ERIE, Pa. -- The IUP baseball team clinched a spot in the PSAC Tournament with a win in game one against Gannon, 11-5. IUP dropped in the second game, 7-4, after it was called in the fifth inning due to weather.

IUP is now 23-24 on the season and 16-10 in conference action. 

Game one 

Johnson went 4-for-4 at the plate, scored two runs, and had five RBI. Three other players recorded two hits each, while four more had one. 

IUP gained an early lead in the first inning, scoring four runs on three hits. Ausean Owens drew a walk and then scored on Mitchell Grosch's RBI double to right center. Mike Huber drew the second walk of the inning, and Elijah Dunn's single to shortstop loaded the bases. Peyton Johnson continued the hitting streak with a double to left field, scoring both Grosch and Huber. Cayden Bender's sac fly to center drove in Dunn.  

Gannon responded in the bottom of the inning with a home run that scored two, 4-2.

Teague Hoover led off the second inning with a single to left field and advanced on a groundout. Grosch drew a walk, and a Huber single to center field loaded the bases. Johnson's two RBI single to center field drove in Hoover and Grosch, to put IUP ahead 6-2.  

The Hawks scored three more runs in the top of the fourth on four hits. Grosch and Huber hit consecutive singles. Johnson singled through the left side and advanced to second on the throw, while Huber advanced to third and Grosch scored. A throwing error then allowed for Huber and Johnson to cross the plate to put IUP ahead, 9-2.  

In the bottom of the inning, Gannon doubled and then hit an RBI single, 9-3.

IUP loaded the bases early in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Owens singled up the middle to score Cayden Bender and Johnson. The Golden Knights added two more runs in the bottom of the inning.

Game two 

Gannon scored the first run in the bottom of the first inning while IUP responded in the second with two runs on two hits. Elijah Dunn was hit by a pitch, stole second base, and came around on Johnson's RBI single. Johnson advanced to second base on the throw and third base on a balk. Camden Rhude's groundout to shortstop scored Johnson.  

Gannon tied up the game in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single to left field. 

In the top of the third, Grosch singled up the middle and scored on Miker Huber's home run to left field. IUP loaded the bases with two outs, but a swinging strikeout ended the inning.  

Gannon took the lead in the bottom of the third with four runs on five hits and tacked on one more in the fourth before the game was called in the fifth due to weather.  

Up Next  
IUP returns to action on Friday, May 2, for their final home doubleheader of the regular season against Gannon. 
  
Follow  
For coverage of the IUP baseball program, follow the Crimson Hawks on X (Twitter) and Instagram @IUPBaseball and online at IUPathletics.com.