Game 1:  Mercyhurst 1, Lock Haven 0
Game 2:  Mercyhurst 5, Lock Haven 2

ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst College baseball team swept a twinbill from visiting Lock Haven Friday afternoon, defeating the Bald Eagles 1-0 in the opener before adding a 5-2 victory in the nightcap. 

The Lakers even their overall record at 13-13 while moving to 8-6 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division. Meanwhile, Lock Haven falls to 8-16 on the year and remain winless in the West. 

The two teams combined for 12 hits in the doubleheader as the pitchers tallied 22 strikeouts in combination with sluggish offenses for both squads. 

In the opener, the Lakers used a timely hit by their starting pitcher Adam Gray to manufacture the game's only run. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Gray singled to move Craig Denman to third base after Denman reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second on a wild pitch. 

With runners at the corners, the Lakers executed a double steal, with Gray involved in a long rundown allowing Denman time to plate the winning run. 

Gray (3-1) went the distance for the Lakers on the mound, holding Lock Haven to just two hits while striking out seven and walking four. 

For the Bald Eagles, Josh Rote took the loss to move to 1-4 on the year, giving up just three hits while striking out six and walking four. 

In the nightcap, the Bald Eagles got on the scoreboard in a hurry as they pushed a run across in their first at-bat. Mark Strouse's single up the middle plated Cody Young, who reached on a fielder's choice then stole second to put himself in scoring position. 

The Lakers answered in the bottom of the frame as leadoff man Jonathan Keppler was hit-by-pitch, then advanced to second on Kevin McCall's sacrifice and stole third before Ethan Santora's ground out tied the game. 

Mercyhurst broke out for three runs in the bottom of the fifth after Adam Schlessel's bunt plated Gray, who singled up the middle to lead off the inning. McCall's single eight batters later added the final two runs of the inning as Bill Gerstenslager and Jonathan Keppler crossed the plate for a 4-1 advantage. 

The Lakers would stretch their lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Trey Bennett scored from second on a throwing error by the Bald Eagles shortstop. 

In the top of the seventh, Lock Haven appeared to be on its way to a two-out rally after Strouse's double down the leftfield line plated Kevin Kochka, but the Lakers' starter Nick Gillung got Ryan Griffin to fly to rightfield for the final out. 

Gillung (3-2) allowed just five hits in the complete game, striking out five batters while walking four. His counterpart, Jordan Yohn, gave up five runs, four earned, on just two hits in 5 2/3 innings work. He struck out four and walked four. 

Next up for the Lakers is the final doubleheader in the Lock Haven series. The two teams will square off on Saturday, April 3 at Lock Haven. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.