LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Down 18-5 to Lock Haven after four innings, the Crimson Hawks scored 11 times over the next four but couldn't complete the comeback in an 18-16 loss to the Bald Eagles in a solo nine-inning game on Tuesday.
IUP scored one in the fifth, three in the sixth, two in the seventh and made it a two-run ballgame with five more in the eighth inning.
Caleb Seyler (Howard, Pa./Central Mountain) led off the eighth with a single to right, moved to third on a double from
Chris Schaedel (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier), and later scored on a wild pitch. A
Cory Wheeler (Butler, Pa./Butler) single scored Schaedel and
Hunter Bigler (Washington, Pa./Trinity) before
Scott Hess (Erie, Pa./Erie Cathedral Prep) made it 18-16 with a two-run homer over the fence in left field.
Derek Cursio (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) threw three innings of one-hit, shutout ball in relief, stranding a runner in the bottom of the eighth inning as IUP went to the ninth with one more shot to tie or take the lead. The comeback ended there with the Crimson Hawks going down in order.
IUP fell to 17-23 overall on the season while Lock Haven improved to 18-22. It was the third game between these two teams this season, as they split a doubleheader at IUP on April 5.
The Crimson Hawks totaled 25 hits for the second straight game, including four each from
Cory Wheeler (Butler, Pa./Butler) and Schaedel. Hess,
Rick Jones (New Castle, Pa./Laurel),
Anthony Rigous (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) and Seyler finished with three hits apiece as all nine IUP starters had at least one hit.
Rigous had a four-RBI day, smashing a pair of doubles, while Wheeler tripled twice and drove in a pair of runs.
Dan Sepic (York, Pa./Central York) also had a pair of doubles and scored three times.
Hess followed up his PSAC West Athlete of the Week award with a 3-for-6 day, hitting that eighth inning home run, driving in three runs and scoring twice.
The Crimson Hawks now head into their weekend series with Pitt-Johnstown, heading to UPJ on Friday and hosting the Mountain Cats on Saturday.
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP baseball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPbaseball.
