May 14, 2009

Shepherd upended by Mercyhurst in Game 3

WEST LAWN, Pa. — Tyler Beard singled and scored in his first at-bat, but that was it for Shepherd University as Mercyhurst College won 3-1 in Game 3 of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regionals Thursday at Owls Field.

No. 3-seeded Shepherd stranded 11 baserunners and left the bases loaded twice, while No. 4-seeded Mercyhurst plated three runs over the first two innings.

Lakers pitchers Nick Gillung and Steve Grife kept the Rams off the scoreboard after Beard’s run in the first.

Gillung pitched 5 1/3 innings allowing one run on seven hits. Grife collected the save, pitching the final 3 2/3 innings after a 39 minute rain delay in the top of the sixth inning. Gillung struck out three batters and Grife struck out one.

Mercyhurst started a two-out rally in the first inning after Jamie Walczak walked and Jeff Stoll was hit by a pitch. Ethan Santora and Trey Bennett followed with back-to-back RBI singles to give the Lakers a 2-1 lead.

Bennett finished 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Jonathan Keppler made it 3-1 in the second inning when he hit a one-out double, advanced to third on an error and scored on sacrifice fly by Jonathan Dziamba.

Shepherd’s Nathan Minnich, Brian Collins and Brett Caplan each had two hits for Shepherd.

Mercyhurst (36-15) will advance to play in Game 6 the winner of Game 2 between No. 2 Kutztown and No. 5 West Virginia State. Game 6 will be played at 7 p.m. Friday.

Shepherd (34-16) will play in Game 5 against No. 1 West Chester at 3:30 p.m. Friday.