INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP softball team got out to a strong start in a doubleheader split against Slippery Rock on Tuesday, posting a 10-1 win in five innings before a 7-3 setback in game two at Podbielski Field.
IUP is now 21-12 and 7-6 in the league, with Slippery Rock closing the day at 11-18 (4-6 PSAC). IUP head coach
Shawna Bellaud recorded the 100th win during her tenure with the Crimson Hawks, now with 122 combined collegiate victories.
Game One: IUP 10, Slippery Rock 1 (5 Innings)
IUP loaded the bases early and took an early advantage it would never relinquish. The Crimson Hawks added three more runs in the third and blew the game open with five runs in the fifth inning.
Three players had multiple hits in another well-balanced offensive output.
Madison Pikula went 4-for-4 at the dish with a pair of RBI, while
Jordan Sylvia added three knocks, two RBI and two runs scored.
Delaney Patella recorded two hits and another walk, continuing to inch closer to the program's single season and career record in base on balls.
In the circle,
Kendall Young allowed two hits with seven punchouts. Only one hit traveled beyond the infield for Slippery Rock, a timely knock that scored the visitor's lone run of the opening game.
Sylvia began the day with a well-placed double that dropped fair down the right field line, scoring Madison Griffin and Pikula for an early edge. The Crimson Hawks doubled the lead in the third with a hard-hit single to second base that caromed into the outfield, eventually scoring two more.
Patella led off the decisive fourth inning with a solo home run.
Kelly Szolek later drew a bases loaded walk for a 7-1 advantage. The Crimson Hawks stretched the lead to 10-1 after a two-run single from Pikula and another bases loaded walk to Patella.
Game Two: Slippery Rock 7, IUP 3
Slippery Rock flipped the script with a quick start in game two, posting four runs in the first inning and getting a complete game effort from pitcher Alexsa Hurd. SRU tacked on two more insurance runs in the sixth inning on back-to-back home runs.
IUP had its chances in the game, battling back throughout before bringing the potential game-tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh with two away.
With one hit in the second game, Sylvia finished with four hits on the day. She is now two hits shy of 100 for her career. Her lone knock was a long solo home run to left field, her team-leading sixth on the season.
Patella drew another walk during game two, now with 30 on the season. She is one walk shy of tying her own single-season record for walks (31), already among the top five in career walks in program history.
Olivia Hillegas pitched five innings in relief for IUP before
Amanda Fischer allowed one hit over the final two innings.
Up Next
IUP heads to Pitt-Johnstown for a rescheduled doubleheader on Wednesday, April 10. First pitch takes place at 2:00 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.
