SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – A
Nate Dickey (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) RBI single in the seventh inning of game two closed IUP's deficit to 4-3, but it would stay that way as the Crimson Hawks dropped both ends of a doubleheader to Slippery Rock on Friday afternoon.
IUP also dropped the opener by a score of 7-1, falling to 11-17 overall and 7-7 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division.
With the losses, IUP fell from a tie with Slippery Rock for second place in the division into a tie for fourth place with Seton Hill. The Rock improved to 17-10 and 9-5 in the PSAC West.
Dan Sepic (York, Pa./Central York) started the game two rally, driving in
Cory Wheeler (Butler, Pa./Butler) on a home run to left field in the sixth to make it a 4-2 ballgame. In the seventh,
Matt Eperesi (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Mars) led off with a single and
Chris Eisel (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) got on base after being hit with a pitch two batters later.
Adam Polites (Northern Cambria, Pa./Northern Cambria), who was running for Eperesi, then scored on Dickey's single to left with still just one out on the board.
Eisel, however, would be stranded at second base as Slippery Rock pitchers got the final two outs to clinch the game two win.
Colin Claus (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny) started on the mound, striking out five and giving up four earned over five innings of work.
In the opener, IUP starter
Nick Kuhn (Hamburg, Pa./Hamburg) held strong for five innings before a three-run homer in the sixth opened Slippery Rock's lead to 7-1. Kuhn scattered four hits and gave up just one earned run before the sixth inning, as The Rock did its damage in the inning with two outs.
The Crimson Hawks scored their run in the fourth inning with an RBI single from Eperesi, scoring
Wes Carson (Woodstock, Md./Marriots Ridge). Carson had led off the inning with a single, stole second, and moved to third on a ground out.
Up next
The series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader at IUP's Dougherty Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP baseball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPBaseball.
