March 21, 2008

Game One
Game Two

Erie, Pa. - The Mercyhurst bats were held in check, and Findlay handed the Lakers 3-2 and 6-1 losses to open Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action Saturday in Erie, Pa.

Mercyhurst (9-6,0-2 GLIAC), playing without its top three hitters also lost the services of Scott Monzel early in the second game, leaving the team without four regular starters. With the short-handed lineup, Findlay limited the Lakers to a season-low one run in the nightcap.

In the opener, the Lakers managed just three hits the entire game, but still managed to keep things close thanks to the pitching of senior Eric Drobotij. Mercyhurst fell behind 2-0 early, but senior Dan Bertolini hit his first homer of the season and the fourth of his career to lead off the bottom of the third.

Joseph Furner knotted the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI ground out, but in the top of the seventh, Laker reliever James Ludwig surrendered a walk, and Kyle Blessing followed with a shot to the right centerfield gap which got by Jamie Walczak and allowed the go-ahead run to score. Mercyhurst went down in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Ludwig (1-2) suffered the loss despite allowing just one hit and striking out three in one inning of work. Drobotij went six innings, scattered four hits and allowed two runs while striking out six in a no decision.

Josh Barney (1-0) picked up the win for Findlay after working two innings of relief.

Findlay kept the momentum rolling into the nightcap, jumping out to a 3-0 lead after the top of the sixth. Mercyhurst's Jamie Walczak hit his third homer of the season of the left centerfield wall to cut into the lead, but Findlay starter Ryan Rothenbuler, who went the full seven innings, kept the Lakers off the board, and the Oilers hit three solo shots in the top of the seventh off reliever Ryan Schreiber to pull away.

Mercyhurst out-hit the Oilers 8-6 but stranded eight runners on base and even left the bases full after totaling three singles in the second.

Mercyhurst starter John Mang (1-2) took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits and walking four through 4.1 innings. Rothenbuler notched his first victory of the season, striking out eight and walking none.

Walczak went 2-for-2 with an RBI and Monzel started the game 1-for-1 before leaving the game following a collison with leftfielder Craig Denman that ended the top of the third inning.

The Lakers will look to bounce back Saturday with another doubleheader against Findlay at the Mercyhurst Baseball Field. The opener is scheduled for 12 p.m.