Baseball | 5/16/2017 10:00:00 AM

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst baseball team plays host to the 2017 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament as the top-seeded team in the region. The tournament is set to take place May 18-22 at Russell Diethrick Park in Jamestown, N.Y.  The playoff features seven teams in a double-elimination format.
 
Mercyhurst earned a first-round bye as the tournament's top seed. They will await the winner of #5 Shippensburg versus #4 Millersville in Game #5 on Friday, May 19 at 3:30 p.m. Readers can follow along with the entire tournament at the 2017 NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament Central website. This will include a full tournament bracket and schedule, live-stat links, and additional tournament information.
 
The winner of the Atlantic Regional Tournament will move on to the NCAA Division II Baseball National Championships at the Ballpark in Grand Prairie in Grand Prairie, Texas May 27-June 3.
 
LAKER OUTLOOK
Mercyhurst earned an at-large bid as the number-one seed in the region after compiling a 36-7 overall record in 2017. They finished runners-up at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament after entering the tournament as the first seed in the West Division.
 
The Lakers aim to win their first NCAA Atlantic Region title since 2015. The Lakers were also the host team that season. This NCAA tournament appearance marks the sixth in the last seven seasons for Mercyhurst.
 
Mercyhurst's lineup features the second highest team-batting average in Division II at .346. Chris Gonzalez, Jimmy Latona, and Drew Delsignore all have averages over .400 and at least eight home runs each.
 
The Lakers' pitching staff also hold an impressive team earned-run average of 3.55. Top starting pitchers Russell Lamovec, Chris Vallimont, and Vincenzo Lucente have combined to throw 149 innings with 201 strikeouts with just 55 earned runs allowed.  
 
Mercyhurst is led by Head Coach Joe Spano who earned his fourth career PSAC West Division Coach of the Year award in his 18^th season as the leader of the Lakers' program.
 
SCOUTING THE FIELD
#7 Seed – Winston-Salem State Rams
-Qualification: Automatic bid as Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) tournament champion
-2017 Record: 35-17
-Head Coach: Kevin Ritsche (7^th season)
-Sixth NCAA Tournament Appearance in the last seven seasons
-Hitters to watch: Ivan Acuna (.370 BA, 11 HR, 55 RBI), Randy Norris (.359 BA, 75 hits, 43 SB)
-Pitchers to watch: Kanoa Hironaka (10-4, 97 1/3 IP, 3.70 ERA), Seth Reeves (9-2, 73 1/3 IP, 1.84 ERA)
                              
#6 Seed – Shepherd Rams
-Qualification: Automatic bid as Mountain East Conference (MEC) tournament champion
-2017 Record: 32-22
-Head Coach: Matt McCarthy (5^th season)
-Back-to-back MEC Tournament champions and second-striaght Atlantic Regional appearance
-Hitters to watch: JJ Sarty (.362 BA, 17 HR, 24 SB), Chase Hoffman (11 HR, 46 RBI, 47 runs)
-Pitchers to watch: Ryan Pansch (9-0, 67 IP, 2.55 ERA), Ryan Potts (45 1/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 46 K)
 
#5 Seed – Shippensburg Raiders
-Qualification: At-large bid out of the PSAC
-2017 Record: 30-22-1
-Head Coach: Matt Jones (11^th season)
-Hold a 9-4 Atlantic Region tournament record under Jones, including two regional titles
-Hitters to watch: Jake Kennedy (22 HR, 71 RBI, .740 SLG), Ryan McMillen (.384 BA, 76 hits, .485 OBP)
-Pitchers to watch: Gabe Mosser (7-5, 74 IP, 2.55 ERA), Mark Curtis (5-4, 54 IP, 4.17 ERA)
 
#4 Seed – Millersville Marauders
-Qualification: At-large bid out of the PSAC
-2017 Record: 33-17
-Head Coach: Joe Shehan (10^th season)
-2016 National Runner-Up, fifth-straight Atlantic Regional appearance
-Hitters to watch: Chas McCormick (.386 BA, 9 HR, 43 RBI), Dan Neff (.335 BA, 24 SB, 39 runs)
-Pitchers to watch: Eli Nabolz (7-2, 73 1/3 IP, 2.82 ERA), Mike Mock (1.31 ERA, 5 saves, .129 OppBA)
 
#3 Seed – Seton Hill Griffins
-Qualification: Automatic bid as PSAC tournament champion
-2017 Record: 36-18
-Head Coach: Marc Marizzaldi (14^th season)
-Eighth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, first-ever PSAC tournament title
-Hitters to watch: Tom McCarthy (.388 BA, 40 RBI, 37 SB), Craig Lewis (.376 BA, 20 2B, 28 SB)
-Pitchers to watch: Kenny Wells (7-2 record, 26 IP, 3 saves), Perry DellaValle (3-0, 1.69 ERA, 32 IP)
 
#2 Seed – West Chester Golden Rams
Qualification: At-large bid out of the PSAC
-2017 Record: 36-11
-Head Coach: Jad Prachniak (6^th season)
-21-11 overall postseason record under Prachniak, 2012 Atlantic Region and National Champions
-Hitters to watch: Shane Dressler (.396 BA, 19 2B, 48 RBI), Nick Ward (.335 BA, 8 HR, 39 RBI)
-Pitchers to watch: Josh McClain (7-2, 8 saves, 3.37 ERA), Mike Cipolla (7-2, 60 2/3, 1.78 ERA)