After Mercyhrust took the lead with a run in the top of the seventh in Friday's second game of a PSAC West doubleheader at Point Stadium, Pitt-Johnstown loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning and scored a run on a wild pitch and one on a passed ball to secure a split with a 4-3 walk-off victory. The Lakers took the opener, 16-8.
Taylor Squiric fanned 12 in six strong innings in the nightcap to help the Mountain Cats improve to 14-13.1 overall and 3-7 in conference-play.
In game one, Josh Surowiec's RBI ground out gave Mercyhurst a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Mountain Cats loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame and got a two-out, two-run single from
Garrett Prosper to quickly take the lead.
The Lakers regained the lead with a pair of runs in the second, then added two more in the third to make it 5-2.
Prosper's double off the screen in left field scored
Asher Corl, and
Mario Disso's bases loaded walk in the bottom of the third got Pitt-Johnstown back to within one at 5-4.
The Mountain Cats tied it in the fourth.
Josh Ulery tripled to lead off and scored on a
Justin Turcovski ground out.
Ulery's fielder's choice chased home
Tyler Smith, and
Jake Ansell scored on a Mercyhurst throwing error that gave Pitt-Johnstown a 7-5 advantage after five innings.
However, the Lakers struck for seven runs in the top of the sixth to build a 12-7 lead, and four more in the seventh.
Prosper went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI, while Ulery had two hits, including a triple and an RBI, and Smith had two hits and drove in one for the Mountain Cats.
Brando Sounders suffered the loss in relief of starter
Rodney Shultz and slipped to 1-2. Souders allowed five runs on three hits in two-plus innings. Shultz started and surrendered five runs on eight hits over the first three innings.
Matthew Gibson collected three hits, and Jack Elliot and Troy Banks each had three RBI for Mercyhurst.
In game two,
Josh Reynolds' two-run single gave the Mountain Cats an early first inning lead
Mountain Cat starter
Taylor Squiric held Mercyhurst scoreless until the sixth when the Lakers got an RBI double from Philip Ferranti and an RBI single from Banks to knot it at two.
Mercyhurst scratched out a run in the top of the seventh, but Pitt-Johnstown answered. The Mountain Cats loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh and took advantage of a wild pitch from Lakers' starter John Bufford that allowed Ansell to score to tie it at three. After a strikeout made it two outs, a passed ball went back to the screen and Disso sprinted home from third with the walk-off run.
Squiric tossed the first six innings and held Mercyhurst to two runs on four hits, while striking out a career-high 12 in a no-decision.
Luke Schrock got the win in relief of Squiric and improved to 2-0 after giving up a run on three hits in one inning out of the bullpen.
Disso was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs, while Reynolds singled and drove in two for Pitt-Johnstown.
With the split, the Lakers are now 16-7 overall and 5-5 in the PSAC West.
Pitt-Johnstown is scheduled to wrap-up the conference series against the Lakers in Erie on Saturday, before host a nine-inning, non-conference game against Shippensburg on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Point Stadium.
