March 4, 2008

Complete Poll

Erie, Pa. - With a 7-4 start to the 2008 season, the Mercyhurst baseball team jumped from ninth to No. 5 in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) North Central Region poll.

Mercyhurst received 29 points and its four-spot leap was the second most of any team and it moved ahead of four teams that were ranked higher in the preseason poll.

Indianapolis went from receiving votes to fourth after posting a 7-2 record. Ashland (1-1) is ranked third with 34 points, Drury (7-4) is ranked second with 41 points and Grand Valley State (4-1) stayed at No. 1, receiving all five first-place votes.

Fellow Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) teams, Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State are ranked ninth and 10th respectively.

Also, Mercyhurst received a vote in the March 3 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II poll.

The Lakers' early season triumphs include wins over Division I opponents St. Bonaventure and Mount St. Mary's. The Lakers also averaged over six runs per game, scored seven or more runs seven times, and are hitting .315 as a team.

Mercyhurst travels to Wheeling Jesuit for two games on March 8-9.