INDIANA, Pa. – The Indiana University of Pennsylvania baseball program raced out to a 7-1 lead at the halfway point of the ballgame and then had to hang on at the end as the Raiders rattled off the final four unanswered runs before running out of gas as IUP claimed victory, 7-5.
 
Andrew Sicinski crushed his third home run of the year, a three-RBI rocket in the bottom of the fifth to give the Crimson and White its largest lead of six, but it proved to be the difference in what ultimately ended up as a two-run win.
 
Torrey Roper got on-base a team-high three times on the day, connecting for two singles, bringing home one run on a fielder's choice as well as walking and stealing once each.
 
Markus Cestra crossed the plate three times against The Ship, hustling out a triple and drawing a base on balls.
 
Cooper Baxter was electric in his second career start, coming into the day with just 6.2 innings and three strikeouts to his name. He ended the afternoon by pitching four innings and striking out seven without an earned run crossing the dish (one total), all personal-bests.
 
Matt Luchovick only goes for extra-base hits, grabbing his first career base knock with a double versus Lock Haven on April 4 before making his first round of circling the pillows against Shippensburg on Tuesday with a solo shot.
 
Jason Madrak was credited with his first collegiate save in a Crimson Hawks uniform, tossing a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to nail it down and give IUP its 14th win of the year.
 
Friday will kick off the confusing geographical rivalry of Indiana and California located in the state of Pennsylvania as the Hawks travel to the Vulcans for a 1/3:30 p.m. doubleheader.
 
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