Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University baseball teams' bats were nearly as cold as the weather on Friday afternoon from the Mercyhurst Baseball Field.

Until the seventh inning of both games.

Sophomore Ryan Siegel singled up the middle with one out in the bottom of the seventh of game one and freshman Brendan Cox drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the seventh of game two to lift the Lakers to a doubleheader sweep of visiting Slippery Rock on a chilly and damp afternoon in Erie. Mercyhurst won game one 1-0 and then took game two by a 2-1 final to move the team's overall record to 23-13 on the season. The Lakers improved to 8-6 in the PSAC Western Division. The Rock dropped to 21-13 overall and 4-4 in the conference.

Mercyhurst was held to just three runs on six hits in the twinbill on Friday but came away with two victories thanks to a gutsy pitching performance from sophomore Dan Altavilla in game one and another outstanding performance from senior Ben Rawding in game two.

The Lakers were held without a base hit in 11 of the 14 innings played in the doubleheader. But, the bats showed up when they were needed most - in the seventh inning.

Mercyhurst entered the final inning of game one without a hit against Slippery Rock starter Lou Trivino. However, in the seventh, junior Joe Pantano singled between first and second base to lead off the inning to break up the no-hit bid. After senior Zak Blair struck out, Cox delivered a single up the middle to put runners at first and second. Sophomore Jake Marinelli followed with a soft liner to right field that dropped in for a hit, loading the bases with one out. Siegel then swung at the first pitch he saw from Trivino, sending it right back up the middle to plate Pantano for the only run of the game.

In game two, the Lakers were hitless for the first four and two-thirds innings before junior Kolin McMillen singled with two outs in the fifth. It was Mercyhurst's only hit until the seventh inning, when the Lakers took advantage of some wildness from Slippery Rock reliever John Kovalik. The Rock's righthander got the first two outs of the inning with relative ease before the roof caved in. McMillen drew a two-out walk and then stole second before Pantano eventually drew a free pass after a 12-pitch at bat. Blair then reached on an infield single to load the bases for Cox. Kovalik's first three pitches missed the strike zone before grooving a pitch in for a strike. On the 3-1 pitch, Kovalik's fastball went behind Cox to score the winning run.

Altavilla somehow pitched around five hits and seven walks in the opener for the complete-game shutout in what was arguably the gutsiest mound performance of the season for the Lakers. Slippery Rock had at least one runner on base in every inning but the second of the opener.

The sophomore righthander had to do his best work in the Slippery Rock sixth-inning. John Shaffer led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and then advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Kevin Jovanovich and Brandon Myers each saw ten pitches during their at bats before drawing free passes from Altavilla to load the bases with nobody out. Jordan Faretta struck out looking for the first out of the inning. Jake Weibley then popped out to third base for the second out. Then, Altavilla got Ryan LaRose to ground out to third base to close the inning with no damage.

Altavilla improved to 4-4 on the season after throwing 125 pitches in the complete-game shutout. He allowed five hits, walked seven, and struck out eight. Meanwhile, Trivino, who was an error away from being perfect through six innings, suffered the tough-luck loss. He dropped to 5-3 on they year, going 6.2 innings and allowing a run on four hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out seven.

Mercyhurst would score a run in the top of the first inning against Slippery Rock's game-two starter Garret Peterson. McMillen led off with a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Pantano, then advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw. Blair drove him home with an RBI groundout to second.

Slippery Rock would answer in the second against Rawding. Weibley led off the inning with a double to left, advanced to third on a groundout, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Myers.

Rawding was again sensational on the mound, improving to 8-1 on the season. He went the distance, allowing only a run on three hits. He walked two and struck out six. Peterson went the first four innings and did not allow a hit but had trouble with his command. He walked four and hit a batter in his four innings, allowing the unearned run in the first. Kovalik took the loss in relief, allowing a run on two hits. He walked five in two and two-thirds innings and struck out three.

The two teams are scheduled to play in Slippery Rock on Saturday afternoon. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.