Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 GLENVILLE, W.V. – The Mercyhurst baseball team began the 2017 season with two victories in its first doubleheader, beating West Virginia State 13-7 in game one and 2-0 in game two. The games were played at a neutral site at Glenville State College.
 
Game 1: Mercyhurst 13, West Virginia State 7
 
Mercyhurst's bats exploded in an eight-run second inning and 15 total to power the Lakers to a seven-run victory in game one.
 
Daniel Elliott had two RBI-hits in the second inning, including a two-run home run and a bases-clearing double. Elliott finished the game 2 of 4 with 5 runs batted in.
 
Cameron Balego, Drew Delsignore and Sabatino DiNardo III also had big showings at the plate. Balego went 4 for 4 with three runs scored. Delsignore also had a home run in the second inning and had three total hits with three RBI. DiNardo's three hits included two doubles and two RBI.
 
Mercyhurst's bats provided more than enough run-support for starting pitcher Matthew Minnick, who got through five innings with five hits, six earned runs, and five strikeouts.
 
The Lakers led 9-0 in the top of the 4^th inning before the Yellow Jackets finally got on the board.
 
Matthew Keating gave up just one earned run in two innings of relief.
 
Game 2: Mercyhurst 2, West Virginia State 0
 
Game two proved to be more of a pitcher's duel with the Lakers' Russell Lamovec earning his first win of the season.
 
The sophomore Lamovec gave up just one hit in six shutout innings for his first-career start with Mercyhurst. He also had four strikeouts and just two walks.
 
Mercyhurst's lineup clawed out two unearned runs in the third and fourth innings to provide the only scores of the game. Balego reached on an error in the third to score Chris Gonzalez and Marc DiLeo added a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning which scored Matthew Schneider.
 
Schneider was the only Laker with multiple hits, going 2 for 2 with a double and a walk.
 
Andrew Ciolli earned the save after facing the minimum in the seventh inning. He had one strikeout.

The Lakers take on Glenville State College tomorrow, Feb. 19. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Glenville State's home field.