INDIANA, Pa. – Sports is like a roller coaster, thrilling highs and crushing lows, The Indiana University of Pennsylvania baseball program got to feel both emotions on Monday afternoon, falling 10-0 in game one before turning the tables with a 9-1 victory in game two to cap its home-and-home series with the 23rd-ranked Warriors of East Stroudsburg.
 
The opener was a struggle for the home nine, recording just seven baserunners as three batters logged singles, three student-athletes walked, and one was hit by a pitch.
 
Harrison Pontoli contributed one of the base knocks to run his on-base streak to double-figures with David Kessler and Au'sean Owens providing the other two.
 
Davin Landers was the only Crimson Hawk to reach base multiple times in the first matchup, coaxing a free pass as well as earning first base the hard way with a bean ball.
 
Game two was a much more positive story for Coach Kline's bunch, jumping on the Warriors early with four runs in the first before adding another four-spot to the scoreboard in the fourth.
 
Torrey Roper lived up to his surname in the nightcap, "roping" an RBI double in the opening frame and then breaking the game wide open with a grand slam in the fourth inning to put the contest on ice early. The senior from Shaker Heights, Ohio set a new career-high on the afternoon regarding RBIs (5), hits (2) and defensive putouts (5) to go along with a walk plus two runs scored.
 
Derrick Shields put together a masterful performance to pick up the dub in his first collegiate start, surrendering a single run over 5.2 innings with four Ks and one walk.
 
Not to be overshadowed by Roper and Shields was Elijah Dunn, who tripled and homered in back-to-back at-bats en route to a 2-for-4, two-RBI day.
 
Andrew Sicinski got the scoring party started, knocking home a pair of IUP runners on the fifth batter of the day for the Crimson and White on top of a walk, going on to score in each time on-base.
 
Pontoli just needs to reach safely on Wednesday versus MAC to boast an on-base streak worthy of a dozen, getting singles in both contests while walking thrice with two scores in game two to make it 11 straight dating back to April 29, 2022 vs. Gannon.
 
The Crimson Hawks added a single home game to its upcoming weekly slate as the Mount Aloysius Mounties invade campus at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
 
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