INDIANA, Pa. -
Aaron Jackson's (Sugar Grove, Pa./Eisenhower) first career victory and
Jared Wiesen's (Girard, Ohio/Liberty) four RBIs helped the Gannon baseball team earn a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division doubleheader split at Indiana (Pa.) Friday afternoon. A late rally wasn't enough as the Golden Knights dropped a 10-9 eight-inning decision in the opener, before rebounding with an 8-5 victory during the nightcap.
In the second game, Gannon fell behind 3-0 after two innings. But the Golden Knights jumped off the deck with seven consecutive runs during their next four at-bats. Following an unearned run during the third inning, Gannon forged ahead with a three-spot in the fourth.
Sean Sutton (Toronto, Ontario/Brebeuf College),
Mark DeVita (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) and
Bob Roach (Erie, Pa./McDowell) led off with singles to load the bases. Two batters later, Wiesen cleared the deck with a three-run double to right center field. A DeVita RBI single drove home
Aaron Cox (Dorchester, N.J./Millville) in the fifth inning to give the Golden Knights a 5-3 advantage.
The lead ballooned to 7-3 during the sixth inning when
Andrew Wagner (Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) scored on a wild pitch and
Zack Ranta's RBI single scored Wiesen.
Indiana (Pa.) tried to rally with a pair of runs during its half of the sixth, but Gannon immediately responded with DeVita's two-out RBI single up the middle in the seventh. Jackson then set the Crimson Hawks down in order during the bottom of the seventh inning to earn his first career victory.
Wiesen was the story of game two, finishing 3-for-5 with one run and four RBIs. DeVita went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI while Sutton added two hits and one run in three at-bats. Eight of Gannon's nine starters recorded a hit.
Jackson tossed his fifth complete game of the season, allowing five runs on 10 hits. The redshirt freshman struck out one and walked one while completing the game with 97 pitches.
Gannon produced a tremendous rally during the opener, but saw the effort come up short in an extra-inning loss. The Golden Knights appeared to be on their way with a pair of runs during their first at-bat, scoring on a Ranta RBI single and fielder's choice.
However, IUP immediately exploded with five runs during its first at-bat. Ten Crimson Hawks came to the plate during an inning that included four hits, two walks and one hit by pitch.
Gannon eventually trailed 9-5 after five innings, before the fireworks began. Wagner cut the deficit to 9-6 with an RBI double in the sixth inning. The Golden Knights then rallied with three runs after two outs were already recorded in the seventh.
With runners on the corners and two outs, Roach doubled home Cox to pull within 9-7. Wagner followed with a two-run single up the middle to tie the game at nine.
Unfortunately, the rally was for not as IUP escaped with the winning run during the bottom of the eighth inning. Austin Mock drew a lead-off walk, before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. He then scored the winning run on a one-out single through the right side.
All nine Gannon starters recorded a hit during the opener. Wiesen, Cox, Wagner and
Taylor Anderson (Niagara Falls, Ontario/A.N. Myer Secondary) had two hits each. Wagner led the RBI barrage with three. DeVita scored three times while Wiesen and Cox crossed the plate two times each.
Gannon moved to 14-24 overall and 9-13 in the PSAC West with Friday's split. Indiana (Pa.) is now 13-20 overall and 7-13 in divisional play. The two teams conclude a four-game series Saturday, April 19 with a doubleheader at Gannon University Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
