Washington, PA—The Mercyhurst Baseball team made the two and a half hour trip south to complete their weekend series with Cal. In game one the Lakers fell by 9-6, the Lakers were able to split the day winning the second game by a score of 4-2.
Game One (L, 9-6)
Mercyhurst was able to jump out to an early 2-0 lead in the opening inning. Jack Elliott put a dent in the ball as he was hit by the pitch with one out in the inning. After a popout, Josh Surowiec came to the dish and roped a 3-2 pitch down the right field line which allowed Elliott to come around from first to score.
The very next pitch, Tyler Zaluski singled up the middle which allowed Surowiec to come around to score.
The Vulcans would score seven runs between the second and third innings and would lead the Lakers 7-2 until the fifth inning.
In the fifth inning the Lakers started a comeback as they were able to plate two runs. With two runners on Philip Ferranti came to the plate and doubled down the left field line which allowed both Elliott and Casimer Sobaszek to score. Two pitches later Suroweic singled and Ferranti was waved in for the fifth Laker run.
Matthew Gibson homered for the second straight day to make it 9-6 in the sixth inning.
Six different Lakers pitched for Mercyhurst today, Vincenzo Lucente opened the game and went 1.2 innings. Hunter Treece, Josh Greggs, Ryan Rapp, Justin Studd, and Chad Cwik came out of the bullpen and allowed just four runs on six hits.
Game Two (W, 4-2)
Brett Whiteman got the ball for the Lakers in game two as they looked to split the Saturday doubleheader. Whiteman was able to go four innings and allowed just four hits and two earned runs.
In game two it was Cal who jumped out to a lead as they hit a two-run shot in the first inning.
In the second inning the Lakers would cut the lead in the half, as Ferranti was able to crush one over the right field fence.
With the Lakers down one in the sixth and a runner on first, Surowiec was able to pull one over the right field fence to give the Lakers their first lead of the game.
In the seventh, the Lakers extended their lead to two as Luke Baranchak was able to come home after a throwing error from the Vulcans.
Chase Stewart came out of the bullpen and was able to go three innings while allowing no runs on just two hits. He earned his third win of the season and his second in the last two weekends.
With the Lakers up two in the seventh, Stewart was able to get two flyouts and a strikeout to end the day.
Team Leaders
Batting Average: Ferranti .363, Zaluski, Gibson .333, Troy Banks .300, Surowiec .286
Home Runs: Elliott 8, Banks 4, Ferranti, Gibson 3
RBI: Elliott 23, Surowiec 21, Gibson 16, Ferranti, Luke Jackson 12
Runs: Elliott, Banks 23, Gibson 16, Surowiec 14, Zaluski 13
ERA (Min. 6 Appearances): Stewart 1.35, Michael Krauza 1.63, Michael McDonough 3.10, Whiteman 4.20
Strikeouts: McDonough 36, Krauza 32, Frank Fraschetti 20, Lucente 16, Stewart, Hunter Treece 15
Up Next
The Lakers will head to IUP on Friday to take on the Crimson Hawks before coming back to Erie on Saturday to complete the four game weekend series.
