Erie, Pa. – The Mercyhurst baseball team will host cross town rival Gannon Saturday and Sunday, with double-headers being played each day starting at 1 p.m. at Mercyhurst Baseball Field. Sunday's doubleheader, originally scheduled to take place at Gannon, has been moved to Mercyhurst due to a delay in putting protective netting around GU Field. 

This weekend's series is the PSAC Western Division opener for both squads, as the teams renew their rivalry in the PSAC after 13 years in the GLIAC. Mercyhurst owns an 8-7 record after its southern swing. The Lakers went 1-3 against PSAC Eastern Division teams, splitting a doubleheader with Mansfield before being swept by East Stroudsburg. 

The most notable victory from the Lakers trip south was a 10-6 victory over the nation's top-ranked team in Lynn University. Ethan Santora paced the Lakers offense with a 2-for-3 performance, including two home runs as he scored two runs and added four RBI. Ryan Schreiber went the distance for Mercyhurst as he picked up the win in his first career start and was later named the PSAC Pitcher of the Week (March 2) for his efforts. 

Also earning PSAC honors was Jamie Walczak (March 9) after hitting .500 during the last week of the southern trip and garnering two scoreless innings of relief, including a save against Winona St.
Walczak and Santora are each batting .463 on the season, with Santora driving in 22 runs with seven home runs and a .926 slugging percentage. The Lakers as a team have nine players hitting .300 or better, and boast a team batting average of .336. 

For Gannon, the Golden Knights defeated St. Anselm and PSAC Western Division opponent Lock Haven during their southern swing. They have been led offensively by Kolten Hoffman, who is batting .450 with two home runs and 12 RBI while posting a .650 slugging percentage. Pitcher Greg Radwan has gone 1-2 with a 7.50 ERA, and bats .356. Frank Jagoda has a .318 average on the season, while the team's overall batting average stands at .261. After the Mercyhurst series, Gannon will take on preseason favorite Slippery Rock in a four-game series. 

Mercyhurst won three out of four meetings with Gannon in 2008, including a 4-0 victory April 23, 2008 at Jerry Uht Park in which Steve Grife threw a complete-game, four-hit shutout. Gannon's Greg Radwan hurled a four-hit shutout of his own in a 1-0 Golden Knight victory over the Lakers April 9, 2008 at Mercyhurst Baseball Field. 

The Lakers will take on PSAC West opponent IUP in a home-and-home series Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21. Mercyhurst will host the Crimson Hawks Friday before traveling to Indiana (Pa.) for a Saturday double-header.