ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University baseball team advanced to the championship game of the 2015 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional after a nail-biting 2-1 victory over Winston-Salem State in a game that started late Saturday night and didn't end until early Sunday morning. The Lakers, 38-9 overall, will play the winner of Sunday's 12:00 p.m. elimination game between Winston-Salem State (42-14) and Millersville (44-10). The winner of the 3:30 title game will travel to Cary, North Carolina, for the Division II College World Series.

After the loss against Seton Hill on Friday, Mercyhurst had to win two games on Saturday for a chance to compete for the title. The Lakers opened Saturday's competition at Jerry Uht Park and needed eleven innings to eliminate West Chester, 6-4, to advance to the nightcap. Millersville then kept its season alive with a 13-inning, 6-3, win over Seton Hill, which sent the Griffins packing.

The Lakers were forced to use Saturday night's probable starter, junior Matthew Jaskolka, in the opener against West Chester. Jaskolka earned the victory in relief to get Mercyhurst to a matchup against Winston-Salem State. Head coach Joe Spano elected to go with redshirt senior Jon Corbi against the Rams in the hopes of getting to Sunday's title game. Corbi hadn't started a game since making a spot start against Indiana (Pa.) on April 18. But, Corbi delivered just what the Lakers needed in his biggest game of the year.

The righthander did not qualify for the victory, but pitched 4.2 scoreless innings and left with the Lakers ahead by a 1-0 score. He allowed four hits and three walks but struck out seven batters in his first start in nearly a month.

Mercyhurst got solo runs in the fourth and eighth innings against the Rams and made them stand.  

In the visitor's fourth, senior Jake Marinelli's sacrifice fly drove in junior Hank Morrison to give the Lakers a 1-0 advantage. Then, after two straight outs to start the eighth, senior Angel Martinez singled and stole second. Junior Brendan Cox delivered a crucial base knock to double the Mercyhurst lead.

The Rams made life interesting in the home ninth, however.

Dylan Dombrowskas led off with a two-bagger off the left field wall against freshman reliever Matthew Minnick (2-1). Minnick, who allowed only that hit in 3.1 innings of work, was promptly replaced by junior Jake Hall. But, Hall was rudely greeted by a two-bagger down the right field line from Nathan Steger and the Rams suddenly had the tying run at second with no outs. Steger was bunted to third before Hall bore down and struck out the next two hitters to end the game and advance the Lakers to the championship contest.

Winston-Salem State had been the only unbeaten team left in the six-team regional.

Minnick was credited with the win in relief, fanning four and allowing only the one hit in 3.1 innings. He improved to 2-1 on the season. Hall recorded his second save of the regional and ninth of the season.

Senior Giancarlo Saia (3) and Martinez (2) combined for five of the Lakers' eleven hits. One disturbing note: Mercyhurst stranded 14 runners for the second straight game. They left the bases loaded – without scoring – in both the fifth and seventh innings.

Aaron Hatch started for the Rams and was saddled with the loss. He dropped to 8-2.

Mercyhurst will play the winner of the Millersville-Winston-Salem State contest that begins at 12:00 p.m. The championship game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to the College World Series in Cary, North Carolina. For the Lakers, this marks the 11th time in program history that they have made it to the regionals. However, Mercyhurst has never advanced to the World Series.