SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Indiana University of Pennsylvania baseball program had an emotional letdown in the first game after knocking off #8 Millersville with just three hits in a shutout defeat vs. West Chester (10-0, 8 innings) but bounced back by surviving a seven-run rally by California to advance, 9-8.
 
The contest against the Golden Rams was a struggled for the men from Indiana, earning just five baserunners, three hits and two walks, with Andrew Sicinski's double the only extra-base variety.
 
Game two was a much more positive experience, opening up a 7-1 lead through seven, falling behind 8-7 in the following half-inning but answering back with another two in the bottom of the eighth to stave off the Vulcans and survive to see another day.
 
Brady Yard almost singlehandedly willed IUP to the next round, driving in five of the team's seven RBIs (71.4%) courtesy of a two-run long ball and a bases clearing, three-RBI double to go along with a single plus a run scored.
 
Markus Cestra reached three times on the evening, driving a pair of two-baggers on top of drawing a walk.
 
Derrick Shields was electric, hurling seven strong frames of one-run stuff, striking out four Vulcans while yielding only six baserunners.
 
Torrey Roper got on-base thrice despite a zero in the hits column, coaxing two walks and getting drilled by a bean ball, crossing the dish twice.
 
Harrison Pontoli smashed a single, drove in a baserunner on a sacrifice fly, went for two bases on balls, and scored while Au'sean Owens scored a pair of times as well.
 
IUP returns to the diamond Friday at 3 p.m. for a rematch with WCU or will line up opposite Seton Hill.
 
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