INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP offense came through in a big way during a 16-2 opening game victory at Clarion before the Crimson Hawks fell by a 5-3 final score in the second game at Memorial Stadium.
IUP (13-5, 5-1) received another strong starting effort from mark Edeburn in the first game and the offense consistently pushed across runs. In the second game, a late push was not enough as Clarion (4-18) salvaged the doubleheader split.
Ricardo Aponte registered three hits on the day, also scoring three runs in the first game.
Zach Miller went 4-for-7 with three RBI, continuing his strong stretch of play at the dish.
Game One: IUP 16, Clarion 2
Mark Edeburn tossed the 15th complete game of his career and third this season in another lockdown effort on the mound. He scattered six hits, allowed two runs (one earned) and struck out five as IUP recorded its seventh straight win.
Offensively, IUP put up six runs in its first trip to the plate and added crooked numbers in the third, fourth and fifth innings. IUP registered 15 hits and drew 10 walks, making the most of its plentiful opportunities with runners in scoring position.
Davin Landers singled home
Harrison Pontoli and Aponte for an early 3-0 margin.
Elijah Dunn returned to the lineup in a big way, lifting a two-run homer for a 6-0 edge. Dunn later doubled home
Peyton Johnson in the fourth as IUP surged ahead 11-0.
Johnson smacked a double of his own in the fifth, scoring two more before racing home on a wild pitch for a 15-1 advantage. Au'Sean Owens singled home Miller in the seventh to close out the IUP scoring in the seventh.
Edeburn surrendered just one unearned run through six innings before the Golden Eagles scratched across their second one on a sacrifice fly to left field in foul ground. Edeburn continues climbing up the program record book in multiple categories, now tied for fifth in starts (31), tied for eighth in complete games (15), fourth in innings pitched (206.1), tied for 10th in wins (15) and 11th in strikeouts (156).
Game Two: Clarion 5, IUP 3
Clarion jumped out to a 5-0 lead after four innings in the second game. IUP countered back with three runs in the top half of the fifth with RBI singles from Owens and Miller.
Derrick Shields tossed four innings on the mound as Clarion converted early. On the flip side, Reilly Shaffer posted a complete game effort of his own for Clarion with six strikeouts.
A Scotty McManamon homer, one of his three hits in the game, pushed the Golden Eagles ahead 5-0 in the fourth. Miller broke through for IUP in the fifth with a two-run single, scoring Johnson and Andrew Sicisnki.
Owens kept the hit parade going, scoring Miller with a single in the fifth as IUP trailed 5-3. After a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh, the Crimson Hawks went down swinging for the final two outs of the contest.
Up Next
IUP and Clarion conclude the four-game division series tomorrow (March 29) with a doubleheader at Dougherty Field. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
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