Lock Haven 6, Mercyhurst 5
West Chester 14, Mercyhurst 3

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Mercyhurst battled back from a late 5-2 deficit to pull even with Lock Haven at 5-5, but the Lady Eagles prevailed, 6-5 in eight innings in the first game of the 2010 PSAC Softball Tournament. The Lakers then fell to West Chester, 14-3, in the second game, being eliminated from the tournament in the process.

The Lakers end their season at 23-23, having qualified for the PSAC playoffs for the first time. Lock Haven advances to play against West Chester to determine the winner of the three-team pod, which will advance to the PSAC Tournament final round Friday, April 30.

Mercyhurst pounded out 10 hits against Lock Haven, including back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning from Jen Bower and Amber Rapose.

Bower led the way for the Lakers in game one, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, while Rapose and #Elizabeth# Maier added two hits apiece.

The Lady Eagles got on the board first with two runs in the top of the third inning. Mercyhurst broke through with a pair in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run single by Kara Gorgos after singles by Bower and Rapose. Lock Haven reclaimed the lead at 5-2 with a three-run sixth inning.

Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Bower led off with a round-tripper. Rapose followed suit with her fifth home run of the season, slicing the deficit to one at 5-4. The Lakers tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Bower drove in Emily Redig with a single. Mercyhurst left two runners on base, requiring extra innings.

Lock Haven pushed one across in the eighth, which the Lakers were unable to answer, giving the Lady Eagles a 6-5 victory and a bye to Friday's third game.

Lock Haven's Becca Bailey (15-11) struck out 16 Mercyhurst batters in the complete-game victory. She allowed five runs on 10 hits. Kristi Janoske yielded five runs on six hits in six innings, while Amanda Norman (8-8) drew the loss, giving up one run in two innings of relief.

Facing West Chester merely 30 minutes after completing the contest against Lock Haven, the Lakers fell behind 4-0 after one inning. The Golden Rams added three in the third inning for a 7-0 advantage. Mercyhurst answered with one run in the bottom of the third, but West Chester added seven runs in the fourth for a 14-1 lead.

Mercyhurst responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but fell 14-3 in five innings. Redig drove in Gorgos, and scored on an error.

West Chester scored 14 runs on 13 hits, including two home runs, off of three Laker pitchers, with Amanda Norman falling to 8-9. Mercyhurst registered three runs on seven hits off of Brooke Muth (15-8).

Against West Chester, Redig and Maier each recorded two hits, with Redig and Megan Houston# driving in runs.

Bower's home run against LHU was her 12th of the season, the most by a Lakers since Jen Feret hit 16 in 2007.

The Lakers earned 23 victories on the season, tied for the second-most in program history. This year's team registered 210 runs, the second most in program history. Mercyhurst's seniors helped the team to its most-successful four-year run to date, with 91 victories and four straight 20+-win seasons. Mercyhurst will return many starters, including both starting pitchers, next season.