Box Score

MOCKVILLE, N.C. - Juniors Ryan Siegel and Jake Marinelli each belted home runs but it wasn't enough to help the Mercyhurst University baseball team on Wednesday afternoon. Winston-Salem State's Leland Clemmons hit a walkoff home run in the bottom of the tenth inning to lift the Rams to a 7-6 victory over the Lakers, sending Mercyhurst to its second loss in the three-game series. Mercyhurst dropped to 6-3 overall while Winston-Salem State improved to 14-9 on the year.

Clemmons launched an offering from sophomore reliever Colin McKee over the left field wall with one out in the bottom of the tenth to complete the Rams' comeback and to ruin strong afternoons from Siegel, junior catcher Jake Marinelli, and junior starter Joe Gnacinski.

Mercyhurst led 6-3 heading to the bottom of the eighth after plating a pair of runs in the top half of the inning when senior Anthony Tomasone scored on a wild pitch and Siegel knocked home a run with a base hit. But, the Rams tied it in the bottom of the frame courtesy of a three-run blast from Ray Crawford with two outs.

Siegel started the afternoon with his first home run of the season, a solo blast in the top of the first inning, to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead. It was Siegel's fifth career home run and just his second since his freshman year in 2012.

The Lakers staked Gnacinski to a 4-0 lead with three runs in the top of the third inning. Senior Joe Pantano crossed the dish after a wild pitch and then, later in the frame, Marinelli belted his first collegiate homerun - a two-run blast over the left-center field fence.

Gnacinski, an Erie, Pa., native, breezed through the first three innings before running into trouble in the bottom of the fourth. He allowed a leadoff single and then got the next two outs, seemingly pitching his way to another scoreless inning. However, another single, a walk, and a two-run single by Clemmons cut the Laker lead to 4-2 after four innings.

The Rams got to within a run at 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh against McKee. The sophomore had runners at first and second with two outs, but uncorked two consecutive wild pitches to allow Gavin Culler to score the Rams' third run of the afternoon.

Both Siegel and Marinelli went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs batted in. They combined for four of Mercyhurst's seven hits and accounted for all four Laker RBIs in the loss. Sophomore Hank Morrison, Tomasone, and junior Angel Martinez had the other hits for Mercyhurst.

Gnacinski was solid in his first start at main campus. The righthander, who transferred from Mercyhurst North East, went six innings and allowed two runs on six hits. He walked four and struck out five in the no-decision. McKee was saddled with the loss, tossing three and a-third innings of relief. He allowed five runs on four hits while walking two and striking out four.

Clemmons and Crawford provided most of the Rams' offense, combining to go 4-for-9 with two home runs and six runs batted in. Scott Wells got the win in relief after pitching two and two-thirds perfect innings.

The Lakers will look to get back in the win column on Friday when they square off against Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville, Tennessee. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.