INDIANA, Pa. - The Crimson Hawks scored nine runs through the first four innings as they cruised to a 12-7 win over visiting Lindenwood in a nine inning game Saturday afternoon at Dougherty Field on IUP's South Campus.

It was the second win of the weekend series for IUP after splitting a doubleheader on Friday. The win puts the Hawks over .500 at 7-6 on the year. These two teams will wrap up their series with a single game on Sunday.

Home runs by Nick Hess and Harrison Pontoli helped give the Hawks a 6-0 lead through three innings. IUP put up nine hits in the first four innings and also took advantage of Lindenwood errors in the third and fourth to plate a pair of runs and go on top 9-0.

Starter Jeremiah Williams opened strong, retiring the first 10 batters, striking out the side in the third. He retired the side in the fifth and gave up a run in the sixth before the Lions finally got to him in the seventh. Williams picked up the win, striking out five batters and giving up six earned on seven hits in 6.1 innings. 

Lindenwood made it a game in the seventh with six runs, cutting IUP's lead to 9-7. The Hawks got a solo home run from Colin Williams in the bottom half and added three insurance runs in the eighth to wrap up the win. Joe Dolansky and Ryan Berry came in to toss the final 2.2 innings in relief, giving up a combined four hits and one unearned run. 

Pontoli finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored, two doubles, a home run and two RBI. Hess went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI while Peyton Johnson finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.

The top five batters in the IUP lineup combined for 10 hits, including two doubles, a triple and two homers, and nine RBI. 

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