Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WASHINGTON, Pa.—The Mercyhurst baseball team took both games on the road against California (Pa.) behind strong pitching performances on Friday, in a PSAC doubleheader.
 
Game One (W, 3-1):
The Lakers took game one on the road after a great pitching performance by Christian Young.  This win improved his record to 3-0 on the year.  On the day, Young pitching six innings, with only one earned run and seven strikeouts.  Adam Jeanette came in to get the save pitching one inning allowing only one hit and recorded one strikeout.
 
On the offensive side of things, Alex O'Donnell had team high three hits and tallied an RBI. The RBI was in the first after O'Donnell doubled down the right field line scoring DeRenzo. In the same inning, Dom Cecere singled to right center scoring Matthew Schneider. 
 
California struck back in the first off a Fairman solo homerun making the score 2-1, MU.  To add insurance, DeRenzo answered back in the top half of the second with a solo homerun as well to make the score 3-1, Lakers.  Both teams could not find a way to cross home plate the rest of the game giving the Lakers the victory in game one.
 
Losing pitcher for the Vulcans was Nick Riggle, who went all seven innings, three earned runs and recorded seven strikeouts.
 
Game Two (W, 5-1):
After another stellar pitching performance by Matthew Minnick, Mercyhurst took both games on the road. Minnick got the win only allowing two Vulcan hits, no earned runs and 16 strikeouts.
 
Matthew Schneider led Mercyhurst (13-3, 5-1) producing two hits and two RBI in the Lakers second win of the day. Hunter Snyder and Dom Cecere each had a hit in the second game with Matthew Gibson and Josh Sureowiec who both also had a hit and an RBI. O'Donnell had the last notable RBI off a walk.
 
In the bottom of the first, California (17-6, 4-2) crossed the plate first off an error. Minnick would respond the next inning striking three out of the four batters faced. Minnick would continue to deal striking out the side in the third as well.
 
The Laker bats finally came alive in the fourth after a sac fly RBI from Gibson scoring Schneider. Surowiec would keep the inning going with a single into left field scoring Snyder to give MU the lead 2-1.  In the bottom half of the inning, the Vulcans would go three up three down with Minnick striking out two of the three batters.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, California would attempt to tie the game as Fairman would steal home but would be tagged out at the plate keeping the score 2-1 MU.
 
Mercyhurst would tack on more runs in the seventh when O'Donnell would be walked on bases loaded scoring Gibson.  Schneider would then single through the left side scoring Jack Elliot and Surowiec to make the score 5-1 Mercyhurst.  All this would unfold with two outs in the inning. 
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Folmar would relieve Minnick and would strikeout the first batter and would pop out the final two outs of the game. 
 
Next Up: The Lakers will host California on Saturday in another doubleheader, at home,  starting at 1:00 PM.