Pitt-Johnstown threw the first punch before being blitzed with 12 unanswered runs in a 12-1 setback to Mercyhurst in the opener. The Mountain Cats dropped the back end of the doubleheader by way of an 8-1 decision to close out the season-series with the Lakers on Friday afternoon.
The Mountain Cats are now 6-26 overall and 3-17 in the PSAC West. The Lakers moved to 15-22 and 7-10 inside the conference.
Brynnae Coe slapped a one-out single and went to second on a wild pitch in the second to help the Mountain Cats strike first. Ailah Charles reached on a fielder's choice before Mia Smith doubled to score Coe and make it 1-0. Charles was thrown out at the plate trying to extend the lead.
The Lakers immediately responded by taking advantage of two errors and posting four runs on two hits in the bottom of the inning. After going down in order in the third, the Mountain Cats couldn't stop the bleeding in the bottom of the frame.
Mercyhurst racked up eight hits and scored seven runs, all of them coming with two outs in the third to seize an 11-1 lead that eventually shortened the game. Smith was tagged with the loss in the circle.
It didn't get any easier to stack hits in game two against Lakers' starter Morgan Hilty, who threw a complete-game, allowing just an earned run on six hits.
The Mountain Cats found themselves in a 3-0 deficit heading into the fourth before getting on the scoreboard. Julia Mooney walked to lead off the fourth and moved to second on Kayla Miehl's single. Isabella DePalma reached on a fielder's choice and Audrey Paterson hit an infield RBI single and scored pinch-runner Meghan McDonough that trimmed it to 3-1.
But three more runs on two hits with the help of two errors allowed Mercyhurst to go on top 6-1 and coast the rest of the way.
Mooney and Miehl combined for four of the Mountain Cats' six hits. Addison Hilligsberg tossed all six innings and was dealt the loss in the circle.
Pitt-Johnstown visits Slippery Rock for a PSAC West doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. The Mountain Cats will then host the Rock on Sunday for a Senior Day doubleheader that also starts at 1 p.m. from the newly-renovated softball field.
