Johnstown, Pa.—The Mercyhurst Baseball team split the first half of their weekend series with UPJ on Friday. In game one the Laker bats exploded in an 16-8 win while in game two they fell in the bottom of the seventh 4-3.

Game One (W, 16-5)

The scoring started early for the Lakers as they took the lead in the top of the first inning on a Josh Surowiec groundout that brought Matthew Gibson home.

UPJ answered back in the bottom half of the inning with two runs of their own.

In the top of the second, Luke Jackson singled to start the inning. Jack Elliott followed it up with a triple to right center that tied the game at two. Three pitches later Troy Bank doubled to give the Lakers a 3-2 lead.

The offense continued in the third inning as Jackson and Elliott both drove in runs to make it 5-2. UPJ once again responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs of their own to make 5-4 after three full innings.

UPJ tied the ballgame at five in the fourth inning. In the fifth inning they took a 7-5 lead after a Mercyhurst error.

In the sixth, the Laker bats really warmed up in the less than ideal weather. The first ten batters of the inning reached with only one being on a fielder's choice, the rest were either hits or free passes. The Lakers scored seven runs in the inning, Casimer Sobaszek, Jackson, Banks, and Chris Juchno each drove in runs for Mercyhurst.

After UPJ scored once in the bottom of the sixth the Lakers scored four more in the top of the seventh. Three of the four runs came on free passes while Aidan Shephard singled in a run.

Jarrett Heilman started on the mound and went 2.2 innings striking out two and allowing four hits. Jacob Bazala took over and went 1.2 innings while also striking out two. Nathan Holt picked up his second win of the season as he went 1.1 innings striking out one and allowing two hits. Freshman Ben Berdine picked up his first save in an inning and a third of work while striking out two of the four batters he faced.

Game Two (L, 4-3)

UPJ struck first in game two as they scored twice in the first inning. Neither team scored again until the sixth inning as they pitchers were dealing.

In the sixth, Philip Ferranti doubled home Sobaszek who reached earlier in the inning on a walk. Later in the inning the Lakers tied the game at two as Banks singled in Ferranti. UPJ was held off the board in the bottom half.

In the top of the sixth the Lakers took the lead on a Gibson single that drove in Mitchell Grosch who ran for John Susnik following his single to start the inning.

In the bottom half the Mountain Cats scored the final two runs of the game on a wild pitch and a passed ball.

The Lakers generated seven hits in game two with seven different players notching a hit.

John Bufford Jr. started on the bump and went the whole game allowing just five hits and four runs (one unearned). He struckout six in the game while recording 11 groundball outs in his third start of the season.

Up Next

The Lakers close out the weekend series tomorrow against UPJ at 1 and 3 PM at the Mercyhurst Baseball Field.