IUP baseball defeats Millersville in back-to-back extra-inning games

The Crimson Hawks (19-20-1) took two extra-inning games from Millersville this past weekend at Owen Dougherty Field.

“After a disappointing series with Clarion, it was a positive turn-around Sunday against a very good Millersville team,” IUP Head Coach Jeff Ditch said. “Our pitching was outstanding for all 18 innings, as each were effective in holding Millersville close and allowing our hitters to get a couple of timely hits late in each game. This sweep gives us a little momentum into Wednesday’s game when we host Pitt Greensburg.”

The Hawks had Evan Phillips starting the game, who went six innings, allowed four runs and had four strikeouts.

With the Hawks down one run in the first inning, Dylan Tice hit a solo homerun to tie the game. Millersville, however, jumped back into the lead in the second inning with an RBI single from Evan King. The Hawks responded in the fourth inning when Mike Lupia doubled to score Dylan Songer.

Once again, Millersville responded when Ryan Chesler doubled in two runs to put Millersville up 4-2. The Hawks chipped away at that lead in the fifth when Tice knocked in Cory Sawka. Even with that run, the Hawks were still down one run heading into the bottom of the sixth.

In the sixth, the Hawks’ John Beatty knocked in Ryan Uhl with a triple that tied the game. No runs were scored for either team in the seventh inning, and in the eighth, the combination of Beatty and Uhl scored the winning run when Beatty sacrificed Uhl home.

That run gave the Hawks a 5-4 victory in game one. Jared Weed (1-1) was given the victory for the Hawks. He had two strikeouts in one inning of relief.

In game two, the Hawks had Tyler Squibbs start the game. He went 4.2 innings, allowed one run and had one strikeout.

After some great early pitching, the Hawks were the first team to score in the fourth inning when Songer homered to left with Tice already on base. That put the Hawks up 2-0. In that same inning, Uhl homered to left field, putting the Hawks up 3-0.

But Millersville came back. They scored their first run in the fifth inning when Carlos Medina doubled and knocked in David Pine. Pine scored Evan King in the seventh inning when he grounded to second. Millersville tied the game in the seventh when Medina doubled to left field and knocked in Mike August.

The game went into extras and took until the 10th, when Ryan Cannistraci for Millersville singled to right and hit home Chris Edgar.

The Hawks responded in the bottom of the inning when Mike Lupia knocked home his brother Aaron Lupia to tie the game at 4-4.

In the same inning the Hawks scored the winning run when Robbie Zinsmeister scored Jordan DeLuca, when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Brett Quiggle got the victory for the Hawks.

“Our pitchers threw strikes. Both [Evan] Phillips and [Tyler] Squibbs gave us strong starts and our bullpen of Kyle Zaorski, Jared Weed, and [Brett] Quiggle came in and really battled to close out each game,” Ditch said. It was significant for our team that all five pitchers gave us quality innings against Millersville.”

The Hawks will have a few days off before hosting Pitt-Greensburg on Wednesday at Owen Dougherty Field.