INDIANA, Pa. - On a day mixed with rain, wind, and sun, the IUP baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader to visiting Mercyhurst Friday at Dougherty Field. The Lakers won by scores of 12-2 in game one and 9-3 in game two.

The Crimson Hawks are now 2-20 overall and 1-13 in PSAC West play. Mercyhurst improved to 17-9 and 8-6. 

Key performances
Sr. Colin Williams: 4-6, run, triple, two RBI
Jr. Ty Diehl: 3-6
Soph. Christian Gabriel: Pinch-hit RBI triple in game one

Game One
The opener was a good matchup through two innings before Mercyhurst erupted for four runs in the third and six more in the fifth to take an 11-0 lead. Errors hurt the Crimson Hawks, as just four of those runs were earned. 

Down by 12 in the seventh, IUP showed some life as Christian Gabriel smashed a two-out pinch hit triple to score Colin Williams. Gabriel then crossed the plate when Elijah Glass knocked a single to left. 

Game two
IUP opened the scoring in the nightcap as Austin Mueller punched a single to right to score Harrison Pontoli from second base in the first inning. 

Nick Kuhn started on the mound, keeping it a 1-1 ballgame through the first three innings. Finishing his day in the fourth, he struck out five batters in 3.2 innings, but gave up three runs on four hits and four walks. 

Mercyhurst scored two in the fourth then three more in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead. The Crimson Hawks got two back in the bottom half with back-to-back singles by Nick Hess and Mueller leading to a RBI triple from Williams to make it a 6-3 ballgame. 

The Lakers grabbed the momemtum back with three runs in the sixth, including a two-run home run, leading to the 9-3 final.

Up next
These two teams battle again Saturday with another doubleheader in Erie. First pitch is 1 p.m.

Follow
For coverage of the IUP baseball program, follow the Crimson Hawks on Twitter and Instagram @IUPBaseball and online at IUPAthletics.com.