INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP baseball team makes its long-awaited return to the NCAA Tournament this week, facing Charleston (W.Va.) on Thursday, May 16.
 
The Crimson Hawks are returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 34 years, last earning a bid in 1990. IUP was an at-large selection in the seven-team NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament.
 
IUP is in a three-team regional pod hosted by top overall seed West Chester. Full ticket information, live coverage and notes can be found below.
 
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(4) Charleston vs. (5) IUP | NCAA DII Atlantic Region Tournament
Thursday, May 16 | 11 a.m. | Serpico Stadium | West Chester, Pa.
Game Coverage: Live Video | Live Stats | DII Baseball Bracket
Fan Information: Championship Central | Campus Map | Downtown West Chester
 
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament will be $10 per day for adults, $5 per day for students and senior citizens, $2 for children under two. No passes, or comp lists will be honored. All ticket sales will be sold onsite and will be CASH ONLY.
 
NCAA DII BASEBALL TOURNAMENT AT A GLANCE
>> The 2024 NCAA DII baseball championship selections were announced on Sunday, May 12. 
>> Regional competition runs from May 16-19 (double elimination), then Super Regionals will take place on May 24-25 (best-of-three series).
>> The Atlantic Regional consists of two pods, hosted by top seeds West Chester and East Stroudsburg.
>> Championship bracket games will take place June 1-8 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
>> Eight teams advance to Cary and will be re-seeded before double-elimination games to decide the national champion.
 
NCAA DII ATLANTIC REGION ONE SCHEDULE
Thursday May, 16
Game One: (4) Charleston vs. (5) IUP – 11 a.m.
Game Two: (1) West Chester vs. Loser of Game One – 30 minutes after Game One
 
Friday, May 17
Game Three: TBD vs TBD - 1 p.m.
 
Saturday, May 18
Game Four: TBD vs. TBD – 11 a.m.
Game Five (if necessary): TBD vs. TBD -- 30 minutes after
 
IUP IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
>> IUP is making its third NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
>> Thursday marks the first NCAA Tournament appearance for the Crimson Hawks since the 1990 season, spanning 34 years between tournament berths.
>> The Crimson Hawks were part of the North Atlantic Region in 1990 as the top seed. IUP lost both games, coming against Philadelphia College of Textiles and Sciences and Norfolk State.
>> IUP have one NCAA DII Tournament victory in program history, coming in 1988 with a 10-4 victory against Saint Joseph's (Ind.). IUP was a member of the NAIA prior to joining the NCAA ranks.  
 
IUP NOTES
>> IUP was the final team from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West in the conference tournament. The Hawks finished third in the conference tournament, which helped ensure their at-large bid this week.
>> With a 33-15 overall record, IUP has continued its impressive turnaround under the tutelage of third-year head coach Steve Kline.
>> Despite a strong season that resulted in an NCAA Tournament berth, IUP was not very well represented on the All-PSAC teams with just a pair of second team honorees in Harrison Pontoli and Ricardo Aponte.
>> IUP went 2-35 in 2021 before posting a 27-22 mark in 2022, an improvement of 25 victories year over year. From there, the Hawks clinched a berth in the PSAC Tournament in consecutive seasons in 2023 and 2024. It was the first time in over a decade (2010-11) that IUP has made consecutive conference tournament appearances.
>> Mark Edeburn leads the charge on the mound, ranking fifth in NCAA DII with five complete games in 2024. He leads the team with a 6-1 mark, a 3.53 ERA and 71.1 innings pitched.
>> Brady Yard leads the team with a .339 average and ranks third with 33 RBI as a power bat in the middle of the lineup. Aponte was named the team's MVP and hits at an impressive .325 clip with 37 RBI.
>> Pontoli is a three-time All-PSAC honoree as a fifth-year veteran with the Crimson Hawks. He is second on the team with 52 hits and 36 RBI.
>> Davin Landers has started behind the dish in 38 of the team's 48 contests. A consistent and reliable presence behind the plate, Landers is a versatile two-way starter for the Crimson Hawks.
>> Jake Black, Derrick Shields and Nathan Mankoski have all seen time in the starting rotation for the Hawks throughout the 2024 season. Mankowski recently had a strong showing in the PSAC Tournament, allowing one run on six hits in seven innings against East Stroudsburg.
>> The Crimson Hawks are solid up the middle defensively with Au'sean Owens and David Kessler leading the charge in the field.
 
CAREER STATS AT A GLANCE (program ranks)
>> Mark Edeburn: 47 G (T6th), 241.1 IP (1st), 18-14 W-L, 17 CG, 4.40 ERA, 184 K (6th)
>> Harrison Pontoli: 192 GP, .315 AVG, 208 H (4th), 661 AB (2nd), 152 R (3rd), 38 2B (T5th), 18 HR (T6th), 136 RBI (4th), 101 BB (2nd)
>> Davin Landers: 98 G, .302 AVG, 86 H, 45 RBI
>> Au'sean Owens: 149 G, .257 AVG, 108 H, 43 RBI, 48 SB (5th), 64 BB
>> Peyton Johnson: 132 G, .271 AVG, 106 H, 86 RS, 25 2B, 66 RBI, 67 BB
>> Derrick Shields: 24 G, 123.1 IP, 9-6 W-L, 4 CG, 4.31 ERA, 104 K
>> Elijah Dunn: 64 G, .247 AVG, 10 HR, 41 RBI, .533 SLG
 
FOLLOW
For coverage of the IUP baseball program, follow the Crimson Hawks on X (Twitter) and Instagram @IUPBaseball and online at IUPathletics.com. 
 

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