Baseball | 5/25/2018 12:17:00 PM

CARY, N.C. – The Mercyhurst baseball team is set to play in its second NCAA Division II National Championship beginning this weekend at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
 
The Lakers (36-13) are the seventh-seed in the eight-team final and will face second-ranked Columbus State in the fourth game of the tournament Sunday, May 27, at 7 p.m.
 
Mercyhurst earned its spot in the field after winning four-straight games at the NCAA Atlantic Regional held in West Lawn, Pa. The Lakers defeated three Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) teams - Bloomsburg, defending national champion West Chester, and two-time PSAC Tournament champs Seton Hill twice - to earn its bid into the final eight.
 
It is the first appearance for the Lakers in the DII National Championship since 2015, when the Lakers won its first Atlantic Region title. Mercyhurst defeated Truman State in the first round before bowing out with back-to-back losses to Tampa and Cal Poly Poma.
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Fans can get all the tournament information they need at NCAA DII National Championship Central. This site includes the tournament's schedule and bracket, site information, weather radar, tickets, and local information. Fans can buy a tournament pass for $30 or buy a daily pass for just over $11.
 
All of the tournament's games will be live-streamed on NCAA.com. A direct link is available here: DII Baseball National Championship Livestream. Links to live statistics will be available closer to game time.
 
LAKER OUTLOOK
Mercyhurst enters having won four-straight games while holding opponents to just 2.5 runs per game, largely due to the efforts of its starting pitching staff. Chris Vallimont threw eight shutout innings in his opening start against Bloomsburg before earning a win and a save in relief in both games against Seton Hill.
 
Tyler Garbee started two of the Lakers' pivotal games in the tournament against defending national champion West Chester and the title game against Seton Hill. He allowed only two earned runs in those two starts spanning 13.2 innings. He posted a season-high 11 strikeouts against West Chester and earned his sixth win of the season (6-0) in the title game.
 
Matthew Minnick turned around a rough start in the winners' bracket final against Seton Hill and ended up pitching ten innings to move his season inning total from 14.1 to 24.1. After allowed six earned over the first three frames, Minnick turned in seven no-hit innings before handing the ball to Vallimont in relief for the 11^th inning.
 
Offensively, Drew Delsignore had the best individual game of the Atlantic Regional when he accounted for all five runs against Bloomsburg. He had a pair of doubles with 4 RBI in his 3-for-5 effort and also scored Mercyhurst's fifth run.
 
The Lakers came up with big hits in big moments throughout the regional, including a pair of go-ahead/walk-off hits in the ninth inning or later. Alex O'Donnell capped off a three-run rally in the top of the ninth inning against West Chester with an RBI knock to win 3-2. Jimmy Standohar came through with the walk-off single in the 11^th inning against Seton Hill to send the Lakers to the title game.
 
The Lakers also had members of its lineup put together solid at-bats throughout the regional. Dominic Cecere started all four games at second base, his first starts since April 10, and he reached base 10-of-17 times (.588) and scored five runs. He reached base at least once in all four games.
 
Jack Elliot had at least one hit in all four games and was a on base at an even higher rate (9-for-13, .692). Kenny Robinson had a pivotal at-bat to spark its winners' bracket final comeback with a two-run double.
 
THERE AND BACK AGAIN
Three current members on the Lakers – Daniel Elliott, Collin Fantaskey, and Minnick - saw playing time in the 2015 DII National Championship. Elliott was the team's starting designated hitter for all three games and batted 2-for-9 with a pair of singles and a walk.
 
Minnick had two appearances spanning 3.1 innings with two hits and one run allowed. He also walked one and struck out two.
 
Fantaskey entered the Lakers' win over Truman State as a pinch runner in the top of the tenth inning.
 
SCOUTING THE FIELD
#1 – Florida Southern Mocs (42-9-1)
The Mocs were the champions of the rain-delayed South Regional and were the only top-seeded regional team to end up winning a regional tournament. They have spent several weeks at or near the top of several national polls throughout the season. The Mocs will play Southern Indiana in Game 2 Saturday evening.
 
Players to watch: Fr. Jacob Teter - .346 BA (72-for-208), 12 HR, 53 RBI, 50 runs; Sr. Logan Browning .442 BA (57-for-129), 18 XBH, 26 RBI, 37 runs, .523 OBP
 
Top Pitchers: Sr. Logan Browning – 17 appearances, 16 starts, 101.1 IP, 9-2 W/L, 3.11 ERA, 105 K; Sr. J.T. Hintzen – 29 appearances, 1 start (regional championship), 82.2 IP, 13-0 W/L, 2.07 ERA, 100 K
 
#2 – Columbus State Cougars (45-13)
Mercyhurst's first-round opponent hails from the competitive South East region and Peach Belt Conference. The Cougars won their regional as the fourth-ranked team, but made an impressive run from the losers' bracket after dropping their second game to win the tournament.
 
Players to watch: Jr. Austin Pharr - .345 BA (71-for-206) 17 HR, 14 2B, 55 RBI, 51 runs; Sr. Mason McClellan - .314 BA (75-for-239), 10 HR, 9 2B, 62 RBI, 51 runs scored.
 
Top Pitchers: Jr. Kolton Ingram – 17 starts, 121.1 IP, 12-3 W/L, 2.23 ERA, 135 strikeouts, 3 CG; Sr. Perez Knowles – 16 starts, 105.0 IP, 7-3 W/L, 3.69 ERA, 118 strikeouts, 2 CG
 
#3 – UC San Diego Tritons (42-15)
The Tritons have won eight-straight postseason games to enter the DII Championships as one of its hottest teams. They swept all four games of the CCAA Championship before also rattling off four-straight wins in the West Regional. They will face Texas A&M Kingsville in round one Sunday afternoon.
 
Players to watch: R-Jr. Zander Clarke - .394 BA (85-for-216), 18 HR, 15 2B, 85 RBI, 54 runs; R-Jr. Alex Eliopulos - .317 BA (71-for-224) 14 HR, 27 XBH, 71 RBI, 48 runs
 
Top Pitchers: Jr. Preston Mott – 14 starts, 78.2 IP, 8-1 W/L, 2.86 ERA, 84 strikeouts; R-Jr. Cameron Kurz – 20 appearances, 30.2 IP, 0.88 ERA, 9 saves, 54 strikeouts, 5-1 W/L
 
#4 – Southern New Hampshire Penman (39-15)
The Penman came out on top of the East Regional as the region's #4 seed. After going 2-2 in the Northeast 10 Conference Tournament, the Penman were a perfect 4-0 in the regional and scored at least six runs in each game. They face Augustana in Game 1 Saturday afternoon.
 
Players to watch: So. Tony Blandini - .341 BA (75-for-220), 13 2B, 10 3B, 47 RBI, 50 runs, 15 SB; Sr. Caleb Potter - .303 BA (59-for-195), 11 HR, 23 XBH, 39 RBI, 41 runs
 
Top Pitchers: Sr. Mitchell Powers – 12 starts, 80.0 IP, 5-2 W/L, 2.59 ERA, 82 K, 2 CG; Gr. Andrew Lalonde – 12 starts, 76.1 IP, 6-4 W/L, 2.48 ERA, 77 K, 1 CG
 
#5 – Augustana (S.D.) Vikings (48-9)
The Vikings have the most wins in the championship field and were the victors of the Central Regional. They won four-straight games to win the NSIC Tournament and won four-of-five games in the regional as the fifth-seed. Southern New Hampshire is their opponent in the first round.
 
Players to watch: So. Riley Johnson - .385 BA (85-for-221) 13 2B, 2 3B, 67 runs, 25 RBI, 33 SB; So. Sam Baier - .322 BA (68-for-211) 8 HR, 22 XBH, 58 RBI, 46 runs, 28 SB
 
#6 – Texas A&M Kingsville Javelinas (41-15)
The Javelinas were another team in the championship field to make a run to their regional title after dropping a game early on. They came back after a second-round loss to win the South Central region to earn their first-ever bid to the College World Series. They, along with their first round opponent UC San Diego, could be the Lakers' second opponent in the tournament.
 
Players to watch: Sr. Levi Zents - .351 BA (60-for-171) 11 2B, 2 3B, 42 RBI, 51 runs; Sr. Dallas Stefano - .349 BA (53-for-152), 8 HR, 22 XBH, 55 RBI, 40 runs, 10 SB
 
Top Pitchers: Sr. Kyle Craft – 11 appearances, 8 starts, 50.2 IP, 6-1 W/L, 2.84 ERA, 34 K; Fr. Tyler Flores – 15 appearances, 8 starts, 59.0 IP, 6-1 W/L, 3.20 ERA, 71 K
 
#8 – Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles (36-21)
The Screaming Eagles were the lowest seed among all finalists to win their region tournament as the seventh-seed in the Midwest Regional. They won all four of their games in the regional tournament, including a title victory over Mercyhurst's first opponent this season way back in February, Ohio Dominican. They take on Florida Southern in Game 2 Saturday.
 
Players to watch: Sr. Drake McNamara - .390 BA (85-for-218) 17 HR, 25 2B, 45 XBH, 79 RBI, 60 runs; Sr. Nick Gobert - .361 BA (73-for-202) 26 2B, 32 XBH, 54 RBI, 61 runs, 12 SB
 
Top Pitchers: Sr. Kyle Griffin – 18 appearances, 10 starts, 7-3 W/L, 69.1 IP, 3.50 ERA, 97 K; Jr. Austin Krizan – 16 appearances, 13 starts, 92.0 IP, 3-3 W/L, 4.11 ERA, 61 K