Box Score

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Mercyhurst University baseball team got its 2013 spring trip off to a sour start, suffering a 4-2 loss to the Golden Falcons of Felician College on Thursday at the Cal Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The loss dropped the Lakers to 2-2 on the season while Felician improved to 3-1.

The Cal Ripken Experience is a wooden bat tournament and neither team had much success at the plate on Thursday. The Lakers were limited to seven hits, while the Golden Falcons could muster just five hits. However, the difference was hitting with runners on base. Felician was 3-for-10 with runners on base, including 3-of-7 with runners in scoring position, and left just four runners. Meanwhile, the Lakers were 4-of-16 with runners on, but just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 14 runners on base in the nine-inning contest.

Mercyhurst had at least one baserunner in every inning on Thursday, but could not score any runs until the top of the ninth inning. The Lakers had runners at first and second with one out in the first inning, bases loaded with two outs in the second, runners at second and third with two outs in the third, runners at first and second with two outs in the fourth, runners on first and second with nobody out in the seventh, and runners at first and second with two outs in the eighth, but could plate any runs.

The Lakers had seven hits, drew 11 bases on balls, and also had two players hit by a pitch for the contest.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Golden Falcons plated a pair of runs off of sophomore starter Dan Altavilla. While Felician pitchers were able to pitch around walks, Altavilla could not in the fourth. A pair of walks to Gabriel Fellin and Eric Pecoraro to start the inning put the sophomore in a jam. Then, after Scott DeJong sacrificed the runners to second and third, Mike Farrell came up with a two-run double to plate the first runs of the game. Altavilla would get out of further damage with a pair of strikeouts to close out the frame.

Felician would tack on another run in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Fellin.

In the seventh, the Golden Falcons would plate their fourth run of the game off of Mercyhurst reliever, junior Jon Corbi. With two outs, Ralph Caccavale was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second on a throwing error by Corbi. Aaron Brill came through with an RBI single, driving home Caccavale for an unearned run.

Mercyhurst would finally break through in the top of the ninth, and would make things very interesting. Freshman Brendan Cox drew a one-out walk and then advanced to second on a single by senior Zak Blair. Junior Joe Pantano would follow with an RBI single, driving home Cox, and putting runners at the corners with one out. Sophomore Ryan Siegel hit a sacrifice fly to right field, driving home Blair for the Lakers second run. Sophomore Jake Marinelli drew a two-out walk to put the tying runs at first and second, but freshman Hank Morrison popped out to the catcher to end the contest.

Altavilla suffered his first loss at the collegiate level. After going 5-0 as a freshman and winning his first game of the season on February 9, the sophomore dropped to 1-1 on the season by allowing three runs (all earned) on three hits. He walked three and struck out five. Corbi did a fantastic job in relief, pitching three innings and allowing one unearned run on two hits while striking out two.

Jerry Vasto got the win for Felician, improving to 2-0 on the campaign. He pitched five scoreless innings and allowed only three hits. However, he walked seven in five innings and struck out three. Three relievers combined to throw four innings of relief, allowing two runs on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Cox led the Lakers with a pair of hits while Pantano and Siegel had the RBIs.

Mercyhurst will continue its play at the Cal Ripken Experience on Friday by taking on Molloy College at 1:00 p.m. from Griffith Field in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.