ERIE, Pa. - The 14th-ranked Mercyhurst University baseball team improved to 22-1 overall and 13-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division standings with a doubleheader sweep over visiting Pitt-Johnstown on Friday afternoon. The Lakers used an 11-hit attack and strong pitching from redshirt sophomore Colin McKee to earn an 8-1 victory in game one. Mercyhurst then scored three runs over the final two innings to come-from-behind to knock off the Mountain Cats, 3-2, in game two to give redshirt senior Jon Klein the victory after another solid start.

The Mountain Cats fell to 4-24 overall and 4-10 in the PSAC West standings.

In the opener, McKee, the reigning PSAC West Pitcher of the Week, improved to 5-0 as the Lakers produced at least one run in each of the first five innings. McKee went six innings and allowed a run on six hits. He walked two and struck out nine. Redshirt senior Adam Curyto finished off the Mountain Cats with a scoreless seventh inning in just his second appearance of the season. He struck out two in the frame.

Senior Angel Martinez singled to start the bottom of the first, stole second, and eventually scored on a double to right center by junior Dan Popio. Popio's two-bagger was his sixth of the year and the Lakers' 30th of the season as a team.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the bottom of the second when, after two outs, senior Jake Marinelli walked, sophomore Cameron Balego singled, and both crossed the plate on a double to left center by Martinez who recorded his 12th multi-hit game of the season.

The Lakers broke open the game with three in the third, highlighted by an RBI single by junior Hank Morrison and a two run homer to left center by junior Austin Alonge. It was Mercyhurst's 13th round-tripper of the season - the team hit ten in all of 2014 - and Alonge's second. His other homer came on March 10 in a 7-3 win over Pfeiffer in Myrtle Beach.

Mercyhurst made it 7-0 in the fourth. Popio doubled with one out and senior Giancarlo Saia singled home freshman pinch-runner, Jimmy Standohar.

The Mountain Cats threatened against McKee in both the second and third innings. Pitt-Johnstown had a lead-off triple by Luke Williams in the second, and then worked McKee into a bases loaded jam with one out, but couldn't score. The Mountain Cats also had a second and third with one out in the third, but the rally fizzled.

Pitt-Johnstown finally broke through in the visitor's half of the fifth when senior Mike Palkovitz doubled home a run. But, the Lakers responded in the bottom half when Marinelli scored from third while Balego was picked off at first, but stayed in a rundown long enough to allow the eighth run to cross the plate.

Senior Nate Pope (1-6) worked five frames for UPJ and took the loss. He allowed eight runs (all earned) on eleven hits, walked four and struck out seven.

Martinez, Popio, and Saia each had two of Mercyhurst's eleven hits in game one.

Saia was one of the heroes in game two when he tied the game at 2-2 with a two-run bomb to center field with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Martinez led off the inning with a bloop double that landed just inside the right field line. Then after a pair of flyouts, Martinez advanced to third on a wild pitch by Pitt-Johnstown starter, Brantley Rice. Saia worked Rice to a full count with the third ball a close call that caught the ire of the Pitt-Johnstown dugout. Saia then crushed the 3-2 pitch over the center field fence for his third home run of the season - tying him with junior Hank Morrison for the team lead.

Then, in the seventh, Marinelli started the frame with a two-out walk and was pinch run for by freshman Collin Fantaskey. Balego singled through the right side of the infield which allowed Fantaskey to get to third. With Rice still on the mound, Martinez hit a chopper to short that was bobbled by UPJ's Lino Bravo allowing Fantaskey to score in walkoff fashion.

Rice was matched up with Klein in a pitcher's duel through the first five innings. Mercyhurst threatened in the bottom of the third, getting runners at first and third with one out. Martinez bunted a runner over to second with one out but Rice got redshirt senior Ryan Siegel to ground out to end the threat.

Pitt-Johnstown broke through in the top of the fourth with an unearned run, on an RBI double from Nate Negri, against Klein to take a 1-0 lead.

The visitors extended the lead to 2-0 when Palkovitz singled home Ernesto Rizzitano in the top of the sixth inning.

Both Klein and Rice went the distance. Klein improved to 5-0 after allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits. He walked one and struck out ten. Rice, who entered with an 0-2 record and an 11.52 ERA, went 6.2 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits. He walked two and struck out five.

Mercyhurst will travel to Pitt-Johnstown to conclude the four-game series on Saturday. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.