JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The IUP baseball team recorded 10 extra-base hits in sweeping Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play on Saturday afternoon at Point Stadium by scores of 13-12 (eight innings) and 9-0 (five innings).
With the sweep, the Crimson Hawks extend their winning streak to four games and have now won seven of their past nine games. IUP wraps up regular season play 22-23 overall behind an 18-10 mark in PSAC play. The 18 league wins are the most since IUP won 18 conference games in 2010. Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats end the season 18-30 overall and 8-20 in conference play.
Game one remained scoreless until Pitt-Johnstown took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-run single by Joe Gagliardi. IUP took its first lead of the game in the top of the fifth on a grand slam by
Wes Carson (Woodstock, Md./Marriots Ridge) that made it 4-2. The Mountain Cats responded in the bottom half of the inning with six runs to retake the lead at 8-4. IUP tied the game in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from
Scott Hess (Erie, Pa./Erie Cathedral Prep), a bases loaded walk by
Anthony Rigous (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North), an error and a
Ted DeSanti (Erie, Pa./Erie Cathedral Prep) single. Pitt-Johnstown then went ahead 11-8 in the bottom half of the sixth.
The Crimson Hawks loaded the bases with one out in the seventh when Rigous singled through the left side to cut the lead to 11-9.
Matt Eperesi (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Mars) followed with a sac fly to right field to pull to within one. DeSanti delivered the game tying RBI with a single through the left side. In the eighth,
Nate Dickey (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) led off with a walk before coming around to score on a two-out double by
Dan Sepic (York, Pa./Central York). Sepic then advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a passed ball. The Mountain Cats pulled to within 13-12 on a Mason Prickett two-out triple.
Hess was 4-for-6 with three runs scored and an RBI while DeSanti was 4-for-5 with two RBI. Wes was 1-for-4 with four RBI and three runs.
Christian McClure (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) earned the win after pitching 2.1 innings in relief while striking out three and allowing just one hit and one run.
In game two, IUP jumped out to a 4-0 lead on the strength of a
Cory Wheeler (Butler, Pa./Butler) solo home run down the right field line. After Sepic singled he came around to score on a triple by Hess to make it 2-0. One batter later Hess scored on a Carson ground out to the pitcher. A few batters later Rigous scored on a single from Eperesi. Wheeler extended the lead to 5-0 in the second with a double to right. The Crimson Hawks tacked on four more runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run home run by Rigous.
Wheeler, Rigous, Eperesi and Dickey each went 2-for-3. Wheeler and Rigous both drove in two runs. Sepic and Rigous each scored two runs. Rigous added a triple and a home run.
IUP starting pitcher
Brian Albert (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) pitched all five innings while scattering three hits and striking out four.
Up Next
The Crimson Hawks return to Johnstown to compete in the 2017 PSAC Championships beginning on Wednesday, May 10. Seeding, opponent and game time are still to be determined.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP baseball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPbaseball.
