CLERMONT, Fla. – Senior shortstop Hannah Mercer (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) combined for five hits in two games, but couldn't help IUP softball to any victories as the Crimson Hawks fell to Slippery Rock and No. 20 Indianapolis on Wednesday at The Spring Games.
 
IUP's record dropped to 5-4 with the two losses, as Slippery Rock won 3-0 and Indianapolis won 5-3.
 
Mercer finished 5-for-6 with a double and RBI on the day. Lauren Goetz (Cleveland, Ohio/Cuyahoga Heights) went 4-for-7 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored, and Alaina Montgomery (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) finished with two hits.
 
Crimson Hawks leave eight stranded in 3-0 loss to Slippery Rock
IUP put a base runner on in five of seven innings, but couldn't bring any across in its 3-0 morning loss to SRU.
 
Slippery Rock scored twice in the second inning and once more in the fourth. IUP put a pair of runners on in the sixth, as Mercer led off the inning with a single while Ashley Smith (Roaring Spring, Pa./Central) followed with another single two batters later. However, IUP couldn't capitalize, striking out twice in a row to end their final threat.
 
Macy Mularski (Irwin, Pa./Yough High School) took the loss in the circle, giving up two earned runs in 4.2 innings of work.
 
IUP nearly pulls off upset of 20th-ranked UIndy
Goetz collected three of her four hits in the Crimson Hawks' 5-3 loss to Indianapolis. Each team scored in the opening inning, with the Greyhounds taking a 2-1 lead.
 
UIndy scored again in the third, but IUP answered with an RBI double off the bat of Mercer, scoring Goetz, to bring its deficit back to 3-2.
 
The Greyhounds added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth to take a three-run lead, and with two outs in the seventh the Crimson Hawks attempted a rally, but could only bring one run across while the tying run was left stranded.
 
Lauren Zola (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-La Salle) went all seven innings in the circle, giving up four earned on six hits.
 
Up next
IUP takes Thursday off before continuing The Spring Games with contests on Friday against Bemidji State and Saint Michael's (Vt.).
 
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For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP softball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_Softball.