SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - In a game that saw nine of the 13 runs scored in the last three innings, the IUP baseball team lost a 7-6 decision at Shippensburg Tuesday afternoon. The Hawks held a slim lead heading into the final inning but Shippensburg scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to get the win.

IUP fell to 23-18 overall while the Raiders improved to 22-20. 

Down 1-0 in the fifth inning, the Hawks put two runners on with a leadoff single by Jake Cherry and an Au'sean Owens hit-by-pitch. With two outs, Harrison Pontoli blasted a home run over the fence in right field to put IUP on top 3-1. 

The Hawks went up 4-1 in the seventh when Owens scored on a wild pitch. Shippensburg rallied to take the lead in the bottom half, scoring four runs on four hits, including a two-out, two-run home run. 

IUP regained the lead with two runs in the eighth. A double to right by Torrey Roper brought in Branden Kanick, and after Roper advanced to third on the throw home, he'd score on a sac fly from Cherry. 

The Raiders didn't collect a hit in the ninth, instead scoring two runs on back-to-back bases loaded walks, the fourth and fifth free passes of the inning. 

Patrick Apgar started on mound and went 5.1 innings, giving up one run on four hits with one strikeout and one walk. 

Up next
The Hawks get back to divisional play with a four-game series against Gannon this weekend. IUP heads to Erie Friday and hosts the Golden Knights on Saturday.

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