SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – In what will go down as an instant classic postseason battle, the IUP baseball program emerged victorious with a 6-5 walk-off victory against Millersville in the opening game of the 2024 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Baseball Tournament on Friday.
Making its first consecutive tournament appearances in over a decade, IUP (32-13) went back and forth throughout the day with Millersville (37-14). It marks the fourth straight win for the Crimson Hawks, which continue bolstering their strong case for a berth in the NCAA DII Atlantic Region Tournament.
Meanwhile, Millersville has dropped five straight and seven of the last 11.
Ricardo Aponte hustled down the line in the bottom of the ninth, reaching on a fielder's choice that scored
Davin Landers for the walk-off victory.
Lander's run was the final blow in game full of momentum swings.
Mark Edeburn posted a strong starting effort on the mound, firing six innings in a no decision.
Derrick Shields picked up the win, allowing just one run in relief over the final three innings of the morning.
Aponte notched two RBI on the day, including the game-winner in the ninth.
Harrison Pontoli added three hits and a run scored, while
Peyton Johnson posted a pair of knocks and a walk.
The Crimson Hawks have knocked off regional power Millersville for consecutive years in the PSAC Tournament, handing the Marauders a first round exit again in 2024. IUP advances to the double-elimination portion of the bracket, beginning tomorrow, against the winner of Slippery Rock/East Stroudsburg.
Millersville worked the score tied at four and again at five as IUP stayed the course. Millersville struck first for the opening run of the day on a single from Matthew Williams. Sam Morris raced to third on a wild pitch just before the run-scoring single from Williams in the second. Edeburn got out of the early two-out jam with a groundout to third, allowing just the one run with two aboard.
Johnson fought off a blooping single to lead off the second inning, moving up on a sacrifice bunt from
Robert Carfagno. Carson Kulina kept Johnson stranded with consecutive outs on the mound.
Brady Yard was plunked to lead off the fourth before
Andrew Sicinski grinded out a walk, putting two on with nobody out. Johnson reached on a well-placed bunt and
Robert Carfagno brought home the initial run of the game for IUP, grounding into a double play.
David Kessler slashed a single to right for a 2-1 advantage.
Millersville countered back with a leadoff home run in the fifth, leveling the score at two. Following some aggressive baserunning that put Jeff Sabater at third, Edeburn clamped down with a timely groundout to finish out the fifth.
The Hawks chased Kulina in the fifth inning after consecutive run-scoring doubled, coming from
Ricardo Aponte and
Brady Yard for a 4-2 advantage. It marked another consecutive half inning with a lead change as the Crimson Hawks tilted momentum in their favor.
Edeburn sent the Marauders down and finished out the top half of the sixth. Millersville answered back in the next trip to the plate, tying the game at four on a balk and squeeze bunt in the seventh, both runs credited against Edeburn.
With runners on the corners, Williams delivered again with a single through the left side. It marked the third lead change of the day with Millersville taking a 5-4 advantage in the eighth.
The Crimson Hawks threatened again in the home half of the eighth, placing a pair of runners in scoring position with one away. Carfagno dropped in a single to center field, scoring
Elijah Dunn and knotting the score at five. Dunn led off the frame with a pinch-hit double, moving to third on a wild pitch. From there, Shields got a one-two-three inning in the Millersville half of the ninth.
Landers opened the bottom of the ninth with a walk, racing to third on a single from Pontoli. Aponte chopped a ball to second, reaching on a fielder's choice as the Maruders looked to turn the double play.
Up Next
IUP returns to action in the PSAC Tournament on Thursday, May 9 at 10 a.m.
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