INDIANA, Pa. – The Indiana University of Pennsylvania baseball program fell victim to the same final result back-to-back, dropping each game of the twin-bill by identical 4-3 margins.

As has been the theme in this series, pitching once again trumped the hitters as neither team could produce more than four runs in any of the four matchups.

Markus Cestra went up to bat eight times and reached safely on six occasions, walking four times while smashing two singles for a .750 OBP. He also scored once and had one RBI.

Derrick Shields got a tough no-decision in the front half of two, spinning 5.1 innings of three-hit, two-earned run work with a season-high seven strikeouts.

The trio of hurlers in game two didn't care much better in the run support department as Jimmy Tooley (3.1 IP), Sean Furlong (0.2), and Cooper Baxter (2.0 IP) gave up just a pair of earned runs, whiffing 10 Lakers while ceding a measly five hits.

Torrey Roper went deep for the third time in 2023 with a solo poke over the fence, Zach Miller cashed in a two-bagger, Au'Sean Owens went the sac fly route for an RBI, and Branden Kanick did a burglar impersonation by stealing second base.

Currently sitting at 12-12 in the PSAC and residing in the West's third spot, the Crimson Hawks can punch their ticket to the tournament by taking at least one of the final four games against Gannon.

The upcoming home-and-home will be the deciding factor regarding who gets the third or fourth seed as the Knights trail IUP by one going in.

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