Complete Box Score

WEST LAWN, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University baseball team's quest for its first-ever trip to the College World Series hit a speed bump on Friday night.

Second-seeded West Chester scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh inning and held on to defeat the fourth-seeded Lakers 3-2 at Owls Field in West Lawn, Pa. The loss dropped Mercyhurst to 39-16 overall and now forces the Lakers to win out to advance past this weekend.

Junior Matthew Jimenez suffered the hard luck loss for the Lakers, allowing one unearned run in six innings of relief. He was pressed into services after starter, junior lefthander Ben Rawding, lasted just three innings. Rawding left with an undisclosed  injury, appearing to get hurt on a ground ball down the third base line in the third inning. He labored throughout his three innings of work, walking five batters and allowing two runs on three hits.

Jimenez was brilliant in relief, allowing one unearned run on four hits in his six innings. He walked one and struck out five but saw his record drop to 4-2 on the season.

Mercyhurst jumped out in front 1-0 in the second, getting a run off of West Chester starter Joe Gunkel in the bottom half of the frame. Junior Zak Blair started the rally with a one-out double down the right field line. Senior Matt Adamczyk then hit a grounder to shortstop, which was booted by Josh Heyne, allowing Blair to score from second.

Rawding ran into trouble in the top of the third inning, and this time, the Golden Rams plated two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Free passes plagued the junior southpaw. Back-to-back walks to Mike Raimo and Jack Provine started the inning, followed by a single by Joe Wendle to load the bases. Chris Pula came through with an RBI single, tying the game at 1-1. Rawding then induced a double play grounder which accounted for the second run.

The Lakers tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore Anthony Tomasone laced a one-out double to the left center field gap and advanced to third when West Chester's left fielder Matt Baer misplayed the ball. Senior Shane Latshaw drove home Tomasone with a single to left field.

West Chester got the run back in the top of the seventh inning thanks, in large part, to an infield error to start the inning. Reid Pulford was the beneficiary of the miscue and eventually scored when Wendle laced an 0-2 fastball down the right field line, giving the Golden Rams a 3-2 lead.

The Lakers got a two-out double from Adamczyk in the ninth inning, but pinch-runner,  senior Jeremy Cressley, was stranded at second when sophomore Colin Loughner flew out to right field.

Gunkel went the distance for West Chester. He allowed two runs (one earned) on eight hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out nine.

Blair went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Lakers in defeat. Heyne and Wendle had two hits apiece for West Chester.
The Lakers will now attempt to stave off elimination in Saturday's first game against top-seeded Seton Hill. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. from Owls Field in West Lawn, Pa. Seton Hill lost to Kutztown 8-6 in Friday's second game.

The winner of the Mercyhurst-Seton Hill game will advance to take on West Chester in Saturday's 6:00 p.m. contest. For complete information regarding the NCAA Atlantic Regional tournament, please click here.