SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Despite 18 hits and 16 runs scored, the IUP softball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader to Slippery Rock on Sunday afternoon.
The Crimson Hawks lost 9-8 in nine innings in the opening game and 13-6 in game two to fall to 2-10 overall and 0-2 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division.
The opener was a back-and-forth contest that featured five ties and six lead changes and ended up going to extra innings. The Crimson Hawks scored multiple runs in the fourth, five and sixth innings, but committed four errors on in game.
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Hannah Mercer (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg Area) RBI gave the Crimson Hawks a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning and a two-run double off the bat of
Rachel Francis (Jefferson, OH/Jefferson) tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth.
Ashley Smith (Roaring Spring/Central) homered in the sixth and an error later in the inning scored two runs to put IUP on top 7-6. Slippery Rock tied the game in the bottom half to take it to extra innings, but a
Meghan Carney (Corry/Corry) run-scoring single in the eight gave the Crimson Hawks an 8-7 lead.
SRU again tied the game at 8-8 in the bottom half and won it in the ninth on a bases loaded single in the ninth inning.
Alexa Campbell (Manheim/Manheim Central ) went 8.2 innings in the start, taking the loss and falling to 1-5 overall by giving up six earned runs on 15 hits. Francis had a pair of doubles and two RBI.
In game two, Slippery Rock jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings before IUP added a pair in the fourth to make it 5-2. A sacrifice fly by
Allison Viguers (West Chester/West Chester East) made it a 5-3 game before SRU put together five runs on five hits to open up a 10-3 lead heading to the sixth.
A three-run homer by Mercer in the sixth was IUP's last score, as Slippery Rock tacked on three more in the bottom half to take a 13-6 lead, eventually winning game two by the same score.
Amanda Spindler (Brownsburg, IN/Cathedral) fell to 1-5 this year by giving up five earned runs on five hits in three innings. Emily Hofman tossed the final three innings and gave up eight earned runs on eight hits.
The Crimson Hawks are set to host Seton Hill in a conference doubleheader on Tuesday.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk.
