ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst softball team knew they needed two wins on Sunday to secure a postseason berth and they got them in two very different games against visiting Slippery Rock.
The Lakers took the opener 10-5 rallying back from a 5-2 deficit and then in a pitchers' duel earned a 3-1 victory on an Allison Dejidas three-run homer.
In game one, the Lakers trailed 5-2 before Sarah Koscho hit her 11th home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the fourth to trim the lead to 5-3. Natalie Graff and Jenna Balducci started the inning over with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. After a Balducci steal, Anna O'Geen singled off the pitcher and pushed Graff home. Balducci scored on a wild pitch to make the score 5-5. Brianne Egelston gave the Lakers the lead on a bases-loaded fielder's choice making it 6-5.
Mikaela Schramski set the Rock down in order in the fifth and the Laker bats went back to work in the bottom of the frame. Dejidas led off with a double to left center and moved to third on a wild pitch. Koscho drew a walk. Graff singled home Dejidas to make it 7-5. Balducci singled to load the bases. Mercyhurst pushed the lead to 8-5 when Koscho beat the throw home on an O'Geen grounder to short. Chloe McQuestion singled home Graff and an Egelston sacrifice fly made it 10-5.
Fry, Dejidas, Graff and Balducci all recorded two hits in the opener. Schramski allowed five unearned runs in her seventh complete game of the season.
In game two, the teams were scoreless through four and a half before Dejidas belted a two-out three-run homer over the left center field fence scoring Fry and Cheyenne Hindman and giving the Lakers a 3-0 advantage.
The Rock cut the lead to 3-1 on a Cami Fisk RBI double in the sixth, but Morgan Hilty shut the door finishing a complete game victory in the circle allowing just the one run on five hits.
Balducci and Dejidas each collected two hits in game two for the Lakers.
Mercyhurst advanced to the postseason for the first time since 2013 and will travel to Seton Hill on Wednesday for the first two of a best-of-three series with the Griffins. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
