Jake Horew dives back in front of Rio Grande first baseman Lance Montano Friday. Photo by Sam Robinson.
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PITTSBURGH -- Demetrius Moorer raced home on a sacrifice fly by Andy Chacon in the bottom of the seventh in Point Park University's 5-4 win over the University Rio Grande in game two of at KIAC baseball doubleheader Friday at Point Park Field at Green Tree Park.
The victory in their last at bat gave the Pioneers (19-18, 12-6 KIAC) a hard-fought split on the first day of the four-game series with Rio Grande (25-18, 11-5 KIAC). Point Park lost the first game of the day, 9-2, but battled back later to stay 1.0 game ahead of the RedStorm in the KIAC standings and remain in third place.
Moorer was a standout player for Point Park in Friday's victory. The senior center fielder was 2 for 3 with a two-run homer that highlighted a four-run third inning. That gave the Pioneers a 4-1 lead.
Although Rio Grande rallied to tie things up with three runs on four hits in the top of the fifth, Pioneers' reliever Jarrad Brown kept things there. He earned the win by keeping the RedStorm off the scoreboard the final 2.1 innings and allowing just one hit.
With Brown holding things in check, Point Park eventually won in the last of the seventh. Moorer led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
With first base open, Shane Conley was intentionally walked. Chris Hernandez then provided a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. After another intentional walk to Jake Horew, the bases were loaded with just one out.
Chacon, who had also provided a sacrifice fly in the third, followed with his winning drive to center field. Point Park had just four hits in all -- and it was Moorer and Horew with two apiece. But it drew a combined eight walks from three Rio Grande pitchers.
Nolan Krivijanski got the no-decision in 4.1 innings as the Pioneers starter. He was charged with four runs on six hits although it wasn't until the fifth that Rio Grande got to him or put him in any real trouble.
The fourth hit of the fifth inning was a base hit by Rio Grande's Daryin Lewis, which tied the score at 4-4 and chased Krivijanski. Brown came on in relief and got out of a first-and-third jam. The third out came when Lewis was cut in a run down between third and home as the score remained 4-4.
The first game was all Rio Grande as the RedStorm built a 7-0 and had earlier scored five runs in the top of the first. Rio Grande totaled 17 hits in the opener.
There were seven hits in the first inning, two of which came on bunts. With two outs and only two runs in to that point, Judah Wollenburg provided a big hit, a two-run single. Ty Warnimont followed with a base hit to stretch it out to 5-0.
The Rio Grande hitting backed winning pitcher Trent Downs, who gave up just two runs in his complete game. He scattered seven hits and kept the Pioneers off balance while they tried to cut into the big deficit.
Rio Grande successfully tacked on to its lead as the game wore on. Kirk Yates blasted a two-run homer in the fourth that padded the lead to 7-0. The RedStorm added a pair of unearned runs in ths fifth to put things out of reach.
Jason Kim pitched the first five innings for Point Park. Lyle Howard came on for the final two frames and did not allow a run.
Point Park and Rio Grande finish the series Saturday with two more games beginning at 12 p.m. Follow the Pioneers on Twitter @PointParkSports and Facebook.com/PointParkSports
