ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst secured a narrow 4–3 victory over New Haven (3-20, 3-9) on Friday in a league matchup. A key highlight for the Lakers was a three-run eighth inning that turned the tide in their favor.
New Haven took an early lead in the first inning as they scored on a single putting the Chargers ahead 1–0. Mercyhurst remained scoreless in the frame as it ended with New Haven leading 1–0.
In the third inning, the Lakers tied the game when
Jayden Walker scored on a wild pitch after reaching second base on
Zachary Kourous's single. New Haven and the Lakers were level at 1–1 after three innings.
New Haven reclaimed the lead in the fifth inning. The Chargers scored on a groundout, moving New Haven ahead 2–1 through five innings.
The eighth inning saw pivotal action. New Haven extended its lead to 3–1 by scoring on an RBI single. However, the Lakers responded strongly in the bottom half.
Zachary Kourous and
Ranciel Ventura reached base on an error and a walk, respectively, setting up
Luke Babcock, who delivered a three-run homer to left-center, driving in Kourous and Ventura. This surge put Mercyhurst ahead 4–3 after eight innings.
The Lakers' defense held firm in the ninth, securing a 4–3 victory over New Haven.
Andrew Malec pitched 4.2 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out two batters. Malec faced 24 batters and issued five walks, recording a WHIP of 2.38.
Nolan Kirsch followed with a strong performance, pitching 4.1 innings and conceding just one hit and one earned run. Kirsch dominated the ground game with 10 groundouts, achieving a WHIP of 0.24 while striking out two batters.
Luke Babcock led the offensive charge with two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs.
Zachary Kourous contributed both offensively and defensively, recording one hit, one run, and five assists in the field.
Dana Williams tallied two hits, showcasing consistency at the plate.
Ranciel Ventura added four assists from the shortstop position, strengthening the team's defense.
Looking ahead, Mercyhurst will host Niagara on Tuesday, April 7 at 2 p.m. at Mercyhurst Baseball Field in Erie, Pennsylvania.
