Morgantown, W.Va. – IUP looked dominant in their 8-3 win over Fairmont State University Sunday afternoon powered by Elijah Dunn's early home runs and a seventh inning offensive explosion to seal the win.
 
Overall, this was a true team win with many players making huge contributions. Jake Black commanded the mound through six innings posting an ERA of 1.5 with nine strikeouts. Dunn sparked the offense, blasting two home runs and driving in four of the eight IUP runs. Ricardo Aponte's on base percentage of .800 combined with two stolen bases set an aggressive tone for the Hawk's offense. Peyton Johnson delivered when it mattered most, driving in two crucial runs in the seventh inning while also making key defensive plays to prevent Fairmont State's momentum.
 
IUP improved to 2-5 while Fairmont State dropped to 2-4 overall on the season.
 
Dunn picked up right where he left off from yesterday with a three-run home run in the first inning. IUP's defense then made quick work of the Falcons, retiring three consecutive batters to end the inning. Both Davin Landers and Mitchell Grosch were hit by pitches in the second, but IUP could not capitalize on it. On the mound, Black got going early with three straight strikeouts. The third inning looked a lot like the first with a solo homer from Dunn to extend the lead to four while the Falcon's batters were retired in order.
 
There was little offensive action in the fourth with both teams getting quick outs. The fifth inning showcased Aponte's speed when he stole second base, however, he was thrown out at third on a fielder's choice but left Dunn on first. IUP could not bring in any runs, and the Falcons were once again shut down with three quick outs. IUP threatened to score in the sixth when Landers reached second and Johnson advanced to third, but the Hawks failed to bring them home. Fairmont State finally got on the board off an RBI single to make the score 4-1.
 
The Hawk's erupted for a five-run inning, putting the game out of reach for the Falcons. It began when Aponte scored off a double from Mike Huber, followed by a single from Cameron Copple that advanced Huber to third. With the bases loaded after Robert Carfagno was hit by a pitch, Johnson delivered a clutch single that brought in both Copple and Huber. Landers added to the damage with a single that drove in Carfagno. It looked like Fairmont State was going to respond with the bases loaded, but Johnson saved the day with a key defensive play.
 
The offense slowed down for IUP in the eighth inning with the only action coming from another Aponte stolen base. On the other side, Fairmont State added another run closing the gap to 8-2. The batting rotation saw some new faces for the Hawks, but the offense ended with three quick outs. Sebastian Rosado-Guindin and Jacob Jewett closed out the game pitching after another Falcon run and secured an 8-3 victory over Fairmont State.
 
Up Next
IUP will return to action next week at home against Shepherd, set for 1:00 p.m.
 
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