Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
JOHNSTOWN, PA – Demetrius Christofes (Grantville/Lower Dauphin) allowed just three hits and Austin Mock (State College/State College) earned his fourth save of the year in game one as IUP split a doubleheader with rival Slippery Rock at Johnstown's Point Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

IUP picked up a 3-1 win in the opener only to fall 9-4 in the nightcap.

The Crimson Hawks took three of four from Slippery Rock in the weekend series, improving their record to 9-8 on the year. They're also in a three-way tie for first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division with a 3-1 divisional mark. Mercyhurst and newcomer Seton Hill are also 3-1 early in the season.

Christofes picked up his first win of the season in the opener, giving up those three hits and just no earned runs in 5.2 innings of work. Mock tossed the final 1.1 innings of in relief, forcing three groundouts and not allowing a hit to get his fourth save of the season.

IUP got on the scoreboard first when Ryan Uhl (St. Marys/St. Marys) grounded out to short, allowing Chris Calliari (Brockway/Brockway) – who led off the inning with a single – to score from third.

The Crimson Hawks tacked on two more runs in the third, with Calliari this time knocking in both on an RBI double. Calliari brought around Aaron Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) and Jonathan O'Neill (Pittsburgh/Chartiers Valley) to put the Crimson Hawks on top 3-0.

Slippery Rock got its run in the fourth, getting an RBI single by capitalizing on a hit-by-pitch and a fielding error by the Crimson Hawks. Slippery Rock would only threaten again in the fifth, putting two runners on but with two outs and Christofes pitched out of the threat.

The Crimson Hawks totaled 10 hits in the game, with two each coming off the bat of Calliari, Mike Lupia (Middletown/Middletown), Mock and O'Neill.

Slippery Rock took the early lead in game two with an RBI single in the first. The Crimson Hawks got two back in the second, scoring both on an RBI double by Rick Jones (New Castle/Laurel) to take a 2-1 lead. However, Slippery Rock scored one each in the third thru fifth innings, adding two more in the sixth and three in the seventh to take a commanding 9-2 advantage.

Mock and Uhl both scored in the seventh to make it a five-run game, but IUP could only manage two hits in that final inning of the loss.

Kyle Zambanini (Jerome/Conemaugh Twp.) took the loss in game two, giving up five hits and three earned in 3.2 innings of work. Mock, Uhl, Tyler Squibbs (York/Donegal), Matt Douglas (Canonsburg/Canon-McMillan) and John Beatty (New Castle/Mohawk) combined to toss the remaining 3.1 innings, giving up seven hits and six earned runs.

The Crimson Hawks are scheduled to play at Shippensburg in a doubleheader on Tuesday. They'll get back to divisional play next weekend with Seton Hill, hitting the road on Friday before hosting the Griffins on Saturday.