Clarion, PA—The Mercyhurst Baseball team had a chance to secure a spot in the PSAC playoffs on Saturday as they took on the Clarion Golden Eagles for the back half of their four-game series. Mercyhurst took game one by a score of 15-9, in their final regular season game the Lakers scored 17 runs to win 17-4 to clinch the second seed in the PSAC West.
Game One (W,15-9)
After putting up 10 runs in total yesterday, the Lakers put up 15 runs in the first game of the day. Jack Elliott stayed hot and opened the game with a two RBI homer to left field to give the Lakers a 2-0 lead in the first. Josh Surowiec was able to keep the opening inning alive with a two out single before Elliott blasted his 13th homer of the season.
Clarion answered back in the bottom half of the first as they tied the game at two thanks to three hits in the inning. The Golden Eagles then took the lead in the bottom of the second inning as they put up three innings on the Lakers to take the 5-2 lead.
However, the Lakers answered right back in the top of third by scoring six runs all with two outs. Troy Banks started the rally with a double to left field, which was followed by a Philip Ferranti single up the middle that drove Banks in to make it 5-3 Clarion. After a Matthew Gibson walk, Logan Martella-Tasick double to right field which drove in both Gibson and Ferranti to tie the game at five. The Lakers weren't done however, Luke Baranchak then singled which brought Martella-Tasick in and Baranchak moved up to second on the throw to the plate. Casimer Sobaszek then singled to bring Baranchak across to make it 7-5 good guys, the good guys weren't don't either. Tyler Zaluski hit his second triple of the season which brought Sobaszek across to make it 8-5.
Mercyhurst kept the bats going as they kept pouring it on in the fourth. Banks started the inning with a single. Ferranti then reached on an error which allowed Banks to move to third. Gibson then singled to right center which drove in Banks as Ferranti advanced to third. After a strikeout and a popout, Sobaszek singled to left which brought Ferranti in to make it 10-5. Zaluski then doubled to right center which allowed both Sobaszek and Gibson to score to give the Lakers a 12-5 lead.
The Lakers didn't stop as they once again extended their lead in the fifth. Elliott opened the inning with a walk and then stole second. With one out and Elliott on second, Ferranti doubled to center which brought Elliott home to make it 13-5. After a wild pitch and a walk to Gibson, Martella-Tasick legged out an infield single with runners on the corners, Ferranti scored to make it 14-5. Baranchak then was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Sobaszek. Sobaszek then hit a SAC fly that allowed Gibson to score the 15th Laker run.
The Golden Eagles would score two runs in sixth and two in seventh but could not complete the comeback.
Michael Krauza picked up his PSAC leading ninth win in relief as he went 4.2 innings, he allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits while he struck out eight of the 22 batters he faced. Daniel Thomas made his second collegiate appearance in the seventh as he closed out the game for the Lakers.
12 different Lakers stepped to the plate, while 11 of them reached on either a hit or a walk.
Game Two (W, 17-4)
Between games despite the chilly weather, the Laker bats did not cool down as the Lakers scored 17 runs. It started in the first inning as the Lakers jumped out to a 5-0 lead. It started with a Sobaszek walk with one out, Zaluski then came to the plate and singled to put runners on first and second. After a passed ball and a wild pitch Sobaszek scored and Zaluski was on third. Surowiec then walked to put runners on the corners, Ferranti doubled to right center which brought Zalsuki in and put runners on second and third with one out. Elliott walked to load the bases for Gibson, Gibson grounded out to first but it allowed Surowiec to make it 3-0. Martella-Tasick was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Baranchak singled to left that scored two runs to make it 5-0 after just half an inning.
Clarion chipped away at the lead in the bottom half thanks to a solo homer that made it 5-1 after one inning. The Golden Eagles then made it a one run game in the bottom of the second after they tallied three runs on one hit and two Mercyhurst errors.
Mercyhurst was back at it in the third as Elliott blasted his 14th homer of the season which is tied for the PSAC lead to make it 6-4. Gibson then singled and was bunted to second by Martell-Tasick, Baranchak doubled to bring Gibson around to make it 7-4.
In the fourth the Green and Blue put up another crooked number, after a Zaluski walk and a Surowiec single the Lakers had runners on the corners with no outs. A wild pitch brought Zalsuki home and moved Surowiec to second. It was Ferranti's turn to drive one over the fence as he hit his sixth homer of the year to make it 10-4. Mercyhurst wasn't done either, an Elliott walk and Gibson single put runners on first and third again with no outs. Brandon Arnold then pinch ran for Gibson, Martella-Tasick walked to load the bases. After a stikeout and popout, Sobaszek singled to make it 12-4 as Elliott and Arnold scored.
Mercyhurst kept pouring it on in the fifth thanks to a RBI single from Ferranti that brought in Zalsuki after he started the inning with a single. Baranchak would then get his second double of the game as he cleared the bases by driving in Arnold, Ferranti, and Surowiec to make it 16-4 Lakers.
The Lakers scored their 17th and final run in the sixth. Head Coach Joe Spano made some lineup changes during the inning, Jordan Zilka drove in Dominic Cecere to make it 17-4.
The Laker pitching staff got more than enough runs in game two. Josh Greggs, Chase Stewart, Chad Cwik, and Tyler Passmore each came out of the bullpen and combined to allow zero hits while striking out ten. Greggs picked up the win by going 2.1 innings striking out six and faced the minimum amount of batters in his first win of the season.
So, What's It All Mean….
With the two wins today and Cal defeating Gannon in both their games today, the Lakers will be the second seed in the PSAC West playoffs. Mercyhurst will host the quarterfinals on Wednesday with the opponet to be deterimined. Slippery Rock still has a pair of games with Clarion on Sunday. A Rock sweep would mean Slippery Rock travels to Erie on Wednesday while a Rock split or pair of losses will mean Cal is the Lakers opening round oppeonent.
Team Leaders
Batting Average: Gibson .373, Zaluski .366, Ferranti .359, Banks .299 Surowiec .292
Home Runs: Elliott 14, Banks 6, Ferranti 6, Zaluski 6, Surowiec 4, Gibson 3, Jackson 3
RBI: Elliott 37, Surowiec 31, Ferranti 28, Zaluski 25, Banks 21, Gibson 20
Runs: Elliott 39, Banks 31, Ferranti 29, Zaluski 27, Gibson 27, Surowiec 16
ERA (Min. 15 IP): Chase Stewart 2.04, Krauza 2.15, Michael McDonough 3.99, Hunter Treece 4.76, Brett Whiteman 5.06
Strikeouts: McDonough 61, Krauza 57, Vincenzo Lucente 32, Frank Fraschetti 25, , Whiteman 22, Stewart 22, Treece 21
Up Next
PLAYOFFS!!! Mercyhurst will play either Slippery Rock or Cal in the first round on Wednesday at noon at the Mercyhurst Baseball Field.
