Complete Box Score

WEST LAWN, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University baseball team got four runs in the first inning and senior righthander Brad Duffy went eight and one-third strong innings lifting the Lakers to a 6-5 victory over Kutztown on day one of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region tournament. Mercyhurst improved to 39-15 on the season.

Freshman Dan Altavilla came on in relief and got the final two outs of the game with the tying run at second base with only one out. The freshman got a weak ground ball back to the mound off the bat of Cody Montz and then struck out Brett Hauck on a 3-2 fastball. It was Altavilla's first collegiate save. 

Mercyhurst wasted little time getting on the board, sending nine batters to the plate in the top of the first inning and scoring four runs on six hits against Kutztown ace Dominick Ruscitti.

Freshman Kolin McMillen led off the inning with a single to center field. Senior Shane Latshaw came through with a one-out single to left field. Kutztown's Corey Buletza misplayed the ball, which allowed McMillen to score all the way from first and sent Latshaw all the way to third. Senior Ethan Santora then singled through the hole on the left side of the infield for a 2-0 lead. Junior Zak Blair and senior Matt Adamczyk followed with back-to-back singles, loading the bases with just one out. Sophomore Colin Loughner flew out to right field, deep enough to score Santora from third for a 3-0 advantage. Junior Andrew Fitzpatrick wrapped up the inning with a seeing-eye single through the left side, driving home Blair for a 4-0 lead.

Kutztown would get a run back in the bottom of the second inning, cutting the Mercyhurst lead to 4-1. Brad Stoudt led off the inning by striking out on a ball in the dirt. However, Duffy's pitch eluded sophomore catcher Anthony Tomasone, allowing Stoudt to reach first base. He would later score on an RBI groundout by his brother, Kyle.

The Golden Bears would continue to chip away at the Laker lead, scoring a single run in the bottom of the third. Brett Hauck reached on an infield single and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Duffy appeared to get out of the inning, inducing a two-out grounder to third base. Blair thought about tagging Hauck on the way by, but missed. He then rushed his throw to first, and Adamczyk could not control it, That allowed Hauck to score, cutting the Mercyhurst lead to 4-2.

Kutztown cut the Mercyhurst lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run over the right field fence by Travis Kreitz.

The Lakers got one of the runs back in the top of the fifth inning, extending the lead to 5-3. Tomasone led off the inning with a double to left center but advanced only to third on a double by Latshaw. Kreitz dove for the ball in right field and Tomasone had to hesitate, fearing the ball would be caught. Santora got the run home regardless, hitting a deep fly ball to left field which scored Tomasone.

But, the Golden Bears came right back with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Brad Stoudt led the inning off with a double and scored on an RBI single by Buletza, cutting the Laker lead to 5-4.

The Lakers got that run back in the top of the seventh inning, reclaiming a two-run lead at 6-4. Back-to-back walks to Tomasone and Latshaw started the rally, with Blair coming through with a one-out double down the right field line, scoring Latshaw.

Kutztown made things interesting in the ninth. Duffy got a shallow fly ball to center field for the first out of the inning. But, a triple by Kyle Stoudt and an RBI single by Kreitz ended Duffy's night with the Lakers leading 6-5. Altavilla came in and slammed the door.

Duffy went eight and one-third innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits. He walked one and struck out nine and improved to 7-1 on the season. Ruscitti suffered the loss for Kutztown, going six innings and allowing five runs on nine hits. He dropped to 7-3.

Santora went 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in a pair of runs. Blair and Latshaw contributed two hits apiece asMercyhurst outhit Kutztown 11-9.

The win means that Mercyhurst will take on second-seeded West Chester in the 6:00 p.m. game on Friday from Owls Field in West Lawn, Pa. West Chester defeated Shepherd on Thursday by a 4-0 final. The Lakers and Golden Rams have not met yet this season. For all of the information pertaining to the Atlantic Regional tournament, please click here.