Feb. 25, 2006

Stats

Boca Raton, Fla. - Mercyhurst improved to 3-0 with wins over Lynn and Mercy. The Lakers defeated Mercy for the second straight day, 7-2, then took a game from the nation's 22nd-ranked team in Lynn, 4-3.

Brian Espersen (1-0) picked up the win over Mercy (0-8). He went eight innings, allowing just a pair of unearned runs in the first inning before silencing the Mercy bats for the next seven frames. Espersen surrendered just two hits and walked four to go along with seven strike outs.

The Lakers received multi-hit games from seven different players in the win. Jamie Pochatek was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of runs scored. Joe Mariano went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. David Lough was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Matt Echan doubled and went 2-for-5. Brian Zacour picked up two hits in four at bats. Dan Bertolini went 2-for-3 with a run scored, a stolen base and two RBIs.

Kris Klang pitched a scoreless ninth for Mercyhurst.

Mercyhurst 7, Mercy 2 (Feb 25, 2006 at Boca Raton, Fla.)

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Mercyhurst.......... 120 102 100 - 7 15 0
Mercy............... 200 000 000 - 2 3 1
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Playing on Lynn's (6-4) homefield, the Lakers fell behind 3-0 after five innings, but scored two runs in both the sixth and eighth innings for the comeback victory.

In the sixth, Joe Mariano led off with a single to left field. After David Lough drew a walk, the two baserunners moved to second and third on a wild pitch. Joe Luli then knocked a two-run single up the middle to make it a 3-2 game.

Still trailing by one in the eighth, Lough walked again to lead off the inning. After moving to second on another wild pitch, Scott Monzel drove Lough home with his second hit of the game. Monzel would come home with the winning run later in the inning on an error by the Lynn shortstop, Ricky Gerena.

James Ludwig (1-0) picked up his first win of the season with 5.1 innings of relief work. He scattered five hits and four walks, striking out three and allowing just one run. Lefty Brian Chad started for Mercyhurst, and went 3.2 innings.

Nick Brown dropped to 2-1 for the Fighting Knights. Pitching in relief, he surrendered two runs, one earned, in 2.1 innings of work.

Monzel went 2-for-4 with the game-tying RBI and the game-winning run. Luli had two RBIs and Lough scored twice.

Gerena led all players with three hits, including two doubles.

The Lakers complete a two-game series against Lynn on Sunday, February 25 at 1:00 PM. The Fighting Knights will be providing live stats during the action on their website, www.lynn.edu/athletics.

Mercyhurst 4, No. 22 Lynn 3 (Feb 25, 2006 at Boca Raton, Fla.)

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Mercyhurst.......... 000 002 020 - 4 7 1
No. 22 Lynn......... 010 110 000 - 3 10 2
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