Slippery Rock, Pa. - Mercyhurst Baseball finished out their series with the Golden Eagles Monday evening with a pair of wins as they move to 13-6 on the season overall and are now 7-1 in the PSAC. The offense was alive in this one with an 11-10 11-inning victory followed by a 13-1 win. 

How it Happened

Game One

The Lakers did not wait around all too long to grab the lead as they scored six runs in the first frame. Chris Juchno started the offensive onslaught for Mercyhurst with a two-run double to make it a 2-0 game.

Zachary Kouorus followed with a double of his own while Lucas Folmar and John Susnik both had RBI singles to make it a 6-0 game before Mercyhurst had even taken the field. The Golden Eagles did manage to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the frame as they scored three.

The fourth inning is where the action picked up again after both the second and third were goose eggs. The Lakers managed to plate one run, but it was Clarion who had the bigger inning as they scored five times to take the lead. The Golden Eagles used some unselfish hitting to get the job done and capitalized on Mercyhurst's mistakes in the field to make it an 8-7 game going into the back half of the game.

The Lakers did not lie down, though, as they managed to rally in the top of the sixth to reclaim the lead. Eric Chorba got the job done with an RBI single to tie things up 8-8 before a ground ball brought him home as the winning run. Clarion wouldn't let things end there, though, as they scored one run in the bottom of the frame and, for the fourth time in their last five games, Mercyhurst went to extra innings with the score tied at 9-9.

After both teams scored in the 10th, the winning run came courtesy of Mitchell Grosch. After Landon DiBeradin reached via a fielder's choice, he ended up coming all the way around from first to score as Grosch doubled down the left field line give secure the 11-10 victory.

Game Two

It was an offensive onslaught in the fourth inning of the second game that helped make it a no-contest for the Lakers. After scoring four runs over the first three cantos, Mercyhurst broke out for seven in the fourth. There were seven hits in the frame with none bigger than the double off the bat of Luke Jackson that scored two, making the score 7-1.

From there, the game proved to be a quiet one with neither side scoring again until two by the Lakers in the sixth. Mercyhurst's starter, Ryan Rafalski put together a strong effort as he was able to make it through four innings while giving up just the one run with three strikeouts to his line as well.

The Lakers then added on with two more in the top of the sixth to put this one to bed with Matt Christopher getting an RBI single while Joe Trivisonno got his first base hit of the season in a pinch-hit double that plated Christopher, helping Mercyhurst finish ahead 13-1 at the last out.

Highlights

Chris Juchno was once again a big bat, going 5-10 over his two games with three doubles to his line while knocking in four. Matt Christopher also had five hits to tie Juchno for the team lead on the day in base knocks with the Laker shortstop hitting one double on the day. Rafalski pitched four innings while allowing one run in game two to go along with three Ks while Nicholas Merriman came in relief and pitched two innings with a trio of punch outs to his line as well.

Next Game

Mercyhurst prepares to play the Golden Knights of Gannon next on Friday, April 7th, on the road with the two teams set to battle on Saturday inside the Mercyhurst Baseball Field at 1:00 p.m.