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T.J. Nichols Drives in 10 Runs, Corey Betz Tosses Four Shutout Innings in Split at Chowan

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T.J. Nichols had six hits, including a grand slam, and drove in 10 runs

T.J. Nichols had six hits, including a grand slam, and drove in 10 runs

Feb. 27, 2010

Game 1 Boxscore

Game 2 Boxscore

After three postponements due to weather, IUP finally opened its 2010 baseball season Saturday with a doubleheader split at Chowan, winning the first game 10-2 before surrendering a five-run lead and dropping the nightcap 12-11.

In the first game, Corey Betz pitched four shutout innings and allowed only one hit and struck out five. Greg Stewart worked the final three innings and gave up two runs with two strikeouts and picked up the save.

T.J. Nichols provided all the offense the Crimson Hawks would need with a first inning grand slam and had three hits and six RBIs in the game. He also drove in runs with singles in the second and fourth, and Paul Bingham added a two-run triple in the fourth.

Jamie Smith contributed two hits, two runs and two of IUP's seven stolen bases. Kofi Osei-Aning, making his first appearance for the Crimson Hawks, singled in IUP's final run in the seventh.

Nichols also had three hits and drove in four runs in the second game and IUP scored nine unanswered runs after falling behind 6-2. But Chowan (3-5-1) rallied and Stephen Cooke was tagged with the loss when he gave up three runs in the bottom of the sixth.

IUP pulled within 6-4 on RBI singles by Nichols and Bingham in the third and then took the lead with a four-run fourth that included a two-run double by Nichols. A bases loaded double by newcomer Frank Sirolli in the fifth plated three and gave the Crimson Hawks an 11-6 cushion.

But Chowan battled back to score three in its half of the fifth and capped its rally when William Ward singled in two runs in the sixth..

IUP stole eight more bases in the second game, with Smith, Bingham and Osei-Aning swiping two each, to register 15 in the twinbill.

The two teams wrap up their four-game series with another doubleheader on Sunday.

IUP will likely be without the services of all-conference pitcher Colby Betz this season. Betz is dealing with a right shoulder injury and has not thrown a live pitch since April 11, 2009, when he injured his shoulder pitching against California.

Betz is receiving medical advice from doctors and will soon determine the proper treatment. As of today, it is likely he will redshirt during the 2010 season.