ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst baseball team gets back to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play this weekend in its two doubleheaders against Clarion April 20-21.
The Lakers (23-7) play host for Friday's doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Clarion (7-25) will be the home team for Saturday's pair of games, also starting a 1 p.m.
THE MATCHUP
Mercyhurst has had great success against the Golden Eagles in recent years. The Lakers have won 14-straight games versus Clarion since 2014.
Clarion enters on an eight-game losing skid, with its last victory coming on April 6 against California (Pa.). The Golden Eagles have struggled on the road this season as they are winless in 11 games. Clarion lost its latest series last weekend to IUP 0-4.
Clarion's Top Players to Watch: R-Fr. Nick Fugh (32 games, .349 BA, .845 OPS, 10 SB-12 Att), R-So. Chandler Palyas (29 games, .330 BA, 9 XBH, 14 RBI)
Clarion's Top Pitchers: So. Jeremy Frazier (8 starts, 2-5 W/L, 40.1 IP, 5.80 ERA), R-Fr. Nate Torbich (8 app-6 starts, 1-5 W/L, 31.1 IP, 7.47 ERA)
LAKER OUTLOOK
-Mercyhurst head coach
Joe Spano earned his 600
th career win in Tuesday's win at Notre Dame College.
-
Tyler Garbee became the third Lakers pitcher to win PSAC West Division Pitcher of the Week honors after his complete game win at Slippery Rock last Saturday.
-Five Lakers with at least 27 starts this season are batting .324 or better.
-PSAC Leaders (as of April 18):
Daniel Elliott – 38 RBI, 2
nd in PSAC (Jared Melone, West Chester, 41); 8 HR, 2
nd in PSAC (Three tied with 9 in first); .736 SLG%, T-3
rd in PSAC (Ted DeSanti, IUP, .852)
Matthew Schneider – 21 BB, 3
rd in PSAC (Ben Snyder, Millersville, 26)
Chris Vallimont – 77 K, 1
st in PSAC (Trails innings leader by 14 innings pitched), 1.82 ERA, 1
st in PSAC*
Team Pitching – 8 SV, T-1
st in PSAC (Slippery Rock); 188 hits allowed, 1
st in PSAC; 296 K, 1
st in PSAC; 3.86 ERA, 2
nd in PSAC (Seton Hill, 3.86)
*Among pitchers with at least 20 IP
MERCYHURST IN THE POLLS
The Lakers creeped up into the top ten in the NCBWA national poll this week while sitting in 16
th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll and 8
th in the Perfect Game poll. Mercyhurst also remains atop the NCBWA Atlantic Region rankings.
|
Collegiate Baseball |
NCBWA |
Perfect Game |
NCBWA
(Atl. Region) |
Lakers'
Record* |
| Preseason |
#10 |
#11 |
#6 |
#2 |
0-0 |
| Feb. 19-25 |
|
#14 |
|
#2 |
0-0 |
| Feb. 26-March 4 |
|
#8 |
#3 |
#1 |
2-0 |
| March 5-11 |
#5 |
#4 |
#3 |
#1 |
5-0 |
| March 12-18 |
#19 |
#7 |
#11 |
#2 |
6-3 |
| March 19-25 |
#18 |
#15 |
#11 |
#2 |
8-3 |
| March 26-April 1 |
#14 |
#9 |
#7 |
#1 |
13-3 |
| April 2-8 |
#14 |
#8 |
#7 |
#1 |
16-4 |
| April 9-15 |
#14 |
#11 |
#7 |
#1 |
20-5 |
| April 16-22 |
#16 |
#9 |
#8 |
#1 |
23-7 |
*Record entering the week
