ERIE, Pa. - Juniors Matthew Jaskolka, Cam Knott, and Jake Hall combined to allow five hits in fourteen scoreless innings on Monday afternoon to lift the 21st-ranked Mercyhurst University baseball team to a pair of shutout victories over crosstown-rival Gannon University at the Mercyhurst Baseball Field. The Lakers took game one by a 2-0 final and then completed the sweep with a 3-0 victory in game two to improve to 19-1 overall and 11-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division standings. The Golden Knights dropped to 10-16 overall and 2-10 in conference play.

Jaskolka started game one of the doubleheader and went six and one-third scoreless innings before leaving with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the seventh. Hall, however, threw two pitches to Gannon's Mark DeVita, and induced a game-ending 5-4-3 double play to preserve the victory. Jaskolka allowed four hits and struck out five to improve to 3-0 on the season while Hall picked up his fourth save of the year.

The Lakers were held to just four hits themselves in game one against Gannon starter, freshman David Cricks. Mercyhurst opened the scoring in the second when junior Dan Popio, singled, moved to second on a sacrifice, and scored on a base knock by junior Austin Alonge.

The score remained 1-0 until the last of the fifth. Alonge drew a walk, was wild-pitched to second, and crossed the plate on a double to left by senior Jake Marinelli.

Gannon also threatened in the top of the fourth inning against Jaskolka when Charles Benack led off the frame with a triple down the left field line. But, Jaskolka got a groundout off the bat of Jeff Bellanca and then a medium-depth fly ball to left from Sean Sutton. Benack tried to score from third on the fly ball, but junior left fielder Hank Morrison threw a one-hop strike to Marinelli at the plate to nail Benack for the third out.

Four different players had single hits in the first game - Popio, Alonge, Marinelli, and junior Brendan Cox.

Knott took the bump in game two and tossed six scoreless innings to improve to 3-0 on the season. He allowed just one hit, an infield single by Kyle Cox, with one out in the top of the second inning. The righthander walked two and struck out six. Hall slammed the door in the seventh for his second save of the day and fifth of the season. Hall hit a batter in the seventh - the only baserunner he allowed.

The Lakers took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning against Kyle Cox. Senior Giancarlo Saia led off the inning with a walk, stole second, and then scored on a double by Morrison. Alonge then reached on an error which allowed Morrison to score from second for the inning's second run.

Mercyhurst added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning when senior Angel Martinez led off the inning with a triple to right center and then scored on a sacrifice fly to left off the bat of redshirt senior Ryan Siegel.

The Lakers didn't tear the cover off the ball in game two either, but managed to get enough clutch hitting to earn the victory. Mercyhurst had five hits in the second game, two by Martinez and one each from Cox, Popio, and Morrison.

The Lakers will travel to Lake Erie College to play a pair of non-conference games on Tuesday, March 31. First pitch of game one is slated for 1:00 p.m.