Game 1: Mercyhurst 3, SRU 2 (8 inn.)
Game 2: Mercyhurst 6, SRU 0
ERIE, Pa. -- Mercyhurst College overtook second-place in the PSAC Western Division standings from Slippery Rock University as the Lakers downed The Rock in a doubleheader Friday afternoon at Mercyhurst Field.
Mercyhurst improves to 23-12 overall, 10-4 in the PSAC West while SRU falls to 25-11, 11-7 in the West as its six-game winning streak came to a close.
The Lakers took Game 1, 3-2, after the heroics of pinch-hitter
John Blike and his homer to left field in the bottom of the eighth while Game 2 saw the Lakers offense explode for six runs as the Mercyhurst defense, behind starter
Nick Gillung, shutout SRU for a 6-0 whitewashing.
SRU got on the board quickly in the first half of the twinbill with Adam Jury's RBI-single that plated Billy Herman, who reached on a one-out double, to give The Rock a 1-0 before Matt Kosik led off the second with a homer to left center for SRU's last run of the game.
Meanwhile, the Lakers slowly chipped away at the lead and starter
Steve Grife settled into a groove. In the fourth,
Ethan Santora doubled home
Jonathan Dziomba, who singled to start the inning. Then in the fifth, Dziomba singled to load the bases before #Jamie Walczak# was hit by pitch to plate the tying run.
Walczak came on in relief of Grife in the top of the seventh and earned the win. He allowed one hit while striking out four of the seven batters he faced. Grife allowed two earned runs on seven hits while walking just two and striking out eight. He now moves into eighth-place on the all-time list for innings pitched with 155.
For SRU, Scott Dunn went the distance and earned the loss.
In the nightcap, the Lakers went on the offensive early, scoring two runs in each of the first two innings followed by one each in third and fourth.
Blike continued his hot streak as he led the Lakers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI while
Jeff Stoll went 1-for-2 with two RBI and
Adam Gray contributed a 1-for-3 effort with an RBI and run scored.
Gillung went the distance, scattering three hits while striking out nine SRU batters to improve to 5-0 on the year. His counterpart, Mark Tanner went two innings and took the loss for The Rock.
The Lakers continue their four-game series against SRU when they travel to The Rock for a doubleheader.