Complete Box Score

BUTLER, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University baseball team got another strong start on Friday, this time from senior Zach Leitten, as the Lakers defeated the Golden Bears of Kutztown 4-0 on Friday evening at Pullman Park in Butler. The win moved the Lakers to 38-14 on the season and sets up a rematch with Kutztown on Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m.

The win helped the Lakers stave off elimination for the second consecutive game on Friday. Senior righthander Brad Duffy pitched a four-hit shutout against Millersville earlier in the day, striking out a career-high 12 batters and eliminating the Marauders from the tournament.

The Lakers will now be part of a four-team championship Saturday, with the Lakers taking on Kutztown in a rematch. West Chester and Shippensburg will tangle in the first rematch of the day, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The winners of the two Saturday games will play for the title at 4:00 p.m.

Leitten went seven-and-a-third innings of shutout baseball, allowing only three hits. He walked three and struck out six before a two hour and ten minute lightning/rain delay ended his evening. The delay occurred with Kutztown hitting in the bottom of the eighth inning – one out and nobody on base. He improved to 5-4 on the season.

Freshman Dan Altavilla came on in relief of Leitten after the delay and got the final five outs to close out the victory, allowing two baserunners – a hit batter in the eighth and a one-out single in the ninth.

The senior righthander from Alexander, New York was matched in a dual with Kutztown's J.R. Seader for the first two innings, before the Lakers broke through for three runs in the top of the third inning, giving Leitten some offensive support.

Freshman Jake Janeczko started the third inning rally with a single up the middle and then advanced to second when freshman Kolin McMillen reached on a bunt single. Two batters later, senior Shane Latshaw hit a towering double off the right field wall, driving home Janeczko for the first run of the game. Senior Ethan Santora then reached on a four-pitch walk, loading the bases for junior Zak Blair, who doubled down the right field line, scoring McMillen and Latshaw for the 3-0 advantage.

Leitten continued to put zeroes up on the scoreboard and the Laker offense provided him with another run of insurance in the top of the seventh inning. Janeczko drew a one-out walk and then stole second, sliding under the tag at second base after lefthanded reliever Colin Holmes had the freshman picked off. The Lakers made the Golden Bears pay, as sophomore Anthony Tomasone came through with a clutch, two-out double to right center field, scoring Janeczko for a 4-0 advantage.

Kutztown could muster just three baserunners into scoring position during Leitten's outing. After the start, Leitten lowered his season ERA from 2.78 to 2.45.

Seader went five-and-a-third innings and suffered the loss for the Golden Bears. He allowed three runs on six hits. He walked one and did not strike out a batter. Holmes was tagged for the other Laker run in one inning of work.

Offensively, McMillen, Blair, and sophomore Colin Loughner each had two of Mercyhurst's nine hits on the evening.

As previously mentioned, Mercyhurst will play Kutztown on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m. The winner of that contest will play the winner of Shippensburg-West Chester for the championship at 4:00 p.m. You can follow all the action of Mercyhurst's quest to repeat as PSAC Champions on PSAC Baseball Tournament Central.