Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
INDIANA, PA – The Mercyhurst bats struck early and often on Tuesday as IUP dropped both ends of a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West baseball doubleheader with the Lakers at Dougherty Field.
 
The doubleheader, which was interrupted by a thunderstorm, included a shortened second game due to darkness. IUP dropped games of 20-7 and 8-2.
 
The Crimson Hawks fell to 15-23 overall and 8-16 in the division while Mercyhurst improved to 24-12 and 16-8.
 
The Lakers racked up 21 hits in the game one victory, scoring nine runs in the third and six more in the fourth. The rain delay came in the fourth inning with Mercyhurst already on top by a score of 13-1. After an hour and 18 minutes, play resumed the Lakers added four more in the inning and three in the seventh.
 
IUP scored its runs in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, and totaled 10 hits in the game. Austin Mock (State College/State College) was responsible for the Crimson Hawks' first run, doubling to left center and bringing home Dylan Tice (Perkasie/Pennridge) in the third. Chris Calliari (Brockway/Brockway) had an RBI base hit in the fourth and Scott Hess (Erie/Erie Cathedral Prep) and Rick Jones (New Castle/Laurel) brought home the three runs in the fifth. Mock and Hess added to their RBI totals with two more run-scoring singles in the sixth inning.
 
Four pitchers saw time on the mound, with Kyle Zambanini (Jerome/Conemaugh Twp.) picking up the loss in the start. Hess saw the most time, tossing the final three innings while striking out five and giving up seven hits and three earned runs.
 
Game two was tight for the first three innings, with Mercyhurst clinging to a 2-1 lead. The Lakers got both of their runs in the first while IUP got its run on an RBI double to right center off the bat of Tyler Mroz (Pittsburgh/Chartiers Valley) in the second.
 
The Lakers got three more runs off IUP starter Justin Charles (Dillsburg/Northern York) in the fourth and another three against reliever Zach Chinchilla (Ambridge/Quigley Catholic) in the fifth. The Crimson Hawks got their other run in the fourth on an RBI single by Rick Jones (New Castle/Laurel).
 
With darkness falling and the required amount of innings played, the game was called at 7:50 p.m. after five innings.
 
Charles took the loss in his first career start, surrendering five earned runs in four innings of work.
 
Mock finished the day 5-for-6 with two doubles and two RBI, John Beatty (New Castle/Mohawk) went 3-for-5 and Hess went 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI.
 
The Crimson Hawks will wrap up their season with a weekend series against Clarion. IUP will be on the road on Friday and will host the Golden Eagles on Saturday.