WEST LAWN, Pa. -- Winning pitcher Matthew Minnick went the distance without allowing an earned run as the 18th-ranked Mercyhurst baseball team jumped out to an early lead and held off 17th-ranked West Chester for a 6-1 victory during NCAA Atlantic Regional action on Friday at Ted Palka Park.

Minnick allowed five hits while recording nine strikeouts and three walks in nine innings of work. The Lakers (42-12) jumped ahead 4-0 in the second inning and led the rest of the way.

Brendan Cox and Daniel Elliott had 2-for-4 games while Jimmy Latona contributed a double. Both Cox and Elliott had one RBI. Elliott also scored a run. Collin Fantaskey had two RBI.

The Lakers had only two hits -- and took advantage of two Golden Ram errors -- during their four-run second inning.

Fantaskey put Mercyhurst ahead with a two-run single. Cox followed with a sacrifice fly before Fantaskey scored on a wild pitch, pushing the Laker advantage to 4-0.

Justin Roman plated the Rams' only run in the third inning on an RBI groundout.

Elliott and Sabatino DiNardo III pushed the Laker lead to 6-1 with RBI singles in Mercyhurst's half of the third.

Drew Diehl led the WCU offense with a 2-for-4 outing.

Eric Close was the losing pitcher. Of the six runs scored against him, five were earned. He gave up eight hits while registering five strikeouts, two walks and three hit batsman.

With the victory, Mercyhurst is now 2-0 at the regional tournament -- and are one of two unbeaten teams remaining. It will face the other winners' bracket team, No. 2 Millersville, on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Chowan suffered its second loss at the tournament and was eliminated from the regional on Friday. The one-loss teams that remain at the double-elimination tournament include WCU, Shepherd, Seton Hill and East Stroudsburg.

Click HERE for the official regional tournament site.