For the first time since March 12, 2020, IUP baseball and softball took the field and kicked off the 2021 season on a hot note.
SOFTBALL SWEEPS FRIDAY DOUBLEHEADER:
Crimson Hawk softball began on Friday with a doubleheader at home against Slippery Rock, where they swept both games by scores of 10-7 and 10-3.
IUP faced a 6-0 deficit heading into the fourth inning of game one, but came back and took the lead after a go-ahead, two-run double by senior infielder Sara Hull in the fifth. The Crimson Hawks would add insurance to their lead thanks to hits by sophomores Ashley Renzi and Margaret Russo.
Then, in game two, IUP would score 8 unanswered runs in the final four innings to complete the Friday sweep. Graduate second basemen Kaitlyn Beers would lead the team in scoring, driving in two runs in the game.
Head Coach Shawna Bellaud said that she was pleased with how her team responded after being down.
“They showed grit and determination, along with a positive mindset, that helped them rally together as a team for a comeback win,” she said.
Bellaud also commended her pitchers after they stepped up to prevent Slippery Rock from gaining leverage.
“It was exciting to see our young pitchers step up and stop Slippery Rock’s offense while our hitters, one through nine, strung hits together.”
Saturday’s doubleheader was postponed due to rain and will be made up this Wednesday, March 9.
BASEBALL SPLITS NON-CONFERENCE SERIES AGAINST MALONE:
Graduate pitcher J.P. Pellis struck out five Malone hitters over 4.1 innings in the Crimson Hawks’ 5-1 victory in game one of Sunday afternoon’s doubleheader.
IUP’s offense yielded 5 runs in the first two innings of the game, leaving the door open for Pellis and sophomore pitcher Mark Edeburn to shut down the Malone lineup.
Malone would bounce back from the game one loss, however, after a 5-run second inning contributed to a 12-6 Pioneer win. IUP showed signs of life in the fifth inning after senior Collin Williams drove in a pair on a triple, who then would later score on a throwing error by the Pioneers’ catcher.
Sophomore Caden DeCroo and fifth-year student Chris Eisel tallied two hits each for IUP.
IUP returns to action this Friday with a doubleheader at Slippery Rock.
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