April 19, 2008

Game One
Game Two

Erie, Pa. - Red-shirt sophomore Steve Grife went the distance and struck out 10, and junior Jamie Walczak and senior Joe Luli each hit a home run as the Mercyhurst baseball team captured a 4-1 win over Tiffin in game two of Saturday's doubleheader in Erie, Pa.

The Lakers (18-20) led early in game one, but a six-run sixth inning by Tiffin (16-15) propelled the Dragons to an 8-4 win. Mercyhurst has now split each of its last six doubleheaders.

Grife (3-5), the starter in the nightcap, held Tiffin to just four hits and surrendered only one walk, earning his first mound win since March 15--a span of four starts. Yet during that winless streak, Grife was still excellent, averaging 6.1 innings, 7.5 strikeouts, five hits and 2.25 runs allowed per start with only four runs of offensive support.

Saturday's performance was his fourth complete game and second double-digit strikeout effort of the season, and it halted Tiffin's seven-game winning streak that included wins over two Division I programs and a sweep of nationally ranked Grand Valley State.

Grife struck out three of the first four batters he faced but allowed a triple and RBI ground out in the second, giving Tiffin a 1-0 lead. The Lakers, however, answered in the bottom of the inning when Walczak led off with a solo shot to left field--his fourth of the season.

Tiffin threatened in the fourth, putting runners on second and third with one out, but Grife dug in and fanned two in a row to escape the jam. And in the fifth, sophomore Adam Schlessel ripped an RBI single down the third base line to give the Lakers a 2-1 edge.

Walczak reached again in the sixth and Luli hit a two-run homer to left, giving Grife more than enough support to finish the game. Grife sat the Dragons down in order in the seventh to seal the win.

Walczak finished with two hits, two runs, a steal and an RBI. John Blike also went 1-for-2 with a double.

Mercyhurst's game one starter, Wes Craig, also turned in a solid outing, allowing just two runs on one hit and striking out six, helping the Lakers build an early 4-2 lead. He, however, was pulled in favor of senior James Ludwig after the first two batters of the sixth reached base.

The Lakers quickly unraveled, committing a costly throwing error and allowing three hits that led to six Tiffin runs.

The 8-4 deficit proved too much to overcome, and the Lakers stranded a runner on base in each of the final two at bats.

Ludwig (3-2) suffered the loss, allowing three earned runs--four total--in two innings. It was, however, his Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-leading 20th appearance of the season.

Mercyhurst freshmen Jonathan Keppler and Craig Denman each totaled two hits. Senior Dan Bertolini went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a stolen base. Walczak added a hit, RBi and a steal and Luli drove in a run with an RBI single in the first.

The Lakers complete the four-game series with Tiffin Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.