No. 15 Kutztown 12, Mercyhurst 5

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- The 15th-ranked Kutztown University Golden Bears rallied to push across seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 12-5 come-from-behind victory against Mercyhurst College in the opening round of the 51st Annual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament.

Kutztown (35-11) advances to take on the winner of tonight's IUP vs. East Stroudsburg contest while the Lakers (25-21) will meet the loser of that contest tomorrow at 12:30 p.m.

Each team had 10 hits in contest, but the Lakerscommitted an uncharacteristic five errors, including three in the fateful seventh frame.

Mercyhurst opening the scoring with Greg Turk's RBI-single to centerfield to plate Adam Schlessel in the second, but Kutztown was able to counter in the bottom half of the inning via a James Quigley home run.

The Lakers quickly answered in the next frame as Adam Gray, the fourth batter of the inning, scored Trey Bennett and Ethan Santora on his 3-run homer.  Bennett doubled to lead off the frame while Santora reached on a walk after Kevin McCall's foul fly out.

Again Kutztown answered with a run in the bottom half and would come back to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth after holding the Lakers scoreless in their next at bat.  A Mercyhurst error with two outs allowed both Golden Bear runs.

The Lakers broke the tie in the top of the seventh after McCall reached on an error by the KU shortstop and Santora smacked a triple to left center for the go-ahead run.

However, the Golden Bears took advantage of a defensive meltdown by the Lakers, combining four hits with three errors to plate seven for the game's final score.  Matt Kulbacki's 2-RBI double down the left field line and Matt Albaugh's 2-RBI single highlighted the Golden Bears inning.

Backes (6-3) lasted 6 1/3 innings for the Lakers, allowing 10 runs, only two of which were earned, on six hits while walking four and striking out seven.  Samuel O'Neill closed out the game, throwing 1 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits while walking two.

Mike Bucklin got the win for KU, throwing the final four innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits while striking out four batters.

Santora finished the game 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI while Craig Denman, Bennett and Schlessel each had two hits for the Lakers.