ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University softball team fell twice in a doubleheader at home Saturday afternoon against the University of Pitt-Johnstown. The Mountain Cats scored five runs in the top of the sixth, to come from behind and steal game one, 5-4. Game two of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division matchup saw the Lakers fall behind early as UPJ took the nightcap, 8-4.

Coming in to today's games, senior Becky Malaga was one hit shy of her 100th career hit. In her first at bat in the bottom of the first of game one, Malaga slapped a single through the right side as she reached the milestone on "Senior Day. She finished game one two-for-three.

Kayla Larson would start the scoring, hitting her second homerun in two days. The solo shot was her third of the season and gave Mercyhurst a 1-0 lead heading into the fifth inning. The Lakers would add another run in the bottom half of the inning as Courtney Brothers scored on a wild pitch.

With Mercyhurst leading 2-0 after five, Pitt-Johnstown posted five runs in the top of the sixth, two earned, off starting pitcher Annie Truelove. Two singles from UPJ's Taylor Hoover and Rachel Hoffman knotted the game at two. The next three runs came in off two walks and a throwing error, to give the Mountain Cats a 5-2 lead.

With two outs in the bottom half of the sixth, Larson would pull the Lakers back within one, 5-4, driving in Tawney Godin and Taylor Jezuit with a single. The two runs-batted-in brought Larson's total to 21 RBIs on the season, a team-high. However, starting UPJ pitcher Melissa Wagner finished the inning by striking out Truelove's reliever, Heather Nye.

Wagner would finish her complete game retiring Mercyhurst in order in the seventh, improving her record to 3-14 on the season. Truelove received the game one loss as she falls to 6-15.

Larson finished game one 3-for-4, scoring a run, and driving in three.

In the game two, the Mountain Cats would get to starting pitcher Alexandra Puckly early on, scoring four runs on five hits. Three singles would drive in the all four runs as Amanda O'Toole did most the most damage, driving in two runs with two outs.

Mercyhurst would cut the lead in half in the third with two outs as Petrosoniak singled up the middle followed by a Jezuit homerun. It was her third long ball of the season and brought the score to 4-2 heading into the fourth.

In the fifth, DiBartolomeo tripled down the right field line with one out to bring the tying run to the plate. Nye would answer the bell, ripping a double to right center to pull the Lakers within one, 4-3.

Pitt-Johnstown would find themselves with the bases loaded in the fifth as a single and a sacarfice single drove in two runs to increase their lead back to three. The Mountain Cats added two more in the top of seventh of back-to-back base-hits.

The Lakers were only able to put one run across the plate in the bottom of the seventh as Jezuit singled to center field, scoring Emily Hair. Cassandra Egelston was caught trying to advance to third on the hit but was thrown out 8-to-4-to-3 to end the game. Hair crossed the plate before the out was recorded as Mercyhurst fell, 8-4.

Hoffman (4-12) earned the win, pitching a complete game and Puckly (6-8) received the loss.

With the loss the Lakes drop to 15-27, 9-18 PSAC, while Pitt-Johnstown improved to 7-27, 7-19.

Mercyhurst will play in the regular season finale tomorrow at Indiana (Pa.) The PSAC West doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.