SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. –
Ryan Uhl (St. Marys, Pa./St. Marys) blasted three homeruns and drove in seven RBI as IUP scored 26 runs in a conference baseball doubleheader split with Slippery Rock on Saturday afternoon.
The Crimson Hawks dropped the opener by a score of 10-5 before breaking out in a 21-8 game two victory. They remain an even 6-6 overall on the season, including a 3-1 mark in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play. SRU is 8-7 overall and 1-3 in the division.
Uhl finished a combined 4-for-9 on the day, scoring four runs and drawing a walk in addition to his three roundtrippers and seven RBI. He leads the team in both categories this season with seven homeruns and 16 RBI in 12 games.
Mike Lupia (Middletown/Middletown) had the most hits for the Crimson Hawks, finishing 6-for-10 with two doubles, five RBI, and five runs scored. Also getting involved in the hit parade was
Austin Mock (State College, Pa./State College), who went 4-for-8 with a pair of doubles, a homerun, and drove in five runs.
Tyler Mroz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) went 4-for-6 on the day with a homerun and four RBI.
The Crimson Hawks combined for 29 hits in the doubleheader, including six doubles and five homers. 10 different players had at least one hit while 11 players scored a run for IUP. The 21 runs are the most in a game for IUP this season.
Matt Douglas (Canonsburg/Canon-McMillan) picked up the Crimson Hawks' win, starting game two and giving up five hits and four earned runs in four innings of work. He struck out four and walked seven batters as IUP led 13-4 heading to the fifth inning.
IUP scored in every single inning of game two, including six runs in the second inning, highlighted by a three-run shot by Uhl.
Hunter Bigler (Washington/Trinity), Lupia and Mroz also had run-scoring hits in the second as the Crimson Hawks led 8-1 after two.
Four more runs came in the fourth with the help of back-to-back run-scoring doubles by Lupia and Mock, along with three runs in the sixth and the final four in the seventh. 21 of IUP's 29 hits came in the big win, with Lupia getting all of his six base knocks in the game and both he and Mock tallying five RBI.
In the opener, all 15 runs were scored in the first three innings of the game. IUP struck first with three runs in the first inning, including a two-run homer by Uhl. Slippery Rock took the lead with four in the bottom half while each team scored two in the second as the Crimson Hawks trailed 6-5 heading to the third.
IUP's offense then died down, but Slippery Rock added four runs in the third inning to cap the scoring and come out with the 10-5 win.
Zach DeTillio (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley) took the loss in the start, giving up six earned on six hits in two innings.
Dan Sepic (York, Pa./Central York) threw four innings in relief, striking out four runs and giving up three hits with three runs – none earned.
These two teams lock up again tomorrow as the Crimson Hawks will play as host of a doubleheader to be played at The Point Stadium in Johnstown. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
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