GLENVILLE, W.Va. -- On Friday morning, Fairmont State began its first of three games on the weekend with a matchup with No.19 Mercyhurst University. The Lakers earned the 9-5 victory as five Falcons each collected a hit on the afternoon.
Mercyhurst scored quickly with two runs in the top of the first, but
Logan Smith was able to limit the damage by getting a fly out by Troy Banks and a strikeout of Aidan Shephard.
In the bottom of the second,
Tyler Haskins sent a ball over the right-field fence to cut the Laker lead in half at 2-1.
The Lakers grabbed the momentum back in the top of the fourth as Shephard hit a solo home run shot over the right-field wall and two more runs scored via a wild pitch and a pass ball in the inning.
Fairmont State answered with two runs in its bottom half of the fourth as
Dwayne Thomas started the inning with a single to left field. Haskins drew a walk as two Falcons were on base with one out.
Cade Sikoski collected a walk to load the bases as Fairmont State chased Mercyhurst's starting pitcher Josh Greggs in the fourth. Thomas scored on a
Vince Sabatino fielder's choice and
Jacob Goodnight made the score 5-3 in favor of Mercyhurst on an RBI single that plated Haskins.
In the fifth inning, Mercyhurst extended its lead to five runs as three Lakers crossed home plate. B.J. Arnold singled to right field as Mercyhurst led 8-3 through four and half innings.
Zachary Musgrove gave life to the Fighting Falcons as he doubled down the right field with two outs as Goodnight and Sabatino scored to cut the deficit to 8-5 in favor of Mercyhurst. The inning ended with
Noah Canterbury grounding out to the Laker second baseman.
Fairmont State was unable to plate any more runs the rest of the way as Sabatino got on a base with a single up the middle. Mercyhurst's Aiden Kelly was able to get out of inning with an inning-ending double play groundout by Musgrove.
Logan Smith went four and one-third of innings pitched at the Sue Morris Sports Complex as he allowed six runs (three earned runs) on seven hits with four strikeouts. Smith took the loss in the game.
Five Falcons had one hit each as Goodnight, Musgrove, Thomas, Haskins, and Sabatino all collected hits. Musgrove drove in two runs as Haskins scored twice with one being off his solo home run in the second inning.
Fairmont State Baseball is back on the diamond tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. from Glenville, W.Va. as the Fighting Falcons take on Millersville University in the PSAC/MEC Challenge.
