ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst fell to LIU with a final score of 6–5 on Saturday. The Lakers tallied 11 hits and four stolen bases in the contest.
Mercyhurst jumped to an early lead in the first inning with
Ranciel Ventura getting hit by a pitch and stealing second.
Zachary Kourous followed with a single, advancing Ventura to third.
Luke Babcock singled to drive in Ventura, then
Logan Koslin's single brought in Kourous. A fielder's choice by
Mike Samarin allowed Babcock to score, giving Mercyhurst a 3–0 advantage.
In the third inning, Babcock singled and stole second. Koslin walked, setting up
Parker Zeiser's RBI single that brought Babcock home. The Green and Blue led 4–0.
Dana Williams singled in the sixth and stole second.
Jayden Walker's single advanced Williams to third before Ventura's RBI single brought him home, increasing the lead to 5–0.
LIU's offense broke through in the seventh with a double and RBI single, making it 5–1.
In the eighth, LIU scored three runs with a double and a sacrifice fly. The Sharks also scored on a wild pitch, reducing the Lakers' lead to 5–4.
LIU took the lead in the ninth with a two-run homer. Despite a walk by Zeiser, the Lakers couldn't rally in their final at-bat. LIU secured the 6–5 victory.
Nate Vargo delivered a strong performance for Mercyhurst, pitching seven innings while allowing just one earned run on three hits and striking out four batters.
Zac Evenson struggled in relief, surrendering five earned runs on four hits, including a home run, in his single inning of work.
Mitch Harder closed the game, pitching one inning with two walks and one strikeout.
Babcock scored two runs and collected two hits, contributing significantly to the team's offensive output. Ventura added a run and an RBI, while also stealing a base and drawing a walk. Koslin reached base multiple times, recording two hits and two walks, along with an RBI.
Mercyhurst has an overall record of 13-26 and a NEC record of 12-14. LIU holds a record of 21-18, with a 19-6 mark in NEC play.
Looking ahead, the Lakers will take on LIU at 12 p.m. Sunday, May 3 at Mercyhurst Baseball Field in Erie, Pennsylvania.
