Cards earn split at Mercyhurst

April 2, 2007 —

The Cardinals couldn't get their bats going early on Saturday or Sunday, and left Erie with a split because of it.

After being held to just nine hits in the first games of their two doubleheaders against Mercyhurst, the Cards responded with 15 in the second games, earning a 2-2 split with the Lakers.

Besides a four-run first inning in Sunday's first game, the Cardinals' pitchers shut the Lakers hitters down, allowing just four runs the rest of the day. The four runs doomed SVSU from the start, as they couldn't muster a run until the sixth inning and lost 6-2.

The Lakers got all four of their runs with two outs in the decisive first inning. Josh Schmidt hit a two-run double off junior starter Brandon Fanion, then Tim Echan hit a bases-loaded single to score two more.

SVSU had the potential game-tying run in the on-deck circle in the seventh, but were unable to capitalize. Freshman rightfielder Charlie Richards singled in junior third basemen Danny Patterson with one out, but freshman Chase Coulter hit into a game-ending double play two batters later.

Fanion took the loss, pitching five innings and allowing five runs off seven hits. Senior Jeff Schulz came in for relief in the sixth and gave up a run. The Cards were unable to solve the Lakers' Brian Chad, who pitched 6.1 innings and struck out seven before giving way to John Morris, who got Coulter to end the game and picked up the save.

Just like they did in Saturday's second game, SVSU jumped on the Lakers' starter early in Sunday's second game. Sophomore first basemen Pete Vanderkolk singled in fellow sophomore Chris Hess after Hess and junior third basemen Brent Skiba both walked to lead off the inning. Vanderkolk stole second when Skiba was tagged out on a botched double steal, but junior catcher Max Bell walked two batters later, scoring Vanderkolk.

The Lakers responded with a run in the bottom of the first off redshirt freshman starter Scott Haase, but wouldn't score again until the fifth. The Cards put up three more runs in that time, giving Haase more than enough offense for a 5-2 win.

Haase went the distance for the win, which improved his record to 2-1. He struck out three and allowed four hits and five walks. Lakers starter Brian Espersen took the loss, pitching 2.1 innings and giving up three runs.

Sunday's games were almost a replay of Saturday, when the Cards lost 5-1 in the first game before pulling out a 6-5 victory in 10 innings in the second game. SVSU responded to the Lakers' offense by scoring three times in the second and twice more in the third to tie the game at 5.

The game remained tied until the 10th, when Patterson led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Bell. The Lakers made things interesting by getting runners on first and second with two outs, but Schmidt popped out to second basemen Chris Hanna to end the game.

Freshman T.J. Swanson earned his second win of the season by pitching the eighth and ninth innings, and freshman Andrew Doyle picked up his first save.

The split left the Cards at 3-5 in conference play and 13-8 overall. They travel to Alma College for a doubleheader tomorrow at 1 p.m. before hosting Ashland, 3-0 in the conference and 16-9 overall, over the weekend.