INDIANA, Pa. - JP Pellis struck out five and gave up just one hit over 4.1 innings of work as IUP baseball won its 2021 opener by a score of 5-1 over visiting Malone at Owen J. Dougherty Field Sunday afternoon.
Mark Edeburn tossed the final 2.2 innings of game one, fanning four and also giving up just one base hit, as he and Pellis combined for the best opening day performance for the Crimson Hawks in recent memory.
IUP split its season opening doubleheader with Malone, dropping game two by a score of 12-6.
Key performances
Gr.
JP Pellis: W (1-0), 4.1 IP, 5 K, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 4 BB in game one
Soph.
Mark Edeburn: 2.2 IP, 4 K, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB in game one
Sr.
Colin Williams: 2-5, 2 R, triple, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB
Sr.
Chris Eisel: 4-9, 2 R, double, RBI, 3 SB
Sr.
Nick Hess: 2-7, R, 2 doubles, 3 RBI
Game one
Pellis had it going from the start, with the only run allowed coming after third inning leadoff walk came across after a two-out passed ball. He got out of the inning with a strikeout, his second of the inning, and fanned another two to start the fourth.
After a one out single in the fifth, Edeburn entered in relief, picking up a strikeout and quickly adding another out to get out of the inning. He used a double play in the sixth and struck out three - around a walk and a hit - in the seventh as the Crimson Hawks posted the win.
IUP did all of its scoring in the early going, with a four-run second inning putting the Hawks on top 5-0.
Ben Teplin and and Eisel had back-to-back RBI singles before Hess brough both around with a bases clearing double.
Game two
Malone (3-1) was the team to score early in the nightcap, using a five-run second to take a 6-1 lead. The Pioneers added runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to keep up the pace in the nine inning affair.
IUP added a run on a Teplin single in the fourth, then tried to keep pace with three runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth. Williams provided the spark, legging out a 2-run triple in the fifth.
Relievers
Nate Davis and
Jayson Wilbur tossed the final 3.2 innings, combining for five strikeouts without giving up a hit.
Up next
The Crimson Hawks return to action next weekend with a road doubleheader against Slippery Rock Friday before hosting Frostburg State Saturday. The games with SRU were scheduled outside the mandated divisional games and will not count towards conference standings.
Follow
For coverage of the IUP baseball program, follow the Crimson Hawks on Twitter and Instagram @IUPBaseball and online at IUPAthletics.com.
