INDIANA, Pa. — Late-inning rallies defined Saturday's PSAC baseball doubleheader at Dougherty Field as IUP split with Pitt-Johnstown, falling 6-5 in Game 1 before bouncing back for a 6-2 win in Game 2.
With the split, the Crimson Hawks secured the No. 2 seed in the PSAC West for next week's conference tournament at Slippery Rock.
In the opener, IUP recorded 12 hits and built a 4-2 lead heading into the sixth inning after scoring five runs off Pitt-Johnstown starter Aiden Coleman.
Senior Nathan Mankoski gave the Crimson Hawks five strong innings, allowing two runs before turning the game over to the bullpen.
The Mountain Cats took advantage from there, scoring three runs off Christian Wilkinson, who took the loss, and another off Nathan Porath during a four-run sixth inning that flipped the game.
Teague Hoover through Robert Carfagno — the No. 2 through No. 6 hitters in the lineup — accounted for 11 of IUP's 12 hits in Game 1.
Carfagno tripled home a run in the bottom of the seventh to bring IUP within one, putting the tying run 90 feet away with no outs, but the Crimson Hawks could not complete the comeback.
Game 2 was a much different story early, as Pitt-Johnstown starter Jared Downey held IUP hitless into the fifth inning. The Crimson Hawks managed just two hits through five innings before breaking through.
IUP knocked Downey out of the game with two runs in the sixth inning, then added four more against the Pitt-Johnstown bullpen to take control.
The Mountain Cats struggled with command in the decisive frame, using three pitchers in the inning as IUP capitalized.
Gabe Johnson earned his fourth win of the season for the Crimson Hawks.
IUP finished with four hits in the second game, all singles, but made the most of its opportunities to secure the split and postseason positioning.
