ERIE, Pa. - "Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina" - in late May. Cary, North Carolina, that is. For the first time in program history, the Mercyhurst University baseball team is heading to the NCAA Division II College World Series.

Three Mercyhurst pitchers held Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-rival Millersville to five hits while the offense produced single tallies in the sixth and seventh innings Sunday as the Lakers defeated the Marauders, 2-0, in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Championship game at Jerry Uht Park. Mercyhurst improved to 39-9 on the season and will head to the Division II College World Series for the first time in eleven tries. Millersville, which defeated Winston-Salem State, 6-5, in an earlier elimination game Sunday, finished its season with a 45-11 overall record.

Redshirt sophomore Colin McKee, who went seven innings in the opener on Thursday, started and worked the first 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and fanning eight. He finished the regionals by allowing seven hits and one run (zero earned) in 11.2 innings while striking out 18. Freshman Matthew Jaskolka (7-1) threw the next 1.2 frames, allowed the last Millersville hit and struck out two. It was his second win of the tournament. Junior Jake Hall came on in the seventh and retired all eight hitters he faced with one punch-out.

Cody Stoneback started for Millersville and left after 2.1 scoreless frames. Relief pitcher Logan Grant (1-1) did well, but ran into trouble in the sixth.

Senior Angel Martinez led off with an infield hit, moved to second on an infield out, and scored on a base hit by senior Giancarlo Saia. Mercyhurst tacked on an insurance run in the home seventh against reliever Dylan Boisclair. Freshman Daniel Elliott doubled with one out and was replaced at second by speedy Collin Fantaskey. The freshman scampered home a few moments later when sophomore Cameron Balego delivered a base knock to right. 

The Marauders had a number of scoring chances in the contest, but failed to get a key hit. Millersville got a runner to second with one out in the third and wasted a lead-off double and a first-and-third with one out in the fourth. The Marauders then left two aboard in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. Millersville recorded its last hit of the day in the sixth and had its final base-runner in the seventh - a lead-off walk.

Hall was named the Regional's Most Valuable Player. He pitched in four of the team's five games and recorded three saves.

Those on the All-Tournament ballot included:
C: Connor Andrus, Winston-Salem State
1B: Dan Stoltzfus, Millersville
2B: Pat McCarthy, Seton Hill
3B: Colby Keene, Winston-Salem State
SS: Dylan Tice, West Chester
OF: Gavin Culler, Winston-Salem State
OF: Ryan Siegel, Mercyhurst
OF: Jeremy Musser, Millersville
DH: John Brogan, Millersville
P: Colin McKee, Mercyhurst
P: Jake Hall, Mercyhurst 

Mercyhurst entered the six-team regional as the #1 seed while Millersville was #2. The Marauders finished the regional as they began - by being shut out. Millersville lost its opening game, 5-0, to West Chester while the Lakers lost to Seton Hill, 8-1, in the second day of competition. Millersville won the PSAC Championship a week ago and eliminated Mercyhurst 7-6 in extra innings along the way. 

The Lakers advance to the College World Series which is being held from May 23 to May 30 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The finals will be hosted by Mount Olive.