Erie, Pa.—The Mercyhurst softball team opens PSAC West play this weekend as the Lakers host Edinboro for a twin bill on Saturday before hosting Lake Erie on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader.
1. Schedule Changes
The Lakers have been thrown many curveballs this season as they have had to make multiple schedule changes due to weather in western Pennsylvania. Mercyhurst was slatted to play Slippery Rock on Mar. 29 but due to bad weather the doubleheader was postponed to April 12th. The Lakers were also supposed to take on Fairmont State on Mar. 30 but that game was also postponed, a makeup date has not been set yet.
2. The Matchups
The Fighting Scots were the first team Mercyhurst softball ever played back in 1975 when the team started, in the last 36 meetings the Lakers hold a 11-24-1 record against Edinboro. Last season each team swept doubleheaders on the road.
Against Lake Erie, Mercyhurst is riding a five game win streak against the Storm which includes two wins on March 22nd. The Lakers outscored the Storm 11-1 over the two games which included a 9-1 win in the second game.
3. Fry Still Frying Opponents
Madison Fry is leading the Lakers in batting average this season as she is hitting .500 on the dot with 35 hits in 70 at bats. Her batting average ranks her seventh in the country which is also second in the PSAC. All but three of her hits have singles, she only has two doubles and one triple. To go along with her 35 hits she has swiped eight bags this season. In the field she has 61 putouts and has added six assists which includes throwing out three baserunners from behind the dish.
4. In the Circle
The Laker pitching staff is holding opposing hitters to a .239 average while their team ERA is just over two. As a team they have struckout 89 batters in 21 games this season. Kaitlin Hoffner has been near perfect out of the pen for the Lakers as she is holding opposing hitters to a .140 average. Morgan Hilty and Mikaela Schramski have been the main starters for the Lakers. Hilty has a 1.54 ERA to go along with a 6-3 record, her ERA is seventh in the PSAC. Schramski has a 2.49 ERA and hitters are hitting .219 against her which is tied for seventh in the PSAC. She also has six wins this season, six wins is the third most in the PSAC. The team ERA of 2.09 is third in the PSAC behind East Stroudsburg and Seton Hill, both of which are named in the national poll.
5. Scouting Boro and Lake Erie
The Fighting Scots have had a tough start to their season as they are just 2-11 in the early season. Their two wins have came against Saint Rose to open the season and they defeated Cal in their last game. Edinboro faces both their Erie County neighbors this weekend as they face Gannon on Friday before playing the Lakers on Saturday. As a team the Fighting Scots are hitting .189 while opponents are hitting .369 against them. Teams are also limiting Boro to 1.52 earned runs a game while the Boro ERA is 6.16.
Lake Erie has lost their last six games which includes two to the Lakers on Mar. 22. In their last games against Hillsdale they lost by a combined score of 17-1 and were run ruled in both games after five innings. The Storm play four games this weekend before playing the Lakers on Tuesday. This weekend with start with a twin bill against Malone at home before they travel to Ohio Dominican for a doubleheader on Sunday.
