Norfolk, Va.- Mercyhurst brought themselves back to a 12-14 record in conference play on Friday after they recorded a pair of wins against Norfolk State.
Aidan Kelly and
Jacob Bazala each went 7.0 innings to help lead the Lakers to back-to-back wins. Mercyhurst has now won four straight conference matchups. It's the longest win streak they've had in NEC play thus far. They also clinched their fourth NEC series.
How it Happened:
Game One:
The Lakers came into Friday looking to give Norfolk State their 32
nd and 33
rd losses of the 2025 season. But Norfolk State was looking to start a win streak for the first time this year. In the first inning, they picked up right where they left off last Sunday in their win over Central Connecticut State University. Emmett Jefferson hit a two RBI single and then Robert Beatty stole home to give them a quick 3-0 lead. But the Lakers got back two runs in the top of the second. The first came from a solo shot from
Patrick Sullivan.
Casey Smith then scored on a wild pitch to make it a 3-2 game. The Lakers tied the game up in the top of the fourth inning after Joey Trivisonno hit an RBI single that drove in
Ethan Adams.
On the mound,
Aidan Kelly recovered from his rough first inning to have a solid outing. He struck out eight batters and went 7.0 innings before being pulled in the eighth inning. Norfolk State started to believe in the bottom of the eighth after they took a 4-3 lead off of a Cam Mazell RBI single. But the Lakers took the lead for the first time in thrilling fashion.
Ranciel Ventura hit a two RBI double to give them a 5-4 lead and Adams earned an RBI on a walk to give Mercyhurst an insurance run as they entered the bottom of the ninth.
Nolan Kirsch then closed things out in the bottom part of the ninth to earn his first win of the campaign.
Game Two:
Unlike game one, Mercyhurst took control from the start.
Jayden Walker earned an RBI on a walk in the first inning that gave the Lakers a 1-0 lead. In the second inning,
Chris Juchno hit an RBI double and then Walker hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
Casey Smith hit an RBI single in the third inning as the Lakers put a run on the board for the third straight inning. Jalan Jones finally got Norfolk State on the board in the third with an RBI double. But the Lakers continued to hit well. But both of the Lakers' runs in the fourth inning came off of Donovan Whitfield wild pitches.
Beatty brought the Spartans back to within three runs in the bottom half of the inning after he hit a two run homer. The Lakers slowly built the lead back up though. In the sixth, Ventura hit a sacrifice fly and then in the eighth in his next at-bat, he hit a two RBI double. Norfolk State tacked on two more runs, but ultimately the Lakers ended the day with a 9-5 win a doubleheader sweep.
Jacob Bazala was key in the Lakers win on the mound. He went 7.0 innings and struck out seven batters. It's his second straight start that he's went 7.0 innings or more.
Next Game:
The Lakers will wrap up their time in Virginia tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. All of the action can be caught on the NEC Front Row.
