Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ERIE, Pa. - Freshman Stephen Scaccia's three-run double on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the top of the sixth inning capped off a four-run frame and propelled the Mercyhurst University baseball team to a 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Crimson Hawks of IUP in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at the Mercyhurst University Baseball Field. The Lakers, who also took game one 4-0 thanks to a four-hit shutout from redshirt sophomore Jon Klein, improved to 18-11 overall and 4-4 in the PSAC. The Crimson Hawks dropped to 12-10 overall and 1-3 in conference play.

The games were originally scheduled to be played in Indiana, but due to poor field conditions, they were played at Mercyhurst with IUP serving as the home team.

Scaccia, a native of Willoughby, Ohio, had the biggest hit of his young career as the first batter to face IUP reliever Austin Mock in the top of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Scaccia, batting ninth in the order, fouled off the first full-count pitch before launching a double that one-hopped the left field fence, clearing the bases and giving the Lakers a 5-4 lead.

Mercyhurst trailed 4-1 entering the sixth inning against IUP starter Brett Quiggle. Freshman Brendan Cox started the rally with a one-out walk and then advanced to second on a single by sophomore Jake Marinelli. After freshman Joel Yeagley grounded out to second, freshman Hank Morrison drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Junior Anthony Tomasone then hit a grounder to short that should have ended the inning. Instead, IUP shortstop Dylan Tice booted the ball, scoring Cox, and keeping the inning alive. Mock replaced Quiggle after the error and Scaccia greeted him with the bases-clearing double on the seventh pitch of the at bat.

Junior Tanner Delahoy came on in relief for the Lakers and retired the final six batters, four via strike out, for his fourth save of the season. Delahoy allowed two walks in his two innings, but did not allow a hit. In ten and one-third innings this season, Delahoy has allowed one hit (.033 opponent batting average), has walked four, and struck out 14 batters.

The Lakers scored a run in the top of the first inning of the nightcap to take a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Cox. The Crimson Hawks responded with a run in the bottom of the first inning against Mercyhurst starter Matthew Jimenez. Robbie Zinsmeister led off the inning with an infield single, stole second, and then stole third. On the stolen base attempt at third, the throw by Marinelli sailed over the head of third baseman Joe Pantano allowing Zinsmeister to trot home.

The game remained 1-1 until the bottom half of the fifth inning, when IUP plated three runs off Jimenez to take a 4-1 advantage. Tice drove home a pair with a single up the middle, while Ryan Uhl followed with a double to right center field, scoring Tice.

Jimenez went five innings and allowed four runs on nine hits. The senior righthander struck out seven and did not allow a walk. He was rewarded with the victory after the Lakers' four-run sixth inning. Jimenez improved to 3-4 on the season. Quiggle suffered the loss, allowing five runs (one earned) on five hits in 5.2 innings. He walked three and struck out three.

Cox had two of Mercyhurst's six hits in game two.

In game one, Klein had the Crimson Hawks baffled with his offspeed deliveries, allowing just four hits and one walk for his first complete game shutout as a Laker. However, he was matched pitch-by-pitch by IUP's Kyle Zaorski until the sixth inning.

With the game scoreless entering the top of the sixth, Mercyhurst struck for all four of its runs on five hits. The Lakers scored their first run on three infield singles - bunt hits by McMillen and Pantano, and then a weak grounder to third by Cox, which drove home McMillen. Marinelli followed with a two-run triple to the right center field gap, scoring both Pantano and Cox for a 3-0 Mercyhurst lead. Yeagley drove home Marinelli with a single for the final run of the first game.

Klein had to make some huge pitches to keep the game scoreless. In the bottom of the first, Klein got a comebacker to the mound off the bat of Troy Foster with runners at second and third. In the third, he got a fly ball to right field from Uhl with a runner at second. In the fourth, the first two Crimson Hawks reached base, but could not score.

But, his biggest effort came in the fifth. Mock led off the inning with a double down the right field line and then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hunter Bigler. Mercyhurst brought the infield in and Klein induced a weak grounder to short from Zinsmeister and then a fly ball to center from Tice to end the inning.

Klein improved to 2-2 on the season, allowing four hits and  a walk, while striking out two.

Marinelli, Cox, and Pantano each had two hits in the opening game victory. The Lakers outhit IUP nine to four in the first game.

Mercyhurst will return home on Monday, April 1 for a single, nine-inning contest against Notre Dame College. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.