Mercyhurst 9, Notre Dame 2

ERIE, Pa. -- In a non-conference tilt, the Mercyhurst College baseball team pushed across five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to move past visiting Notre Dame College, 9-2.

Junior righthander Brad Duffy improved to 2-1 on the year after throwing five innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits while striking out nine batters.  Overall, the Lakers moved to 22-9 following the midweek victory.

His counterpart, junior southpaw Chris Willoughby, took the loss for the Falcons to fall to 0-3 on the year after giving up four earned runs on six hits and five walks.  Notre Dame moves to 19-13 on the year as the Falcons transition to NCAA Division II status.

The Falcons struck first with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first frame, then followed with a Brown homer to left field in the third for a 2-0 lead.

However, the Lakers scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth on a 2-RBI double by Nico Baldelli, a Justin Urschel infield single and a Jonathan Keppler sacrifice fly.

The game remained close for the middle innings as the two teams combined to leave 18 men on base (10 NDC, 8 Mercyhurst).  In the eighth, the Lakers were able to break the game open with a little two-out magic.  After a double by Craig Denman to start the inning, the Falcons quickly managed the next two outs before the NDC shortstop could not handle cleanly Urschel's hit up the middle.  Denman would score on the play before the Lakers loaded the bases.  Kevin McCall's bases-clearing double to right center plated Urschel, Keppler and Zak Blair before Bill Gerstenslager doubled home McCall for the final run.

The Lakers return to action on Friday, April 15 when they travel to Lock Haven to take on the Bald Eagles in a PSAC West doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.