ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon baseball team concluded a four-game series against Mercyhurst Friday afternoon with a pair of losses at Gannon University Field. The Golden Knights fell by scores of 14-4 and 11-1.
The opener was a battle until Mercyhurst broke it open late. Gannon struck first during its initial at-bat.
Jared Wiesen (Girard, Ohio/Liberty) led off with a double to left center, moved to third base on a ground-out and scored on a wild pitch.
Mercyhurst forged ahead with a three-run third inning, before assuming a 4-1 lead with another run during the top of the fourth.
Gannon's biggest rally of the afternoon came during the bottom of the fifth inning. The Golden Knights ripped off three runs to tie the contest at four.
Aaron Cox (Dorchester, N.J./Millville) brought the first run home with an infield single.
Zack Ranta (Hamilton, Ontario/Orchard Park Secondary) followed with a two-out, two-run double to left center that tied the game.
Things unraveled during the final two innings. Mercyhurst's Anthony Tomasone led off the sixth inning with a drive that hit in front of the fence and bounced over. But the umpires ruled it a home run to give the Lakers a 5-4 lead. It was the beginning of a five-run outburst that sent 10 batters to the plate.
Mercyhurst planted another five-spot during its final at-bat in the seventh inning. Giancarlo Saia's grand slam was the Lakers' only hit of the frame that was aided by four walks and one hit by pitch.
Wiesen finished 2-for-4 with two runs.
Mark DeVita (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) added two hits in three at-bats. Seven of Gannon's top eight hitters recorded a hit.
In the nightcap, Gannon scored its only run during the bottom of the first inning. Cox reached on an infield single with two outs. The sophomore moved to third base on
Sean Sutton's (Toronto, Ontario/Brebeuf College) single to right field and then scored on the rightfielder's error.
Mercyhurst scored during four of its seven at-bats. The Lakers produced two runs during both the first and third innings. A five-run fourth inning broke the game open, before two insurance runs were added in the seventh.
Gannon dropped to 6-16 overall and 2-6 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division with its fifth consecutive loss. Mercyhurst improved to 15-5 overall and 7-1 in divisional play. The Golden Knights return to action Tuesday, April 1 at Seton Hill. The PSAC Western Division twinbill is scheduled for 1 p.m.
