Slippery Rock 12, Mercyhurst 7
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Mercyhurst College baseball team fell at Slippery Rock on Sunday afternoon by a 12-7 count, earning a split in the four-game season series against its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division rival.
The Lakers are now 21-19 overall 12-8 in the PSAC West while Slippery Rock moves to 21-20 overall and finishes its conference schedule with a 13-11 mark.
Mercyhurst has one Western Division series left with Clarion this weekend and are currently in third place in the division as the Lakers look to capture their second-straight playoff berth awarded to the top four teams in both the Eastern and Western Divisions.
Gannon owns the fourth spot with a 11-9 mark in conference with one weekend series against Indiana (Pa.), who is tied with California for first place. Slippery Rock is in fifth place.
Against The Rock in a game that was resumed from Friday in the bottom of the first inning, the Lakers' offense was slow to perform and did not take advantage of five Slippery Rock errors on the day.
Mercyhurst spotted the hosts an 8-0 advantage before the Lakers scored its first run in the top of the fourth when Greg Turk's two-out single plated John Blike.
However, The Rock pushed across three more in the bottom of the frame to extend its lead.
The Lakers cut the lead in half, 11-6, in the top of the fifth thanks to five hits and three SRU errors.
Kevin McCall singled to right field to start the rally before Ethan Santora singled to center field. #Adam Gray singled through the left side driving in McCall before the Lakers fourth-straight hit by #Craig Denman added another RBI single. Adam Brentlinger doubled home another run and would eventually score on a passed ball for the innings final run.
The Rock answered with another run in the bottom of the inning and the Lakers mustered just one in the top of the seventh for the game's final score.
Brentlinger and McCall paced the Lakers' offense, both going 3-for-4 with Brentlinger adding and RBI and a run scored. Kenny Walrond, Denman, Gray and Turk each added an RBI while McCall, Gray, Denman, Santora added a run scored, with designated hitter John Blike also adding two runs scored.
On the mound, Nick Gillung took the loss to move to 3-3 on the year. He went three innings, giving up eight earned runs on nine hits while striking out three and walking three. Scott Knoche and Russell Gardner eached added time on the mound.
For The Rock, Derek DiRuscia went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Joby Lapkowicz threw six innings, seven runs, five earned, on 13 hits while striking out six to move to 2-4 on the year.
The Lakers return to action next on Tuesday when they travel to Wheeling Jesuit.
