Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University baseball team again rode the strong pitching of juniors Dan Altavilla and Jon Klein on Thursday afternoon as the Lakers swept a doubleheader from crosstown-rival Gannon University. Mercyhurst took game one by a 4-0 margin and then rallied from a 2-1 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning of game two to complete the sweep, 4-2, in the nightcap. The Lakers, winners of four straight and seven of their last nine, improved to 13-5 overall and 5-1 in the PSAC West. The Golden Knights dropped to 6-14 overall and 2-4 in the PSAC West.

Altavilla was brilliant in game one, allowing five hits and three walks in his third complete-game shutout over his last four starts. He struck out 11 and has now struck out at least ten batters in three of his last four starts. He improved to 4-0 overall and lowered his season earned run average to 1.34 with the victory.

The Laker bats provided all the offense Altavilla would need in the bottom of the first inning, scoring three runs on three hits off of Gannon starter Aaron Cox. Senior Joe Pantano led off the inning getting hit by a Cox offering and then advanced to third on a double down the left field line by redshirt junior Ryan Siegel. Sophomore Brendan Cox followed with a two-run triple to the right center field gap to give the Lakers a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Dan Popio scored Cox on an RBI groundout to shortstop for the final run of the inning.

The Gannon righthander settled down after the first inning, throwing zeros at the Lakers in the second and third innings. Mercyhurst scored a single run in the fourth inning on an RBI groundout by junior Angel Martinez, which scored junior Giancarlo Saia for the game's final run.

Cox did not allow a run the rest of the contest, but Altavilla needed no additional offense. The junior righthander from Greenock, Pennsylvania threw 112 pitches for the complete-game shutout, 80 of which were strikes. Seven different Lakers had a base hit in the game one victory while Gannon's Taylor Anderson had three of Gannon's five hits in the loss.

Cox dropped to 4-2, allowing four runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out six.

Klein struck out a career-high ten batters in his six innings of work in the nightcap, but needed a Laker rally to pick up his second victory of the season.

Gannon took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Anderson plated Jeff Bellanca with a single to left field. The Lakers answered in the bottom of the fourth inning against Gannon starter, Aaron Jackson. Popio drew a leadoff walk and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Jake Marinelli. After a walk to Saia, sophomore Hank Morrison singled back up through the middle, scoring Popio, to tie the game at 1-1.

The Golden Knights returned the favor in the top of the fifth, scoring a run on three hits off of Klein, to reclaim their one-run lead. Anderson, again, was the recipient of the run batted in, knocking in Bellanca with a bases loaded hit batsman.

But, in the bottom of the fifth, Mercyhurst plated three runs off of Jackson to take a 4-2 lead - an advantage it would never relinquish.

Pantano reached after getting hit by a pitch to start the rally and then advanced to third on a single by Siegel. Siegel stole second, putting runners at second and third with nobody out. After Brendan Cox struck out, up stepped Popio, who lined the first pitch he saw into center field to drive home both Pantano and Siegel for the Lakers' first lead of the contest. Popio later stole second and then scored on an RBI single by Saia for an insurance run.

Klein pitched around a hit and a walk in the sixth inning and then gave way to sophomore Colin McKee, who slammed the door shut in the top of the seventh inning for his second save of the season. McKee had a pair of strikeouts in his perfect inning of work.

Pantano, Siegel, and Saia each had a pair of hits while Popio, officially, was 1-for-1 with two runs scored and two runs batted in. Bellanca had three hits in a losing effort for Gannon.

Klein allowed two runs on six hits to improve to 2-2. He walked two and struck out ten. Jackson dropped to 0-3 for Gannon, allowing four runs on nine hits in five and one-third innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Mercyhurst will be at Gannon on Friday afternoon to conclude the season series against the Golden Knights. First pitch of the doubleheader from Gannon University Field is slated for 1:00 p.m.