WASHINGTON, Pa. – The IUP baseball program began a key Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Wests series with a doubleheader sweep against California (Pa.) on Saturday afternoon. IUP claimed game one with a 13-2 victory before knocking off the Vulcans 6-2 in game two.
IUP improves to 23-10 overall and 12-6 in divisional play. The Hawks cracked three home runs on the day and got a pair of stellar pitching efforts from
Derrick Shields and
Mark Edeburn.
The Hawks enter Sunday's doubleheader on a four-game winning streak and tied for first atop the PSAC West standings.
Game One: IUP 13, California (Pa.) 2
IUP struck early before riding a lockdown pitching effort in a convincing game one victory. Shields posted his third win of the season with a complete game effort, surrendering two earned runs with six strikeouts and no walks.
Harrison Pontoli was one of nine IUP batters with at least one hit. Pontoli went 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored.
David Kessler had four RBI and two runs scored, getting things started with a three-run blast in the first inning.
IUP took a convincing lead with a five-run third inning, surging ahead 8-0.
Elijah Dunn cracked a pitch back up the middle for a 7-0 edge, scoring Kessler and
Brady Yard.
Robert Carfagno scored on a double steal in the fifth inning before Kesler capped the IUP scoring with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Shields worked through some traffic on the basepaths in the second inning. His only blemishes came in the fourth as the Vulcans converted a pair of solo home runs.
Game Two: IUP 6, California (Pa.) 2
Edeburn was stellar on the mound again for the Crimson Hawks, firing 5.1 innings and picking up his fourth win of the season. Edeburn finished with two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts.
Edeburn continues cementing himself as one of the best pitchers in program history. His ranks second in innings pitched (221.1), seventh in strikeouts (172) and fourth in starts (34).
With two more hits in the nightcap, Pontoli pushes his career total to 195 overall. Home runs for Dunn and Yard handed IUP a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning. The Hawks executed their second double steal of the afternoon, resulting in another run as Kessler swiped home for a 4-1 edge.
Pontoli gave IUP some insurance with a two-run homer down the right field line in the seventh for a 6-2 lead.
Dane Samartino entered in a high-leverage relief situation, closing out the victory over the final 1.2 innings.
Up Next
IUP finishes its four-game set with the Vulcans on Sunday, April 21 with a doubleheader at Dougherty Field. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
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