INDIANA, Pa. –
Alaina Montgomery (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) had four hits and
Kaitlyn Beers (Reynoldsville, Pa./DuBois Area High School) drove in four runs as the Crimson Hawks split a Friday doubleheader with Bloomsburg at Podbielski Field. IUP dropped the opener 10-4 before holding off the Huskies for a 9-7 game two win.
The Crimson Hawks are now one step closer to the second seed from the PSAC Central in next week's conference tournament. They are 19-13 overall and 11-7 in the divisional play, two games ahead of Bloomsburg (17-20, 9-9) for second in the standings.
The regular season is scheduled to wrap up Saturday, with IUP playing at Pitt-Johnstown (11-23, 6-12) and Bloomsburg playing at Clarion (6-29, 3-15).
Montgomery had two hits in each game, extending her hit streak to six games. She scored three of IUP's nine runs in the game two win.
Beers went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and drove in four runs in the Crimson Hawks' 9-7 game two victory. She helped IUP get out to a 2-0 first inning lead with her first double, drove in two as part of a six-run second inning, and had another run-scoring double to put the Crimson Hawks on top 9-5 in the fifth.
Bloomsburg rallied in the top of the sixth, scoring a pair of runs on three hits to cut IUP's lead in half. IUP starter
Megan Risinger (Creekside, Pa./Marion Center) limited the damage, getting out of the jam and left two runners stranded in scoring position.
With the skies quickly getting darker in the seventh, Risinger shut the Huskies down with a 1-2-3 inning. As the two teams were going through the handshake line, the lightning siren sounded on IUP's South Campus, signaling a strike in the immediate area. That would have suspended the game for at least 30 minutes.
Up next
Saturday's season finale at Pitt-Johnstown is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. The 2018 PSAC Championships are May 3-6 in Quakertown, Pa.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP softball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPsoftball.
