The IUP baseball team split its home opener with nationally-ranked East Stroudsburg Monday afternoon.
The Warriors routed IUP in game one as a four-run fifth inning and three-run seventh inning lifted them to a 10-0 win. IUP was limited to just three hits in the game, those coming off the bats of Harrison Pontoli, David Kessler, and Au’sean Owens.
It was a different story in game two, though, as IUP rode the momentum of two four-run innings to end the series with a 9-1 win over the Warriors. Andrew Sicinski opened the scoring with a two-run single in the first. Torey Roper doubled home Sicinski the following at-bat, and Elijah Dunn followed with an RBI triple to push IUP ahead, 4-0, after the opening frame.
Dunn added insurance in the third with a solo home run to center, and Roper put the nail in the coffin with a grand slam in the fourth.
Derrick Shields picked up his first win after tossing five-and-two-thirds innings and collecting four strikeouts. Marion Center graduate Ty Ryen closed out the game with a 10-pitch frame in the seventh.
IUP, now 2-2, returns to Owen Dougherty Field on Wednesday for a non-conference game against Mount Aloysius.
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