April 8, 2006

Stats

University Center, Mich. - Mercyhurst outslugged Saginaw Valley State 13-3 in game one of a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) twinbill, then came from three runs down to pick up the sweep with a 5-3 victory in game two.

With the two wins, the Lakers improved to 17-10 overall and 6-4 in GLIAC play, while the Cardinals dropped to 12-11 on the year and 2-8 in the conference.

Game One
Joe Luli went 4-for-5 with five runs batted in as the Lakers picked up the 13-3 victory.

Luli put the Lakers on the board in the first inning with a bases loaded double to right center off Saginaw starter Jim Kelly that scored Matt Echan, Joe Mariano and David Lough as Mercyhurst took a 3-0 lead in the top of the inning.

Mercyhurst added a run in the third when Walter Wieczorek singled in Lough to make it 4-0. The Lakers then extended it to 6-0 the following inning. Brian Zacour scored on an error and Luli added an RBI single to plate Mariano.

The Cardinals battled back in the bottom of the inning for three runs off Brandon Mendola. Three straight singles to lead off the inning scored the only earned run of the frame, as a Mercyhurst error extended the inning.

The Lakers ended any chance of a comeback, scoring two more in the top of the fifth and hanging a five spot in the seventh.

Wieczorek led off the fifth with a single, followed by walks to Josh Schmidt and Zacour to load the bases. A passed ball brought Wieczorek home and a wild pitch scored pinch runner Adam Stewart on ball four to Echan. Zacour also tried to score on the play, but was gunned down at home.

Lough had a two-run single in the seventh to score Echan and Dan Bertolini. Luli drove home his fifth run with a single in the inning and Wieczorek added a run scoring base hit as well.

Mendola (3-2) went the distance on the mound, striking out seven and walking one. He allowed just one earned run on eight hits.

Lough went 3-for-5 in the game with three runs scored. Wieczorek also went 3-for-5, driving in two. Mariano had a pair of hits and Echan scored three times.

Kelly took the loss, allowing eight runs - four earned - on eight htis and three walks in four innings of work. He fanned two. Ben Esparza went 2.2 innings and allowed five unearned runs in the seventh.

The Lakers rapped out 13 hits in the game and drew five walks.

Game Two
It appeared Saginaw found an answer to the Laker offense, no-hitting Mercyhurst through five and grabbing a 3-0 lead, but Mercyhurst scored five runs in the final two innings for the 5-3 victory.

The Cardinals scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth. Peter Vanderkolk drove in Justin Gouthro for an unearned run in the third. Kevin Schwedler stroked an RBI double in the fourth and Jason Burghardt drove home a run the to give the home team a 3-0 lead through five innings.

Up until that point, Steve Liebrecht kept the Lakers off balance, allowing just four baserunners, and no hits, through five innings. But in the sixth, with two outs, Joe Luli walked and Scott Monzel was hit by a pitch. Walter Wieczorek then loaded the bases with a single through the left side.

Gouthro replaced Liebrecht on the mound and threw a wild pitch to Brian Zacour, scoring Luli. Zacour then singled in Wieczorek and Monzel to tie the score at 3-3 heading into the seventh.

The Lakers loaded the bases with two outs for Wieczorek. After a Saginaw Valley pitching change, the third baseman brought home the winning runs with a two-run single to right field to give Mercyhurst a 5-3 lead.

John Morris entered the game in the seventh and slammed the door shut by forcing a pair of ground outs and striking out a batter for his fourth save.

Adam Nine improved to 4-1 on the season, allowing just two earned runs on eight hits. He struck out three and walked a pair of Cardinals in six innings.

Wieczorek had a big day at the dish, going 2-for-4 to finish the two games at 5-for-9. Zacour and Sean Weyant had the only other hits for Mercyhurst in game two, as the Lakers scored five runs on just four hits.

Gouthro took the loss for SVSU, allowing two runs in an inning of relief.

The two teams conclude the season series on Sunday, April 9 at noon in University Center.