INDIANA, Pa. – Dan Sepic (York, Pa./Central York) blasted two home runs and Scott Hess (Erie, Pa./Erie Cathedral Prep) had four hits as IUP baseball split its home opening doubleheader with Gannon on Monday afternoon. IUP put together a big rally for a 10-4 game one win, while Gannon took the nightcap 10-1.
 
The Crimson Hawks won three in the four-game series, improving to 6-14 overall and 3-5 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division.
 
The two homers by Sepic gives him four on the year, including three in the four-game set with the Golden Knights. He finished 3-for-8 on the day with three RBI and two runs scored.
 
Hess went a combined 4-for-7 with a double, RBI, and two runs scored. Chris Eisel (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and Anthony Rigous (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) each raked a double and drove in a pair.
 
Nine-run sixth helps IUP to game one win
Trailing 4-1 in the sixth inning, the Crimson Hawks put together their best inning of the season with nine runs on eight hits to take a 10-4 lead. IUP sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning, with Rigous collecting a pair of hits with two RBI, while Sepic smashed a two-run shot to left.
 
Eisel also had a two-run double in the inning as IUP totaled three extra-base hits.
 
Dillon Swanger (Salisbury, Md./James Bennett) was credited with the win in relief, improving to 2-0 on the year while giving up one unearned run in the top half of the sixth. Nick Kuhn (Hamburg, Pa./Hamburg) entered to keep Gannon scoreless in the seventh.
 
Mike Klingensmith (Punxsutawney, Pa./Punxsutawney) started on the mound and went five innings, striking out four while giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits.
 
Gannon collects 11 hits, capitalizes on four IUP errors in game two win
The Golden Knights (13-10, 3-5) scored four runs in both the third and fourth innings to open up a big lead en route to the easy win.
 
IUP looked to continue its offensive production from game one, striking first with an RBI single from Hess in the opening inning. However, the Crimson Hawks collected just four hits the rest of the way and were kept off of the scoreboard.
 
Brian Albert (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) took the loss on the mound, giving up six hits and four earned runs in three innings of work.
 
Up next
IUP will play a four-game series with Clarion this coming weekend, hosting the Golden Eagles (7-12, 3-5) on Friday and playing in Clarion on Saturday.
 
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP baseball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPbaseball.