ERIE, Pa. – Grad student
Kaitlyn Beers hit her fifth home run of the season during IUP softball's doubleheader split with Mercyhurst Saturday afternoon in Erie. The Lakers won game one 3-2 while IUP used a big eighth to post an 11-8 extra inning victory in the nightcap.
The homer was the 22nd of Beers' career, as she moved into a three-way tie for fifth place in IUP history. She's now six home runs shy of the record of 28, currently owned by Sarah White (2003-06) and
Jasa Mitchell (2012-14).
Her five home runs is tied for second in the conference and leads the PSAC Western Division.
With the split the Crimson Hawks are now 6-4 overall, 6-4 in the PSAC West.
Standout performances
Soph.
Sara Russell: 3-4, two runs, double, RBI in game two
Sr.
Sara Hull: 5-7, two runs, double, two RBI
Gr.
Kaitlyn Beers: 4-7, two runs, double, home run, three RBI
Soph.
Hope Jones: 6.0 innings, nine strikeouts, four hits in game one
Game one
It was a low-scoring affair throughout most of the game, with the Crimson Hawks taking a 2-1 lead on Beers' solo homer in the sixth inning. The Lakers came back to tie the score on an RBI single in the bottom half and then won in the seventh when the runner on third scored during an infield throw to first base.
Game two
IUP had its biggest offensive output of the season with 11 runs on 15 hits.
The Crimson Hawks led for most of the game, using a four-run fourth inning to break a tie game and take a 6-2 lead. RBIs came off the bats of Beers, Sarah Hull,
Rachel Rodriguez, and
Haleigh Zimmerman.
Sara Russell scored in the fifth as IUP took a comfortable 7-2 lead.
Mercyhurst scored in the fifth and sixth to tie the game at 7-7 and send it to extra innings. That's where IUP exploded for four runs in the top of the eighth, as
Jacey Henderson and
Amanda Fischer knocked in three runs, followed by a sacrifice fly by Russell. Mercyhurst collected one run in the bottom half but Fischer held onto the lead in the circle to give IUP the spilt.
Up next
The Crimson Hawks and Lakers wrap up their series Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader at Podbielski Field.
Follow
For coverage of the IUP softball program, follow the Crimson Hawks on Twitter and Instagram @IUPsoftball and online at IUPAthletics.com.
