INDIANA, Pa. –
Chris Eisel (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) hit two homers and drove in five runs to pace the IUP offensive fireworks as the Crimson Hawks split a non-conference baseball doubleheader with West Liberty Tuesday afternoon at Owen Dougherty Field.
Eisel was one of five Crimson Hawks with four base hits on the day as IUP racked up 30 hits and 28 runs during the doubleheader. West Liberty won the opener 18-15 and IUP took the nightcap 13-4.
The Crimson Hawks are now 15-25 overall while West Liberty is 18-24 after today's split.
The 28 runs today for the Crimson Hawks is their most in a doubleheader this season, eclipsing the 26 they scored at Clarion on April 13. It's also the biggest offensive output in one day in two years under head coach
Anthony Rebyanski.
Of IUP's 30 hits, 15 went for extra bases with the Crimson Hawks slugging a combined .846 in the two games. In addition to Eisel's two bombs,
Dan Sepic (York, Pa./Central York) had three extra base hits with a pair of doubles and a triple.
Anthony Rigous (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) hit a double and homer and
Ted DeSanti (Erie, Pa./Erie Cathedral Prep) had two doubles.
Eisel and DeSanti had five RBI apiece, Sepic had four, and Rigous,
Brock Bonadio (Connellsville, PA/Connellsville), and
Adam Polites (Northern Cambria, Pa./Northern Cambria) each drove in a pair of runs.
In game one, the Crimson Hawks led 9-1 through three innings and 11-2 after four before West Liberty exploded for a combined 13 runs in the fifth and sixth to take the lead. IUP came back to tie the game at 15-15 in the bottom of the sixth, but the Hilltoppers scored three in the seventh to get the win.
In game two, IUP did nearly all of its damage in the first and fourth innings, putting up six runs in each to take a 12-2 lead. Both teams added runs in the fifth and relievers
Tyler Adams (Vinco, Pa./Central Cambria) and
JP Pellis (Greensburg, PA/Greensburg Central Catholic) put the clamps on West Liberty with six strikeouts over the final 2.1 innings.
Up next
The Crimson Hawks see their final action of the regular season this weekend with a four-game series with California. Games open in Washington Friday and return to Dougherty Field Saturday.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP baseball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPBaseball.
