ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst secured a decisive 11-2 victory over Norfolk State on Friday afternoon. The game featured a strong offensive performance from the Lakers, which totaled 12 hits and benefited from four errors by Norfolk State.
Ranciel Ventura put the Lakers on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run homer to left field, bringing
Mike Samarin home after his double. The Lakers led 2-0 after two innings.
In the fifth inning,
Zach Black reached on an error and eventually scored on a subsequent error, while
Logan Koslin crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by
Zachary Kourous, extending the lead to 4-0.
Norfolk State managed to score twice in the top of the sixth inning on a double by Brendan Burke, but the Lakers responded in the bottom of the inning. A balk allowed
Ranciel Ventura to score, followed by a two-RBI single by
Zachary Kourous. After six innings, the Lakers led 7-2.
The Lakers added another run in the seventh when
Dana Williams scored on a sacrifice fly by
Mike Samarin, bringing the score to 8-2.
In the eighth inning, Ventura delivered a two-RBI single to center field, and a subsequent error allowed
Mike Samarin to score, concluding the scoring at 11-2 for the Lakers.
The game ended with a final score of Mercyhurst 11, Norfolk State 2.
Matthew Delvaux pitched seven innings, allowing just three hits and two earned runs while striking out seven batters. He faced 29 batters and threw 107 pitches, maintaining a WHIP of 0.86, and issued three walks.
Nolan Kirsch contributed two innings of hitless relief, striking out one and recording four groundouts with 18 pitches, achieving a WHIP of 0.00. Both pitchers combined for a strong defensive showing against Norfolk State, limiting their offensive output effectively.
Ventura delivered a powerful performance with three hits, including a home run, while driving in four runs and scoring twice. Kourous contributed significantly by collecting three RBIs and securing a hit. Williams showed patience at the plate, drawing four walks and scoring two runs.
Looking ahead, the Lakers will face Norfolk State at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 28 at Mercyhurst Baseball Field in Erie, Pennsylvania.
