INDIANA, Pa. – With the end of the regular season in sight, the IUP softball team looks to improve postseason positioning this weekend as the Crimson Hawks face Edinboro in a four-game divisional series on Friday and Saturday. 

IUP opens the series Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Edinboro and will celebrate Senior Day with a home doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. at Podbielski Field. 

The Crimson Hawks are also scheduled to host Millersville in a cross-divisional doubleheader Monday afternoon. 

IUP enters the weekend with a 13-9 overall record and currently fourth in the PSAC West with a 12-8 division mark. Edinboro is 7-9 (7-9) while Millersville is 15-11. 

Spectator Policies
IUP Athletics is allowing spectators at outdoor events this spring. Any fans visiting Ruth Podbielski Field are asked to keep socially distant from each other, participating teams, student-athletes, school officials and other game day personnel. When not able to socially distant, please wear masks. Read the full policy here.

Edinboro allows four spectators per Fighting Scots student-athlete for outdoor events only. Outdoor spectators must be on a pre-approved guest list.
 
Last Time Out
>> The Crimson Hawks took three of four games from UPJ last weekend, including a Saturday road sweep with wins of 5-2 and 5-4. 
>> Gr. Kaitlyn Beers hit .615 with 4 home runs and 7 RBI during the series, including 3 homers on Saturday alone. 
>> Fr. Amanda Fischer went 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA in two relief appearances.

Follow/Social Media
Live Stats (IUP): IUPstats.com
Live Video (IUP): IUP Softball Facebook
Live Stats (Boro): GoFightingScots.com
Twitter: @IUPsoftball
Instagram: @iupsoftball
 
Series notes
>> The Crimson Hawks are 12-3 against Edinboro since 2011, including a 6-2 record when they were division rivals during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
>> These teams last met in Clermont, Florida in 2018, with the Crimson Hawks winning 5-2. 
>> IUP and Millersville have played just once in the last decide, with the Crimson Hawks winning 7-6 in comeback fashion during the first day of the 2018 PSAC Championships in Quakertown.

Beers on verge of IUP home run record
>> Gr. Kaitlyn Beers enters the weekend third in IUP history with 27 career home runs, just one off the record held by both Sarah White and Jasa Mitchell (28). 
>> Beers has smashed 10 home runs this season alone, which is second behind Mitchell's 15 during the 2014 season.
>> She is averaging 1 homer every 7.4 at-bats and has hit at least 1 in every divisional series this year.

Beers putting together outstanding season
>> Beers leads the Crimson Hawks in average (.459), runs scored (21), hits (34), doubles (7), homers (10), RBI (25), slugging (.959), and stolen bases (7).
>> She also leads the PSAC West in home runs, RBI and slugging, and is third in the division in batting average.
>> She has 11 multi-hit games, including six games of 3 hits. 

Wall settling into the leadoff spot
>> Senior Renee Wall has seemingly found her perfect spot in the order as the leadoff hitter, batting .400 with a .529 on-base percentage.
>> She's reached safely in 19 of 22 games, including a streak of 14 straight. 
>> Wall is also second on the team in runs (16), hits (26), doubles (6), RBI (14), and slugging (.585)

Having Hope
>> Sophomore pitcher Hope Jones leads the PSAC with 85 strikeouts this year. She has a 5-3 record and a 4.56 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts).
>> With 58.1 innings pitched, she ranks 20th in Division II with 9.7 strikeouts per 7 innings. 
>> Jones had a career-high 14 strikeouts against Seton Hill. That marked the most strikeouts by an IUP pitcher since All-American Erin Holloway fanned 15 Lake Erie batters on March 16, 2010.
>> Jones also had a pair of 12-strikeout performances against Cal U.