Box Score

WEST LAWN, Pa. – A lack of clutch hitting cost the Mercyhurst University baseball team a chance to play another day.
 
The Lakers squandered golden opportunities in the bottom of the ninth, the bottom of the 11th, and the bottom of the 12th innings as back-to-back bases loaded walks from sophomore Colin McKee in the top of the 12th ended the Laker season as Millersville won an epic battle between the two schools, 5-3, in day two of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament at Owls Field. Mercyhurst finishes its season with a 30-15 overall record while the Marauders move on in the winner's bracket.
 
Mercyhurst left eight runners on base in those three innings, including leaving the bases loaded in both the ninth and 12th innings. The Lakers loaded the bases, in both instances, with nobody out.
 
The outcome wasted brilliant performances from sophomores Jake Hall and Ben Nolan out of the Mercyhurst bullpen.  Nolan was saddled with the loss as he fell to 0-1 on the season. He pitched four scoreless innings of relief before running into trouble in the 12th. McKee relieved Nolan with the bases loaded and one out, getting a pop out for the second out of the inning. But he walked Chas McCormick and Tyler Orris for the go-ahead runs.
 
Mercyhurst loaded the bases with nobody out in the 12th on a hit by junior Giancarlo Saia, a walk to sophomore Hank Morrison, and an infield hit by junior Jake Marinelli. But, Millersville closer Adam Zipko struck out sophomore Stephen Scaccia, got junior Angel Martinez to foul out to the catches, and struck out redshirt junior Ryan Siegel to close out the night.
 
The Lakers had 16 hits and walked five times, but they left 17 runners on base. Mercyhurst also committed a season-high six errors which, miraculously, did not lead to any unearned runs.
 
Hall was brilliant, allowing two hits and a walk, while striking out four in three scoreless innings. Nolan allowed the two runs in the 12th and allowed four hits and a walk in four and one-third innings. He struck out six.
 
Mercyhurst let a golden opportunity slip away in the bottom of the ninth against Zipko. The Lakers got a leadoff double from Martinez. A throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt from Siegel put runners at the corners. Zipko intentionally walked sophomore Brendan Cox to get to sophomore Dan Popio. However, Zipko struck out Popio, got senior Joe Pantano to foul out to first, and then induced a fielder's choice grounder from junior Giancarlo Saia to send the game to extra innings.
 
Millersville scored three runs on four hits in the top of the third inning to take a 3-0 lead. Three consecutive singles gave the Marauders a 1-0 lead and put runners on the corners with nobody out. Delahoy, however, got an infield popup to third base for the first out and then induced, what should have been an inning-ending double play. But, Joe Pantano booted the ball, allowing the inning to continue and another run to score for a 2-0 advantage. Kurt Seiders then singled to drive home the third run of the inning.
 
But, the Lakers fought back.
 
In the bottom half of the third, the Lakers responded with three runs of their own to knot the contest at 3-3. Marinelli led off the inning with a walk and then advanced to second on an infield single by Scaccia. An error by third baseman Zach Stone on a potential double play off the bat of Martinez allowed Marinelli to score for the Lakers' first run. Siegel drove home the second run with an infield single while Martinez later scored on a double play hit by Cox to tie the game at 3-3.
 
It was one of four double plays hit by the Lakers as well.
   
Both teams threatened in their respective halves of the first inning. The Marauders put runners at first and second with two outs courtesy of an error by Pantano and a walk to Millersville's Dan Johnson. But, senior Tanner Delahoy was able to get a fly out to left from Dan Stoltzfus to end the frame.
 
Delahoy pitched the first four innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out four.
 
In the Laker half, one-out singles by redshirt junior Ryan Siegel and sophomore Brendan Cox put runners at first and second for sophomore Dan Popio. But, Millersville's Chris Murphy got the Mercyhurst designated hitter to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
 
Murphy went eight and scattered a dozen Mercyhurst hits. He allowed three runs (two earned), walked two, and struck out two.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Mercyhurst loaded the bases with two outs against Murphy courtesy of back-to-back singles by junior Giancarlo Saia and sophomore Hank Morrison and a throwing error by Millersville's third baseman Zach Stone on a dribbler hit by Marinelli. But, Scaccia, swinging at the first pitch, grounded a chopper back up the middle that resulted in a fielder's choice force out at second to end the inning.
 
Every Laker starter had at least one hit, including a game-high three from Martinez. But, the Lakers had just one RBI in the contest – an infield single from Siegel in the bottom of the third.