LANCASTER, Pa. -- Nick Gillung struck out 10 batters in the first four innings and allowed just three hits in seven innings Friday as Mercyhurst defeated Winston-Salem State 7-2 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional baseball tournament.Despite finishing with just four hits, the Rams stayed close through 51/2 innings, trailing just 2-1. Mercyhurst broke the game open with three runs in the sixth, then added two insurance runs in the eighth. In the sixth, Mercyhurst used three consecutive singles to push across one run, then scored two more on an Ethan Santora double, making it 5-1.
Rams Open NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional with a 7-2 Loss to #17 Mercyhurst
LANCASTER, PA - The Winston-Salem State Rams (30-24) struggled to get their offense going in a tough 7-2 loss to the Mercyhurst Lakers (40-23), Friday afternoon. The Rams gave their best effort in the game, but the runs were hard to come by for the Rams as the team managed just four hits and two runs in the hard-fought loss.
Though the Rams, took the loss, the game gave a great defensive effort to keep the game in reach, trailing 2-1 through the first six innings, but the Rams were outscored 5-1 in the final four innings of play to take the loss. The Rams struggled against the Mercyhurst pitching with just four hits on the day and 16 WSSU strikeouts in the loss. The Rams were able to get on the scoreboard with some clutch hitting as junior catcher Michael Robbins forced an error to third base with a sacrifice bunt that scored junior second baseman Jordan Graham. Freshman outfielder Andrew Smith added a sixth-inning RBI single that drove in sophomore centerfielder German Reyes. The two runs were all that the Rams could muster, however as the team finished the day with the loss.
