Erie, Pa. – Mercyhurst University designated hitter Jack Malec delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Lakers to a 4-3 win over the Le Moyne College baseball team on Friday in game one of a Northeast Conference series at the Mercyhurst Baseball Field.
Le Moyne led Mercyhurst 3-2 after eight innings, but the Lakers scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth with the help of a one-out double from right fielder Eric Chorba, an RBI single from first baseman Jayden Walker, and the walk-off single from Malec.
Walker finished the game with two hits, two RBIs and one run, while Malec and catcher Landon DiBeradin both registered three hits for the Lakers.
Junior outfielder
Paulie Goodness (Palmyra, N.Y./Palmyra-Macedon/Finger Lakes C.C.) led Le Moyne at the plate during the setback with two hits, two stolen bases and two runs scored.
Le Moyne graduate left-handed starting pitcher
Max Parker (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) compiled nine strikeouts with two runs allowed in 7.0 innings of work for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins struck first on Friday as Goodness manufactured a run in the top of the first. Goodness led off the inning with a single to center field, stole second base, then stole third base and came home following a throwing error on the play.
Mercyhurst tied the game in the bottom of the second with some aggressive base running from infielder Ranciel Ventura.
Le Moyne took the lead right back in the top of the third. Goodness once again led off the inning with a single to center field, then advanced all the way to third on a failed pickoff attempt.
Sophomore outfielder
Jack Cannon (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) then lifted a fly ball to deep center field during the next at bat, allowing Goodness to tag up and score.
The Lakers tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third following an RBI single from Walker.
Cannon led off the top of the sixth with a base hit, then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Junior infielder
Adam Sullivan (Syracuse, N.Y./Marcellus) hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield to drive in Cannon and give the Dolphins a 3-2 advantage.
Mercyhurst put runners on first and third with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Parker got a groundout to strand both runners on base and preserve the one-run lead.
Graduate right-handed pitcher
Joel Connors (Brampton, Ontario/Heart Lake/Lakeland C.C./St. Andrew's/St. Bonaventure) entered the game in relief of Parker and stranded two runners on base during a scoreless bottom of the eighth.
The Dolphins put a runner in scoring position with one out in the top of the ninth, but Mercyhurst reliever Nolan Kirsch got a groundout and a flyout to end the inning and keep the score at 3-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Chorba delivered a double to left field with one out and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth, then Walker drove him in with a base hit to center field. A single from Diberadin moved Walker into scoring position, then with two outs in the inning Malec deposited a base hit to left field to give the Lakers a walk-off victory.
Le Moyne and Mercyhurst will play game two of the series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
