Box Score

GREENSBURG, Pa. - For the second consecutive week, the Mercyhurst University football team dropped at least 50 points on its opponent and the Lakers got back to the .500 mark with a 50-19 victory at Seton Hill on Saturday afternoon from Offutt Field. It was Mercyhurst's first conference win of the season as the Lakers improved to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the PSAC Western Division. The Griffins dropped to 0-6 overall and 0-3 in their first season in the PSAC.

It was the first meeting between the two schools and Mercyhurst improved to 1-1 on the season against first-time opponents. The Lakers dropped the season opener, 17-16 at Bentley, on September 7.

After scoring 112 points over the course of the first four weeks of the season, Mercyhurst has scored 113 points in victories over Cheyney last Saturday and against Seton Hill. The 113 points in a two-game span mark the second-highest total in school history - the 1985 Lakers scored 127 points in a two-game span with a 45-7 win at Brockport State and an 82-0 win over Niagara the following week.

Starting in place of an injured Anthony Vendemia for the first time in his career, redshirt junior quarterback Alec Swartz completed 12-of-16 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns. Swartz got help from redshirt sophomore Brandon Brown-Dukes out of the backfield. Brown-Dukes, coming off of a career-low four yards on eight carries last Saturday, had his fourth 100-yard game of the season, and 10th of his career, finishing with 127 yards on just 13 carrries.

Swartz, who threw his first collegiate touchdown pass last Saturday against Cheyney, hooked up with junior transfer Marcus Snipes on a 36-yard touchdown pass with 11:11 left in the opening quarter to start the scoring. The one-play drive was set up when redshirt junior Michael Foster partially blocked a Seton Hill punt. Senior placekicker Steven Wakefield, who tied the school record with nine PATs last Saturday, added the point after for a 7-0 lead. They were the first of 17 points Mercyhurst would score in the opening quarter.

Redshirt sophomore T.J. Latimer was on the receiving end of a seven-yard touchdown pass from Swartz with 5:08 left in the opening quarter for a 14-0 lead. Wakefield added a 19-yard field goal with nine seconds left in the opening 15 minutes for a 17-0 advantage.

The hosts got on the board to start the second quarter when Denzell Jackson plunged in from two yards out with 12:06 left, cutting the Laker lead to 17-7.

But, Mercyhurst scored the final 14 points of the first half to take a 31-7 lead into the locker room. The first came on a two-yard touchdown run by senior Allen Jones II, followed by a 51-yard scoring run by Brown-Dukes to close the half.

The Lakers scored the only points of the third quarter, extending their lead to 43-7 after three quarters. Wakefield started the scoring with his second field goal of the afternoon - a 28-yarder with 9:45 left in the third. Then, Seton Hill quarterback Rafal Garcarz dropped the football deep in his own zone and although he recovered in the Seton Hill endzone, the play resulted in a safety for the Lakers - increasing the lead to 36-7.

It was Mercyhurst's first safety since getting two points in last season's win at Cheyney on September 29, 2012.

Mercyhurst tacked on another score to close out the third quarter when Swartz found Snipes for the second time in the afternoon. Snipes' 16-yard touchdown gave the Lakers a 43-7 lead and was his third receiving touchdown over the last two games.

Seton Hill scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, sandwiched around a 45-yard touchdown run by freshman Drew Robinson, for the final margin. It was Robinson's second touchdown of the season and was the longest run of his career.

Brown-Dukes finished with 127 yards on just 13 carries. Robinson added a career-best 88 yards on six totes, while Jones II finished with 82 yards on 14 carries. Swartz, who threw for 168 yards and three touchdowns, gave way to redshirt freshman Zach Emerick in the fourth quarter. Emerick went 2-for-4 for 41 yards. Sophomore Jaquan Williams led the Lakers with four catches, while Snipes had the most receiving yards with 59.

Denzell Jackson had 51 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Garcarz, who relieved starting quarterback Jarvis McClam late in the first quarter, finished the afternoon by completing 19-of-30 passes for 193 yards and one score.

Defensively, redshirt junior Pat Behm led the Lakers with seven tackles while redshirt senior Serge Augustin had six stops and blocked an extra point attempt.

Mercyhurst will have a short week to get ready for its showdown with PSAC West leading Gannon on Thursday night. The Golden Knights took care of Edinboro on Saturday to remain unbeaten in PSAC West play. The game will take place at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium on Thursday, October 17 beginning at 7:00 p.m. It is also serving as a fundraiser to raise money and awareness for ALS. Tickets are available at the Mercyhurst Athletic Department office, the Mercyhurst bookstore, and at the Erie Sport Store. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and senior citizens, and free for kids 12 and under.