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ERIE, Pa.- Dan Altavilla threw a no-hitter to lead the Mercyhurst baseball team to a 3-0 win over Clarion Friday afternoon. The junior is third Laker to throw a no-hitter in the Coach Joe Spano era at Mercyhurst. Clarion won, 2-1, in the second game of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) doubleheader at Mercyhurst Baseball Field.
 
Altavilla struck out 12 batters in his seven-inning gem Friday. With the Lakers ahead, 3-0, in the bottom of the seventh inning, Altavilla took the mound to face the middle of the Clarion order. He struck out Nick Maskrey and then forced a Derek Danver groundout to third base. Josh Ponsoll stepped into the box as the Golden Eagles' last hope. Altavilla tied up Ponsoll with a fastball for a called third strike, sending the Laker dugout to the mound to mob Altavilla.
 
The Greenock, Pennsylvania, native joins Paul Baumert and Steve Grife as Lakers to throw a no-hitter for Spano. The game Friday marked Altavilla's third career complete game at Mercyhurst.
 
The Lakers were unable to score until the fifth inning. Angel Martinez started the action with a leadoff single to centerfield. Joe Pantano bunted Martinez over to second base. Ryan Siegel reached on a Clarion error, and then both Martinez and Siegel advanced on a wild pitch. The Eagles opted to intentionally walk Brendan Cox to load the bases. Dan Popio followed with a deep fly ball to center, driving in Martinez for the game's first run. Jake Marinelli followed with a base hit to center, scoring Siegel. Giancarlo Saia extended the rally with a single to right, plating Cox for a 3-0 lead.
 
Altavilla walked the leadoff hitter in the top of the sixth, but came back with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to third base to shut down any comeback hopes. He closed with a 1-2-3 seventh to capture history.
 
Saia went 1-2 with a walk and an RBI. Martinez, Popio, Marinelli, and Anthony Tomasone each had a hit. Cox and Joe Pantano both walked twice.
 
In the second contest Friday, Jon Klein and Kane McCall matched up in a dual. Clarion scored a run in both the first and third, but Klein settled in and held the Eagles off the board the rest of the way. McCall controlled the action for Clarion, but Mercyhurst recorded a hit in the fifth and another in the sixth.
 
Down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Martinez kicked off another rally with a walk. He advanced to second on a Pantano groundout. A Siegel ground out moved Martinez to third base. Cox was hit by a pitch and then stole second. With Popio at the plate, Martinez took off for home and was tagged out by Maskrey, ending the game.
 
Klein threw seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out eight hitters. Pantano and Cox had a hit apiece, while Popio walked three times. Martinez walked twice.
 
Mercyhurst moved to 9-5 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC. Clarion is 3-7 overall and 1-1 in the league. The teams square off for another doubleheader at Mercyhurst Baseball Field tomorrow. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.