ERIE, Pa. - One day after the Mercyhurst University baseball team swept Seton Hill University to clinch the top seed in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division, the Griffins returned the favor on Saturday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Baseball Field. Seton Hill broke open a close game one with seven combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings en route to a 9-2 victory. The Griffins completed the sweep with a 3-1 victory in game two.

Mercyhurst closed out the regular season with a 32-6 overall record and a 22-6 mark in conference play. The Griffins improved to 39-9 overall and an identical 22-6 record in the PSAC West. However, Mercyhurst claims the top spot in the upcoming conference tournament by holding the tiebreaker over the Griffins.

Mercyhurst was limited to three runs in the two games on Saturday afternoon - all three coming on solo home runs. Junior Austin Alonge and senior Giancarlo Saia hit solo blasts in the bottom of the sixth inning of game one while junior Hank Morrison accounted for the Lakers' lone run in the second game with a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth.

Junior Matthew Jaskolka started game one for the Lakers and was solid through four innings before things unraveled in the top of the fifth when Seton Hill broke open a 2-0 lead. The Griffins plated three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 5-0 lead and then scored four runs off of junior reliever Mike Schnurr in the top of the sixth for a 9-0 cushion.

Freshman Connor Ryan, making just his third appearance of the season, pitched a perfect inning and a third to stop the bleeding.

Alonge blasted his sixth home run of the year to lead off the bottom of the sixth, eliminating the shutout bid by Griffin starter Jordan Fuller. Three batters later, Saia belted his fourth home run of the year for the final score.

Jaskolka suffered his first loss in a Mercyhurst uniform (4-1) after allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out three. Schnurr was touched up for four runs on three hits and two hit batsmen in two-thirds of an inning.

Fuller (8-1) went the distance for Seton Hill. He allowed two runs on five hits, walked one, and struck out seven.

Redshirt sophomore Colin McKee took the mound in game two and labored three and two-thirds innings. Despite not having his best command on Saturday, McKee battled and kept the Lakers within striking distance. However, the Laker bats struggled to put together timely hitting as Mercyhurst left 11 runners on base in the nightcap.

After a scoreless first inning, McKee gave up a leadoff home run in the top of the second to Matt Malacane, who also homered in game one. McKee gave up an unearned run in the third and then allowed another run in the fourth before giving way to junior Jake Hall.

McKee three runs (two earned) on three hits in his 3.2 innings. He struck out five but allowed two walks, hit two batters, and unleashed three wild pitches.

Hall was sensational, pitching two and one-third perfect innings of relief. Junior Ben Nolan finished out the game on the mound, allowing a hit and a walk in a scoreless seventh.

Mercyhurst had plenty of baserunners in the second game but scored its only run when Morrison belted his sixth home run of the year in the bottom of the fourth. Mercyhurst then left the bases loaded after Morrison hit the home run in the fourth and had the tying runs on second and third in the seventh but could not score.

Zach Martinelli started and allowed one run in 3.1 innings. He allowed three hits and walked four while striking out one. Joe Shaffer earned his fourth win of the season in relief after pitching two scoreless innings. He walked two, allowed one hit, and hit a batter. Perry DellaValle earned his fifth save of the year, pitching around two Laker hits in the bottom of the seventh.

Redshirt senior Ryan Siegel had two of Mercyhurst's five hits in the opener while six different players had a single hit in game two.

Mercyhurst enters the PSAC Tournament as the top seed from the Western Division. The Lakers will play the fourth seed from the east, East Stroudsburg, on Wednesday, April 29, in Butler, Pennsylvania. First pitch is slated for 12:30 p.m.