 lead after three and was ahead 4-0 before an RBI groundout by Beatty in the sixth made it a 4-1 game. The Vulcans picked up an insurance run the seventh before Petty closed out the win, picking up his fifth save of the season in the process.

Foster went 3-for-5 on the day with a double while Zinsmeister combined to go 3-for-8. Mock and Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) each scored three times while Foster and Zinsmeister scored twice.

The series will finish tomorrow as these teams square off at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington, Pa. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. The Gannon and Slippery Rock doubleheader will get underway at 4:00 p.m.