ERIE, Pa. - The sixth-ranked Mercyhurst University baseball team got strong pitching in both halves of its doubleheader on Friday afternoon but could not get the bats going as the Lakers had to settle for a split against the Crimson Hawks of Indiana (Pa.) at the Mercyhurst Baseball Field. The Lakers took game one by a 3-2 final. Mercyhurst was held scoreless in game two as the Crimson Hawks won by a 3-0 score.

In the opener, the Lakers had only three hits – all singles - but got strong pitching from junior starter Cam Knott and junior reliever Ben Nolan (5-0). Two of the Lakers hits came in a two-run first inning. Sophomore Cameron Balego drew a leadoff walk, took second on a sacrifice, and moved to third on a single to right by senior Angel Martinez. IUP starter, sophomore Zach Chinchilla, was removed after being injured on a hard come-backer off the bat of senior Giancarlo Saia that loaded the bases. Freshman Christian McClure relieved and promptly walked junior Hank Morrison to force in a run. Martinez scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman Daniel Elliott.

McClure allowed only one hit in his relief as the Crimson Hawks tied the contest on lead-off homeruns by senior Austin Mock in the fourth and junior Chris Schaedel one inning later. IUP squandered an opportunity for more in its half of the fourth when it loaded the bases with one out before Knott got back-to-back strikeouts. Knott left with one out in the fifth and Nolan pitched a perfect 2.2 innings with five strikeouts to earn his fifth victory of the season.

Mercyhurst scored the eventual game-winning run in the home fifth without the benefit of a hit. Junior Austin Alonge was hit by a pitch, stole second, moved to third on an infield roller, and crossed the plate on another sacrifice fly by Elliott.

The Crimson Hawks had only four hits themselves and stranded five, three in the fourth. Knott and Nolan combined to strike out 13 IUP batters while allowing only two bases-on-balls. Mercyhurst batters struck out only twice in the opener, walked six times and were hit once.  

Mercyhurst's struggles with the bat continued in game two as the Lakers could muster just four hits - three singles - against IUP starter Dan Sepic. Martinez went 3-for-3 in game two with a pair of singles and the Lakers' only extra-base hit on the afternoon - a two-out triple in the bottom of the third inning.

Redshirt senior Jon Klein was sensational for six of the seven innings in his start with the only damage in the game coming during IUP's three-run second inning. With two outs and a runner at first, Klein allowed a single to Hunter Bigler, a two-run double to Wes Carson, and a run-scoring single by Mike Lupia.

The righthander allowed only two hits in the other six innings. Klein finished by allowing three runs on five hits, walked three, and struck out nine. He entered the contest having allowed just two earned runs in his first 38.1 innings.

The story, however, was Sepic, who went the distance. He allowed four hits, walked two, and struck out two.

Mercyhurst and IUP will conclude their four-game series on Saturday afternoon in Indiana. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.