Box Score

Johnstown, Pa. - Millersville entered the ninth of inning of Friday's PSAC Tournament game with Mercyhurst holding a 2-0 lead. But the Lakers rallied to tie it, and in the 12th inning, Ethan Santora hit a two-run home run to end the Marauders' chances at the PSAC title 4-2. Mercyhurst advances to face Indiana (Pa.) in the championship game Saturday.

Freshman Tim Mayza was outstanding on the mound for No. 8 Millersville (39-10). He hurled seven shutout innings to put Millersville in position to draw a rematch with Mercyhurst (38-10). He allowed only three hits and struck out four.

The Marauders received timely hitting early as well. They scored one in the first inning on a RBI double from Zach Stone. In the fourth, Stone walked and moved up to second on a ground out. Carlos Medina poked a single between first and second, and Stone motored around from second to give Millersville a 2-0 advantage.

In the eighth, Millersville called on Jason Long from the bullpen. Long worked through the inning without issue and turned it over to the usually lights-out Zach Eckley in the ninth. Eckley sat down the first two batters of the inning on three pitchers, and worked a 1-2 count against Shane Latshaw. But Latshaw slapped an infield single to third and the next batter was plunked on the arm. Justin Urschel worked a 2-2 count before drilling a pitch into the left field corner, allowing both runners to cross the plate and tie the game.

It was the first blown save of Eckley's career, ending a streak of 12 straight converted. He managed to bounce back quickly, though, registering a strikeout for the final out of the inning.

In extras, the Marauders put a runner on second base in the 10th, 11th and 12th but failed to take advantage. Jeff Heisey, who hit two homers in the first game of the day against California, doubled, walked and stole a base in extras. Mike August also doubled in the 11th.

With Millersville unable to score, Mercyhurst wasted no time in the 12th. Eckley, on the mound for his fourth inning and longest outing of the year, allowed a leadoff single to Kevin McCall and Santora's homer followed immediately after.

The Marauders now turn their attention to the NCAA Atlantic Regional. The host of the six-team regional will be determined on Sunday evening, and the Marauders were ranked No. 1 in the region prior to the PSAC Tournament.

Stay tuned to millersvilleathletics.com on coming announcements regarding NCAA Tournament selection.