Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score

Game One
Game Two

Erie, Pa. - One day after scoring nine runs on five homers, the Mercyhurst baseball team managed to cross home plate just four times in a pair of losses at Lynn Saturday afternoon.

Lynn's offense totaled 21 runs on just 16 hits in the two contests, winning by scores 8-2 and 13-2. Mercyhurst, however, was its own worst enemy, totaling six errors and surrendering 14 walks in the doubleheader.

In the opener, Lynn manufactured a run with a walk, sacrifice bunt and an RBI single. Laker starter Wes Craig (0-1) escaped the inning without further damage, rolling a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning several batters later.

But in the third, the floodgates opened, as Lynn plated five routs on four hits, two Laker errors and a wild pitch. Craig got through the inning and his day ended in after 5.1 innings of work, giving up six runs on six walks and six hits while striking out two.

Chad Ditcher came on in relief for the second-straight day and allowed a pair of runs in the seventh. With Lynn leading 8-0, Mercyhurst picked up a run in the top of the eighth on an RBI ground out from Jeff Stoll and one more in the ninth when Jamie Walczak singled home freshman Jonathan Keppler.

Mercyhurst recorded six hits, two of which came off the bat of Walczak. Joel Burnett, who improved to 3-0 on the season, kept the Lakers off balance, fanning six and allowing one run on four hits through eight innings.

Mercyhurst's fortunes did not improve in the nightcap as Lynn took advantage of four Laker errors and jumped on starter John Mang (0-1) for eight runs, five of which were earned in the first five innings. Lynn piled six more for insurance in the bottom of the sixth off Laker relievers Russell Gardner and Thurman Schaetzle.

Walczak went 2-for-2, and John Blike drove in a run with an RBI double in the fifth.

Walczak totaled four hits, two runs and an RBI in the doubleheader, giving him six hits in 13 at bats on the young season.

Mercyhurst falls to 1-3 and Lynn improves to 8-5 with the sweep. The Lakers return to action Sunday afternoon against Division I Concordia St. Paul.