ERIE, Pa. (April 11) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team was swept in a doubleheader at nationally-ranked Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action, falling 4-3 in Game 1 and 6-1 in Game 2.

With the sweep, the Vulcans fall to 15-17 this season behind an 11-9 mark in league play. Cal U remains in third place in the PSAC West standings with two weekends of divisional play left before the league tournament. Meanwhile, the Lakers improve to 28-2 overall with an 18-2 record in divisional action.

In Game 1, junior first baseman David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) accounted for all three of the team's runs after posting a solo homer in the second before hitting a two-run homer in the fourth. Senior shortstop Matt Peters (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) also posted a pair of hits, as Marcus and Peters combined for four of the team's five hits against two Mercyhurst pitchers.

Marcus gave the Vulcans a 1-0 lead in the top of the second before the Lakers scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the inning. Mercyhurst scored its initial run of the game on a dropped fly with two outs before a throwing error allowed another run to score. The Vulcans then reclaimed the lead at 4-2 in the fourth after Marcus posted his second homer of the game, and 10th of the year, following a one-out single by Peters. Marcus is the first Cal U player to reach double-digits homers in a season since outfielders Sam DiMatteo and Troy Handza each totaled 11 homers in 2010.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Lakers manufactured a pair of runs on three singles and two sacrifice bunts to take a 4-3 lead. Cal U managed a two-out base runner in both the sixth and seventh before dropping its second-straight, one-run loss to Mercyhurst.

Junior GJ Senchak (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) suffered the loss and fell to 1-2 this season while tossing a complete game. He allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits and one walk, while strikeout out three over 6.0 innings (115 pitches). Laker starter Matthew Jaskolka (4-0) earned the victory after yielding three runs (all earned) on five hits with no walks in 6.0 innings (74 pitches). Junior Ben Nolan registered the save after posting two strikeouts in a scoreless seventh inning.

In Game 2, Cal U was limited to one unearned run and six hits with junior left fielder Jared Grove (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) posting the lone extra-base hit – a seventh-inning double.

Junior center fielder Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler) reached base on a hit by pitch to open the game and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. He then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on the play after a throwing error by the catcher. The Lakers countered in the bottom of the inning with a two-run homer by first baseman Austin Alonge, 2-1.

In the third, junior designated hitter Kris Fielding (Port Perry, Ontario/Port Perry) led off the inning before the Vulcans loaded the bases with a two-out walk by sophomore second baseman Danny McGrath (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) and a single by Peters. However, Mercyhurst forced a fly-out to end the inning and preserve its lead. The Lakers then batted around in the fourth and scored four runs with two outs to extend their lead to 6-1.

Cal U looked to counter with a two-out rally in the fifth with back-to-back singles before Fennell was thrown out at home after trying to score from second. Fennell, who moved to pitcher in the fourth, forced the Lakers to leave runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth. Grove led off the seventh with a double and moved to third on a one-out single by sophomore Alex Ziegler (Butler, Pa./Butler), who replaced Fennell in center field. Following a passed ball that allowed Ziegler to move to second, Mercyhurst induced a ground-out to the pitcher and a fly-out to end the game.

Junior starter Cory Craig (Youngsville, Pa./Youngsville) was saddled with the loss and dropped to 2-4 this season while making his first start since March 21. He allowed six runs (all earned) on seven hits and three walks in 3.2 innings (85 pitches) before Fennell worked 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. Mercyhurst junior Cam Knott (5-0) earned the win after surrendering one run (unearned) on four hits and one walk, while posting eight strikeouts in 5.1 innings (85 pitches).

Cal U is slated to return to action on Tuesday, April 14, with a non-conference doubleheader at Salem International with play beginning at 1 p.m.