May 3, 2006

Stats

ERIE, Pa. - John Morris picked up his record ninth save of the year in game one and Adam Nine recorded his fourth shutout of 2006, as Mercyhurst (34-15, 19-9 GLIAC) swept a doubleheader from Gannon (15-35, 5-23 GLIAC), 3-0 and 8-0. Both Morris' and Nine's marks set single season records at Mercyhurst, and David Lough collected hits in each game to extend his hitting streak to 21 games. The win in game one also clinched a spot in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) playoffs.

Game One
John Morris pitched a scoreless seventh for his ninth save of the season, setting the single season record in a 3-0 win in the opener.

Morris relieved Brandon Mendola, who struck out 11 in the first six innings. Despite pitching on three days rest, the senior allowed just two hits and three walks to improve to 6-3.

Mercyhurst grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Scott Monzel and Walter Wieczorek led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Dan Bertolini drove in Monzel with two outs with a base hit of his own.

David Lough stretched his hit streak to 20 straight with a bloop double down the left field line in the third.

The Lakers added a pair of insurance runs against Bob Ohmer in the sixth. Ohmer hit Matt Echan to lead off the inning. After a sacrifice by Joe Mariano, David Lough was intentionally walked and Joe Luli was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. Monzel then singled throught the left side to score Echan and Lough and make it 3-0.

Monzel and Wieczorek had two hits each for Mercyhurst. Monzel also scored once and drove in two.

Ohmer took the loss and fell to 2-6. He allowed seven hits and all three runs. He issued one free pass and struck out two.

Morris' save broke the previous record of eight in a season, set by Tim Donaldson in 1991.

The win clinched a spot in next week's GLIAC playoffs for Mercyhurst. It is the Lakers first ever trip to the GLIAC playoffs and Mercyhurst's first trip to the postseason since 2000.

Game Two
Adam Nine hurled a four-hitter for his record-setting fourth shutout of the year as the Lakers completed the sweep with an 8-0 final in game two.

Nine improved to 8-2 on the season and struck out seven, while walking just two.

Scott Monzel had the first of two sacrifice flies in the second inning, scoring Joe Luli to give Mercyhurst a 1-0 lead. Luli had reached on a triple to right-center.

The score stayed 1-0 until the Lakers broke it open with three in the fourth and four in the fifth. Luli was hit by a Bo Corbett pitch to lead off the fourth. He then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a Walter Wieczorek single scored Luli, Brian Zacour reached on an error by the Gannon leftfielder, Ford Eisenman. Sean Weyant followed with a single that scored both runners for a 4-0 Mercyhurst edge.

In the fifth, the Lakers loaded the bases with no outs. Matt Echan led off single, Joe Mariano was hit by a pitch and Lough followed with single to center field. Luli doubled in Echan and Mariano and a sac fly by Monzel plated Lough. Walter Wieczorek singled to third base, but David Gnacinski rushed a throw across the diamond and threw the ball away, allowing Luli to score for an 8-0 lead for the Lakers.

Lough's single gave him a 21-game hitting streak.

Echan, Luli and Wieczorek all collected two hits for Mercyhurst. Luli scored three times, doubled, tripled and drove in a pair. Wieczorek went a perfect 4-for-4 in the doubleheader.

Corbett pitched all six innings for the Golden Knights. He allowed nine hits and a walk, and struck out one.

Nine broke a 21-year old record with his fourth shutout of the year. Bill Julio had thrown three shutouts in 1985.

The Laker pitching staff held Gannon to just seven hits and zero runs in 14 innings during the doubleheader.