Erie, Pa. - The Lakers rounded out the month of April on a high note, defeating IUP twice by scores of 4-3. A walk-off home run by John Susnik secured the win in game one while Matt Christopher had a blast of his own in game two in the bottom of the sixth to help Mercyhurst break out the brooms.
How It Happened
Game One
IUP was the first to strike with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. A home run off the bat of Torrey Roper generated the first run while the second came via a sacrifice fly. The Laker's bats fell silent in the early going, being held hitless until the bottom of the fourth. They collected three hits in the frame with the biggest one being a single off the center-right field wall off the bat of Chris Juchno to make it a 2-1 game in favor of IUP.
After a 30-minute rain delay, the Lakers managed to take a lead in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run hit by Mitchell Grosch. After Luke Jackson reached via walk, Juchno reached by a throwing error on the pitcher, allowing the two base runners to reach second and third. From there, Grosch lined a single up the middle to give the Lakers a 3-2 lead.
The Crimson Hawks managed to tie things up in the top of the seventh, but things did not stay that way long as John Susnik ended the game in the bottom of the frame. As the first batter of the canto, the Laker backstop sent one over the left field wall for his second walk-off home run in two weeks, doing so last Friday in the series opener against Cal (Pa.).
Game Two
Mercyhurst kept the offense rolling into the next game with a pair of runs in the first inning. A sharp single through the right side off the bat of Luke Jackson plated the first run while the Laker left fielder came in to score on the next at-bat as a single off the bat of Juchno snuck under the left fielder's glove to make it 2-0 going into the top of the second. They then added one more in the second with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jackson.
The Crimson Hawks managed to claw their way back with one run in the top of the third followed by two in the fifth, helping them tie the game at 3-3 going into the back half of the contest. Matt Christopher helped the Lakers grab the lead once again with a home run to lead off their half of the sixth, making it a 4-3 game before the Lakers shut down their counterpart in the seventh to grab their second win of the day.
Highlights
Luke Jackson, Chris Juchno, and Mitchell Grosch tied for the team lead in hits on the day with two apiece with Grosch supplying all the power with a double and a triple to his line. John Susnik had one of the team's other extra-base hits with a home run in game one while Matt Christopher had the second dinger of the day in game two.
Playoff Picture
The Lakers cement their position in second place in the PSAC West with these two wins, now standing at 19-5 in the conference while holding a 26-12 mark overall. They trail only Seton Hill in the conference standings who has yet to lose a PSAC game, sitting at 24-0 with a 38-8 overall mark.
Next Game
The Lakers hit the diamond again on Tuesday, May 2nd, when they play host to Notre Dame (Oh.) for the second time in two weeks. They then see Seton Hill at home on Thursday for their home finale while going to Greensburg, Pa. to play the Griffins the following day.
