Mercyhurst 11, Clarion 2
Mercyhurst 12, Clarion 7

CLARION, Pa. -- With a doubleheader sweep of Clarion for the second consecutive day, Mercyhurst College completed the season sweep over the Golden Eagles, posting an 11-2 win in the opener followed by a 12-7 decision in the regular-season finale.

The Lakers (25-20, 15-11 PSAC West) clinch the No. 3 seed in the Western Division and will take on the Eastern Division's No. 2 seed Kutztown at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28 on the opening day of the 2010 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament.

The winner of the eight-team tournament (top four teams from the Western and Eastern Divisions) will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament.  

The Lakers enter the PSAC playoffs with momentum, having won their last four games.  In today's contests, Mercyhurst banged out 31 hits for 23 runs as nine different Lakers combined for multiple-hit performances.

Ethan Santora led the Lakers at the plate with a 6-for-9 effort in the twinbill, adding two runs scored while driving in three RBI.  

In game one, Santora finished 3-for-5 and was one of five Lakers to finish with two or more hits.  Trey Bennett (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI), Kevin McCall (2-for-5, 2 R, RBI), Adam Gray (2-for-4, 3 RBI, R) and Bill Gerstenslager (2-for-4, 2 RBI) aided in the offensive attack.

Nick Gillung picked up the win for the Lakers, going six innings and allowing one earned run on eight hits while striking out four and walking one.

In game two, Justin Urschel paced Mercyhurst with a 4-for-5 effort and added three RBI and a run scored.  Santora and Joe Cochran each finished with three hits on the day while Kenny Walrond and Adam Brentlinger contributed two hits.  Walrond would finish with three runs scored and an RBI while Brentlinger posted two runs and an RBI.

On the mound, rookie Gerstenslager went three full innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits.  Reliever Thurman Schaetzle came on in relief and earned the win, going one inning and allowing one hit.  Russell Gardner and Samuel O'Neill split the remaining innings.

2010 PSAC Baseball Tournament Schedule
(April 28 - May 1 | Johnstown, Pa.)

Wednesday, April 28
9:30 AM Game 1: 2W California vs 3E Mansfield (Bracket A)
12:30 PM Game 2: 1E West Chester vs 4W Slippery Rock (Bracket A)
3:30 PM Game 3: 2E Kutztown vs 3W Mercyhurst (Bracket B)
6:30 PM Game 4: 1W Indiana (Pa.) vs 4E East Stroudsburg (Bracket B)

Thursday, April 29
9:30 AM Game 5: Game 1 Loser v Game 2 Loser
12:30 PM Game 6: Game 3 Loser v Game 4 Loser
3:30 PM Game 7: Game 1 Winner v Game 2 Winner
6:30 PM Game 8: Game 3 Winner v Game 4 Winner

Friday, April 30
9:30 AM Game 9: Game 5 Winner v Game 7 Loser
12:30 PM Game 10: Game 6 Winner v Game 8 Loser
3:30 PM Game 11: Game 9 Winner v Game 7 Winner
6:30 PM Game 12: Game 10 Winner v Game 8 Winner

Saturday, May 1
If ONE Game Needed: (Both Game 7 and Game 8 winners win in Games 11 and 12)
1:00 PM Game 13 Championship Game

If TWO Games Needed: (If only one of Game 7 or Game 8 winners win Games 11 or 12)
Noon Game 13 IF Game
3:00 PM Game 14 Championship Game

If THREE Games Needed (If both Game 9 and Game 10 winner win Game 11 and Game 12)
10:00 AM Game 13 IF Game, Bracket A (rematch of Game 11)
1: 00 PM Game 14 IF Game, Bracket B (rematch of Game 12)
4:00 PM Game 15 Championship Gam