EDINBORO, Pa. – The IUP softball program hit four home runs on the day in a doubleheader split against Edinboro on Friday afternoon. IUP won game one by a 9-3 margin, falling in game two by an 8-7 count.
IUP snapped a five-game slide with the victory in the opening game. Overall, the Crimson Hawks are 23-18 and 9-12 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Edinboro moved to 11-19 overall and 8-10 in the league.
Game One: IUP 9, Edinboro 3
Another complete game effort in the circle from
Kendall Young and a five-run fourth inning carried IUP to a 9-3 victory in the opening game of the day.
Delaney Patella and
Paige Truax cracked home runs in the victory, two of 11 hits on the day for the Hawks.
Patella and Truax posted a pair of knocks each for the Crimson Hawks. Overall, the entire starting lineup posted at least one hit in the victory, continuing a trend of well-balanced offense.
Jess Cekada opened the scoring with a hit back up the middle, plating Truax for a 1-0 lead in the second. Truax converted at the dish with a two-run homer in the third, doubling the IUP margin at 4-0.
The Hawks strung together some hits in their big fourth inning, kickstarted by a run-scoring double from
Kelly Szolek.
Jaycee Haidze widened the margin to 7-0 with a two-run single to center.
Patella smacked her team-leading seventh homer of the seventh and broke the game open for IUP, leading 9-0. The Fighting Scots extended the game in the home half of the fifth with two runs, later tacking on one more after an IUP effort in the sixth.
Game Two: Edinboro 8, IUP 7
Truax delivered in a clutch situation one again for IUP, breaking a 6-6 gridlock with a single to left. Edinboro responded back in its last chance at the dish with two runs for a walk-off victory.
The Scots needed two runs to secure game two in the home half of the seventh inning and delivered with a sacrifice fly and a Stephanie Krick single back up the middle. Truax finished the day with five hits between the two games, posting three knocks in the nightcap for the Hawks.
Another back-and-forth contest for IUP, Haidze and Patella delivered long balls at the plate. IUP trailed 2-0 early, responding back to take a 6-3 advantage after Truax raced home on a throwing error to second. The Fighting Scots responded for a 6-6 tie, eventually winning the matchup in walk-off fashion.
Olivia Hillegas threw the initial 4.1 innings in the circle for IUP before
Elizabeth Kasper entered in relief.
Up Next
IUP continues its Erie swing with a doubleheader at Mercyhurst on Saturday, April 20. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.
Follow
For coverage of the IUP softball program, follow the Crimson Hawks on X (Twitter) and Instagram @IUPsoftball and online at IUPathletics.com.
