Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University baseball team got two excellent starts from sophomore Dan Altavilla and senior Ben Rawding on Friday afternoon. However, the Lakers could manage only a split against the Crimson Hawks of Indiana (Pa.). IUP took game one by a 3-0 final before the Lakers responded with a 3-2 victory in game two. Mercyhurst moved to 16-11 overall and 2-4 in the PSAC. The Crimson Hawks moved to 12-8 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

Rawding extended his winning streak to 19 consecutive decisions with a victory with the win in game two. He improved to 7-0 this season and lowered his earned run average to 1.71.

The senior from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania has not lost since allowing two runs in a complete-game, 2-1 loss to Slippery Rock on April 29, 2011. He surpassed the old conference record of 14 consecutive wins that was held by Mansfield's Steve Micknich, who didn't lose a decision from April 2, 1992 to April 12, 1993. Rawding is now just two wins shy of tying the NCAA record, currently held by Jason Herz of Central Missouri (March 7, 2001-May 26, 2002) and Trevor Schulte of South Dakota State (March 20, 1993-May 15, 1994).

But, the lefthander needed a Laker comeback to keep the winning streak intact on Friday.

IUP led 2-0 after the first inning of game two against the Laker southpaw, getting an RBI groundout from Aaron Lupia. Another run scored after Troy Foster reached on an error by Mercyhurst first baseman Hank Morrison.

The Laker bats chipped away at the lead against Crimson Hawk starter, Kyle Zambanini.

In the bottom of the second, Mercyhurst got a run back after freshman Brendan Cox and sophomore Jake Marinelli provided back-to-back singles to start the inning. Freshman Joel Yeagley advanced the two to second and third base with one out and freshman Hank Morrison drove home Cox with a sacrifice fly to right field, cutting the IUP lead to 2-1.

Mercyhurst would tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman Stephen Scaccia, batting in the nine-hole, led off the inning with a free pass. He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Kolin McMillen and a groundout by junior Joe Pantano. Then, with two outs, senior Zak Blair laced a single into left field that scored Scaccia.

The Lakers then took their first lead of the afternoon in the bottom of the sixth inning, putting Rawding in line for his seventh win of the season. Marinelli led off the inning with a double just inside the third base bag and advanced to third when Yeagley sacrificed. Yeagley was able to reach when the ball was fumbled by Zambanini, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. Morrison followed with a weak chopper to third that he was able to beat out for an infield single. That loaded the bases for junior Anthony Tomasone. The Laker leftfielder lifted a fly ball to right field, deep enough to score Marinelli for the go-ahead run.

IUP threatened in the seventh against Rawding. With runners at first and third and only one out, Rawding made his biggest pitch of the afternoon. He induced a 5-4-3 double play with Lupia batting, ending the contest, and keeping his winning streak intact.

Rawding scattered eight hits in his complete game win, allowing one earned run. He walked two and struck out ten. In 47.2 innings this season, Rawding has walked 12 and struck out 59 batters.

Zambanini suffered his first loss of the season, dropping to 4-1. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits in the complete game loss. He walked three and struck out four.

Blair and Marinelli each had two of Mercyhurst's six hits in the win.

Game one was also a pitcher's dual, pitting Altavilla against IUP ace righthander Stephen Cooke.

The game was scoreless through the scheduled seven innings with each righthander allowing only three hits.

However, in the eighth, the Crimson Hawks broke through against Altavilla. The biggest at bat came from Hunter Bigler, who led off the eighth for IUP. Bigler, batting ninth in the order, hit a seeing-eye single between short and third on the tenth pitch of his at bat, bringing up the top of the order. Robbie Zinsmeister and Dylan Tice followed with singles, plating Bigler for the first run of the game. After Altavilla hit Ryan Uhl with a pitch, freshman Cam Knott relieved the sophomore and was greeted rudely by Lupia, who laced a single to left-center, driving home a pair to give IUP a 3-0 lead.

Knott would get out of the inning without any further damage, but the Laker bats could not muster anything against Cooke.

Cooke went all eight innings for the Crimson Hawks and improved to 5-1 on the season. He allowed only three Laker hits, walked one, and struck out ten.

Altavilla went seven innings and pitched to four batters in the eighth. He allowed three runs on six hits, walked four and struck out six. He dropped to 3-3 on the season.

Marinelli, Pantano, and Tomasone had the Laker hits in game one.

The same two teams will play at the Mercyhurst University Baseball Field on Saturday morning in another doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.