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April 18, 2009
Game 1 boxscore and play-by-play Game 2 boxscore and play-by-play IUP and Gannon combined for 33 runs over the final two innings of the opening game but the Golden Knights were able to barely hang on for a wild 20-18 victory over the Crimson Hawks in the opening game of a PSAC West doubleheader at Owen Dougherty Field. IUP bounced back to win the nightcap 13-2. The Crimson Hawks are 18-22 overall and 11-13 in the PSAC West and the Golden Knights are 7-31 and 4-16 in the division. The split combined with a pair of Lock Haven losses to California leaves the Bald Eagles within two wins of clinching the fourth and final spot out of the West in the PSAC playoffs. Lock Haven plays four games versus Gannon next weekend while IUP is finished with division play. After seeing an eight-run rally in the bottom of the seventh fall just short in the first game, IUP spotted Gannon a 2-0 lead in the top of the first of the second game. But the Crimson Hawks quickly took command on a two-run homer by T.J. Nichols and RBI hits by Roland Thiele and Ryan Mostyn to lead 4-2 after one. Nichols added a sacrifice fly in the second and Mostyn belted a two-run homer in the third to made it 7-2. IUP put the game away with five in the sixth, including two-run singles by Jeff Lluberes and Paul Bingham. Mostyn, Nichols and Jamie Smith each had three hits in the second game and Kyle Stryker scored three times to back the pitching of Corey Betz and Craig Hibell. Betz, who took the loss in relief in the first game, went the first three innings of the nightcap and was credited with the win while Hibell worked four shutout innings and struck out four to gain the save. The first game was just 1-1 after four innings and IUP took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth before the offensive fireworks began. Gannon scored nine times on only four hits in the top of the sixth to take a 10-4 lead but two home runs evened it in the bottom of the frame. Three consecutive walks loaded the bases and Bingham cleared them with a drive over the fence in right for a grand slam, his first home run of the season. After a walk to Nichols, Lee Bainbridge blasted his team-leading 10th homer to left to tie it at 10. Betz came in to start the seventh but allowed four hits and left with Gannon in front 13-10. Mitch Perez surrendered five more hits, including a three-run double by Tim Lipp, and the Golden Knights led 20-10 heading into the bottom of the seventh. A sacrifice fly by Bingham made it 20-11 but brought Gannon within one out of the victory. It would not be easy as the next eight IUP batters reached safely, a string that included seven hits and a two-run double by Jamie Smith that made it 20-18 and put runners on second and third. Gannon survived when Bingham hit a grounder to third and was nipped on a close play at first to finally wrap up the game. IUP plays a non-conference doubleheader at Mount Aloysius Sunday and has home twinbills versus Fairmont State, Columbia Union and Bloomsburg during the final week of the regular season. |
