BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Crimson Hawks dropped both ends of a doubleheader at division-leading Bloomsburg Saturday afternoon, losing by scores of 8-0 and 6-1.
 
The losses, combined with a pair of wins by Mansfield Saturday night, put IUP outside the playoff race in fourth place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central Division standings. At 9-8 in the division, the Crimson Hawks are now two games behind Mansfield (11-6) with two full games left to play.
 
IUP is scheduled to host Pitt-Johnstown (8-10) Sunday while Mansfield hosts Lock Haven (12-6).
 
IUP and Mansfield also have a game between them that was not finished from last week. The Crimson Hawks were leading 4-0 in the fifth before that game was halted.
 
Bloomsburg (28-15, 13-5) outhit the Crimson Hawks 20-to-5 Saturday with Kassie Kesneck responsible for two of those hits. Rachel Rodriguez drove in IUP's lone run, an RBI double in game two.
 
It was a 1-run game into the fifth inning of the opener as starter Lauren Zola kept the Huskies from capitalizing on early hits. Bloomsburg took control in the bottom of the fifth, however, scoring four runs on four hits and three errors to take a 5-0 lead.
 
Zola finished her day in the fifth, striking out four while giving up nine hits. Just two of her five runs allowed were earned.
 
The Huskies added three more runs in the sixth to get the mercy rule victory.
 
In game two Bloomsburg scored once in the first and three times in the second to go on top 4-0. The RBI double by Rodriguez came in the third with the Huskies adding two insurance runs in the sixth.
 
Up next
The Sunday doubleheader between the Crimson Hawks and UPJ at Podbielski Field has a 2 p.m. first pitch. It's the final home regular season action for IUP.
 
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