Box Score

Butler, Pa. - When facing the PSAC West Pitcher of the Year, a team must take advantage of every opportunity afforded it. Millersville did not do that against Mercyhurst's Ben Rawding Wednesday in the opening round of the PSAC Tournament, stranding seven runners in the first three innings. The No. 23 Lakers needed one big inning to pull away for a 5-1 win. 

Mercyhurst (36-13), the defending PSAC Champions, advance to play Shippensburg Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Millersville (24-22-1) drops into an elimination game against California (Pa.) at 12:30 p.m.

Rawding (9-0) stayed perfect on the season after Millersville failed to strike early. In the first, Mike August doubled, and Dan Johnson walked, but with runners on the corners and one out, Rawding escaped the jam with a strike out and ground out. Chris Edgar led off the second with a single, Jeff Heisey recorded a two-out single, and Evan King walked to load the bases. Again, Millersville came up empty when Rawding got August to fly out to center. 

In the third, Mercyhurst committed an error, and Rawding walked Kurt Seiders with one out, but for the third time in as many innings, Rawding quickly shut down the Marauders without allowing a run. 

Marauder starter Brooks Rothschild (6-5) pitched three perfect innings, but in the fourth, Kolin McMillen hit a liner that skipped past Edgar in right, and McMillen ended up on third with a triple. Shane Latshaw, the PSAC West Player of the Year, put his team on the board with another triple. Ethan Santora and Zac Blair followed with singles, and Colin Loughner plated two with a single of his own. By the team Rothschild notched the third out, he trailed 4-0. 

The Marauders started a charge of its own in the fifth with back-to-back singles from August and Johnson. With one out, Seiders singled in August for Millersville's only run. Two more runners, however, were stranded on base as Rawding escaped the big inning. 

Rawding lasted seven innings, allowing eight hits. Dan Altavilla worked two perfect innings in relief. Millersville put at least one runner on base in seven of the nine innings and stranded a total of 11 base runners.  Rothschild was tagged with all five runers on seven hits in six innings. 

The action for Thursday's game with California (Pa.) can be heard live on MSBN or followed with live stats. For all scores from the PSAC Tournament, visiting Tournament Central.