Fort Nutter, W.Va.—The Mercyhurst Baseball team closes out their stretch of eight road games to open the season with a 12-5 win over Salem.
Salem opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as the Tigers took advantage of a couple Laker free passes.
In the top of the second the Lakers started the inning off with a bang as Chris Juchno tripled to start the inning. After two Laker outs, Juchno scored on a balk by the Salem hurlers.
With two outs in the frame, Casimer Sobaszek singled through the right side, Matthew Gibson was the next batter and he singled to center and Sobaszek went to third on the play. Jack Elliott was at the dish and pulled one through the right side to tie the game at two as Sobaszek scored.
Troy Banks led off the third inning with a solo homer to put the Lakers up 3-2. In the top of the fourth the Lakers took the lead as Gibson notched his first homer of the season that also brought Sobaszek home after he started the inning with a walk.
Later in the fourth Banks drew a two out walk which was followed by a Philip Ferranti single. The Lakers pulled off a double steal with Juchno at plate, on the play the Tiger catcher made an error that allows Banks to score after he swiped third.
Salem responded in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 6-5 Laker lead after four full innings.
Luke Jackson started the fifth inning with a solo homer to make it 7-5 Lakers, it was his first round tripper of the season.
The scoring suppressed until the eighth inning when Josh Surowiec and Banks both singled to start the inning. Ferranti grounded into a fielder's choice and Surowiec scored the eighth Laker run of the day on an error by the second baseman.
The Lakers built their lead even more in the top of the ninth as Brandon Arnold opened the inning with a single, Sobaszek followed it up with a single of his own to put two runners on with no outs. Arnold was thrown out trying to steal third. Gibson drove in Sobaszek with a double to make it 9-5 Lakers. Surowiec switched spots with Gibson as he ripped a two out double and made it 10-5 Lakers. Banks was the next Laker to the plate and blasted his second homer of the game and third of the season to give the Lakers a seven run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Mercyhurst notched a season high 20 hits in the game, all nine starters tallied a hit in the win while six had multi-hit games.
Nathan Holt started on the mound for the Lakers and was relieved by Josh Greggs in the second inning. Holt struckout three in his second start of the early season. Greggs went two fulling innings striking out three while allowing two hits.
Jarrett Heilman closed out the game for Mercyhurst going 5.2 innings while allowing just three hits while striking out nine. In his first game against Salem he struckout 12 batters over six innings.
The Lakers are slated to play in their home opener on Tuesday as they host Lake Erie at 1:00 PM.
