Complete Box Score
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. - Senior
Zach Leitten put on a pitching display on Sunday afternoon in what was his first start of the season.
The righthander allowed just one hit in seven shutout innings, leading the Mercyhurst baseball team to a 5-1 victory over Salem International to conclude a weekend sweep for the Lakers. Mercyhurst, which has now won four straight, improved to 12-4 on the season, while the Tigers dropped to 2-15.
Leitten had a no-hitter through six-and-a-third innings before Michael Holbert picked up the Tigers first hit - a double to left center field. Leitten would get out of the seventh inning, and would finish his outing by pitching to two batters over the minimum for his seven innings of work. He gave way to senior
Brad Duffy, who pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, before giving up a solo homerun to Holbert in the ninth.
Leitten has allowed just three hits in 11.1 innings this season, limiting opponents to a miniscule .081 batting average.
The Lakers did not break through until the fourth inning, when Mercyhurst scored three unearned runs against Tiger starter Myles Swartz. Junior
Zak Blair reached on an error to lead off the inning. Then, with one out, redshirt freshman
Ryan Siegel singled through the right side of the infield. Blair advanced to third base on the hit and scored as the throw got away from the third basemen. Siegel advanced all the way to third and scored on a squeeze bunt by senior
Matt Adamczyk.
Sophomore
Colin Loughner and freshman
Kyle Hagerich would keep the inning alive with back-to-back singles, with Loughner coming around to score on another throwing error.
The score remained 3-0 until the seventh, when senior
Shane Latshaw doubled to lead off the inning and then came around to score on a sacrifice fly by senior
Ethan Santora.
Mercyhurst would tack on one more run in the eighth inning on an RBI single by junior
Andrew Fitzpatrick.
The story of the afternoon, however, was Leitten, who struck out nine batters in his seven innings. He allowed just three runners to reach base in the start - one hit, one walk, and one hit batter. He is 1-0 on the season.
Meanwhile, Swartz suffered the tough luck loss for Salem International, allowing just two earned runs in eight innings. He allowed six Laker hits and walked two, while striking out five.
Mercyhurst will return to action next Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18 for a pair of doubleheaders at Pitt-Johnstown.
