Ashland, OH—The Mercyhurst Baseball team closed out their non-conference schedule on Tuesday as they made the return trip to Ashland.
How it Happened
After the Lakers went scoreless in the top half of the first inning, the Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the frame. The next inning they added one more to their lead to make it 4-0 after two innings.
The Laker bats got going in the top of the third inning, Casimer Sobaszek reached base as he was hit by a pitch. One batter later Jack Elliott doubled to right field that moved Sobaszek to third and put two runners in scoring position for Josh Surowiec. The PSAC leader in batting was walked to load the bases. Luke Jackson stepped to the plate and his hot bat drove in three runs on a double.
Sobaszek opened the next inning with a walk and he followed it up with a stolen base. Troy Banks singled in Sobaszek to tie the game at four.
Matthew Gibson opened the fifth inning with a single up the middle and swiped second to put a runner in scoring position with no outs. After a groundout, Philip Ferranti reached on an error that allowed him to reach first while Gibson advanced to third. After a John Susnik walk, Sobaszek doubled home Ferranti from second and Gibson from third to put the Lakers up 6-4.
In the bottom of the fifth the Eagles got one back to make it a one run game.
Just like they have all season, the Lakers responded with a two run sixth inning. Surowiec was hit by a pitch and Jackson was walked. With a new pitcher in the game Gibson reached first on a bunt single to load the bases. Chris Juchno was hit by a pitch to bring in Surowiec with the seventh Laker run. After another pitching change, Ferranti grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Jackson and make the Laker lead 8-5.
The bottom half of the inning consisted of Ashland scoring a run on two hits while leaving one on base.
In the seventh the Lakers scored for the fifth straight inning to scored double digits for the 13th this season. Banks walked to open the inning which was followed up with an Elliott double to centerfield. Surowiec drew his third walk of the day to load the bases. With the bases loaded Ashland threw a wild pitch to bring in the ninth Laker run. Gibson drove in the tenth Laker run on a groundout later in the frame.
Ashland scored their final runs in the eighth on a double.
Matt Shepard started on the mound and went 1.1 innings striking out two. Nathan Holt took over and scattered four runs over 6.2 innings while allowing six hits. He struckout two in his third win of the season. Jacob Bazala came in out of the pen in ninth to close the game. He allowed a hit and walk but got a strikeout and a double play to end the game and earn his third save of the season.
Up Next
It is PSAC West play from here on out as the Lakers host Seton Hill on Friday. Mercyhurst heads to Seton Hill on Saturday before facing Slippery Rock next weekend in the final series of the regular season.
