Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University baseball team rode the arms of junior Joe Gnacinski and senior Tanner Delahoy en route to a pair of shutout victories over Clarion University on Saturday afternoon at the Mercyhurst University baseball field. The Lakers improved to 11-5 overall and 3-1 in the PSAC Western Division. The Golden Eagles dropped to 3-9 overall and 1-3 in the PSAC West.

The games were played at Mercyhurst even though Clarion was the home team due to the fact that the Golden Eagles' home field, Memorial Stadium, was unplayable.

Gnacinski earned his first victory in a Mercyhurst uniform in game one, pitching six shutout innings, allowing only three hits. He walked four and struck out seven to improve to 1-0 on the season. Sophomore Colin McKee pitched a perfect seventh inning, including a pair of punchouts, for his first collegiate save.

Mercyhurst's offense provided Gnacinski with a run in the top of the first inning when sophomore Brendan Cox drove home redshirt junior Ryan Siegel with a single for, what proved to be, the game's only run. Siegel was on base thanks to a one-out double.

Gnacinski made the run stand up, only having to pitch out of a jam in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Golden Eagles threatened with a single and a pair of walks, but could not tie the ballgame.

The Lakers could only muster five hits against Clarion starter, Tyler Delval, who went the distance for the Golden Eagles. Siegel had a pair of doubles while Cox and juniors Jake Marinelli and Giancarlo Saia each had hits for Mercyhurst in the victory.

Delval walked one and struck out nine to suffer the hard-luck loss.

Game two saw the Lakers score at least one run in each of the four innings as they cruised to a 7-0 win.

Mercyhurst plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning against Clarion starter Alex Borofski to take a 2-0 advantage. Sophomore Dan Popio started the scoring with a run-scoring single, which drove home junior Joe Pantano. Marinelli followed with an RBI fielder's choice grounder that scored Siegel.

Cox singled home Siegel to give the Lakers a 3-0 lead in the top half of the second inning and sophomore Hank Morrison provided Mercyhurst with a fourth run with an RBI double in the top of the third. Mercyhurst plated a pair in the top of the fourth thanks to a two-run double by Marinelli.

Saia had an RBI double in the top of the sixth for the game's final run.

Delahoy tossed the first five innings, allowing three hits. He walked two and struck out six to improve to 2-0 on the season. Sophomore Cam Knott pitched a scoreless sixth inning, allowing one hit. Sophomore Jake Hall closed out the contest with a perfect seventh inning.

Mercyhurst scored seven runs on 11 hits against three Clarion pitchers in game two. Mercyhurst also took advantage of five walks and two Golden Eagle errors. Siegel had three hits and three stolen bases while Pantano and Saia each had two hits in the win.

Clarion's Drew Pirritano went 3-for-3 in the loss.

Mercyhurst will be back in PSAC West action next Friday and Saturday, March 28 and 29, with home-and-home doubleheaders against crosstown-rival Gannon. Mercyhurst will be at Gannon on Friday while the teams will convene at Mercyhurst on Saturday. Both twinbills are scheduled for 1:00 p.m.