CLARION, Pa. – IUP put up 12 hits, including four for extra bases, in a 7-6 game two victory as the Crimson Hawks earned a doubleheader split with Clarion at Memorial Stadium on Friday afternoon. Clarion won the opener by a score of 5-0.
The Crimson Hawks got doubles from
Chris Schaedel (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier),
Chris Calliari (Brockway, Pa./Brockway) and
Cory Wheeler (Butler, Pa./Butler), along with a triple from
Scott Hess (Erie, Pa./Erie Cathedral Prep) in their bounce back victory. IUP heads into Saturday's doubleheader with the Golden Eagles with an 8-15 overall record, including a 1-5 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division. Clarion is now 4-13 and 1-5.
Hunter Bigler (Washington, Pa./Trinity) picked up the win in game two, striking out five and giving up one earned run in the five inning start. He walked just two and gave up seven hits.
Bigler also went 2-for-2 at the plate, driving in a run, scoring another, and had a stolen base.
IUP took an early lead, scoring five runs over the first two innings. Four runs game in the second inning alone, highlighted by the Callliari and Schaedel doubles. Clarion came back with three runs in the third, but the Crimson Hawks extended their lead to 7-3 in the fifth by scoring two runs on Hess' triple.
Clarion chipped away at IUP's lead over the next three innings, plating one run in each the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Two of those runs came from home runs, including a seventh inning lead off shot over the fence in left center to make it a one-run ballgame.
Three batters later and with two runners on a one out,
Dan Sepic (York, Pa./Central York) moved to the mound and promptly struck out the Golden Eagles' leadoff and second hitters to get the save and the IUP victory.
In addition to Bigler's two base hits,
Rick Jones (New Castle, Pa./Laurel),
Matt Eperesi (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Mars) and
Cory Wheeler (Butler, Pa./Butler) each had multi-hit games.
In the 5-0 game one loss, the Crimson Hawk managed just two hits while Clarion totaled 11.
Christian McClure (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) took the loss.
IUP and Clarion will wrap up their four-game set on Saturday at Owen Dougherty Field. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP baseball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPbaseball.
