Oct. 9, 2007

Erie, Pa. - Over the weekend of Oct. 5-7, the Mercyhurst College baseball team held its annual Fall World Series, which is an intrasquad best-of-five series pitting teams Gray and Blue. The event served as a culmination to the team's fall workouts.

The Blue team, led by stellar starting pitching and some key hits by Trey Bennett, earned a three-game series sweep, taking game one by a 3-1 score and then cruising to a 9-1 win in game two before taking the clincher 2-0 on Bennett's single.

Game One (Blue 3, Gray 1)
The series opener turned into a pitchers duel between sophomore Steve Grife and freshman Jonathan Gonzalez. Grife fanned four batters through four innings of work while scattering three hits and allowing just one unearned run. Gonzalez, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2007 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, struck out five batters in 5.2 innings.

The Gray squad entered the final inning with a 1-0 lead, but a throwing error allowed the Blue squad to knot the game at 1-1, sending the game to extra innings. From there, the Blue team received a two-run homer from Bennett, scoring junior Brian Sanders.

Earning the mound win was Ryan Schreiber, who pitched two scoreless innings in relief. Freshman Jon Keppler scored the Gray team's lone run.

Game Two (Blue 9, Gray 1)
Despite a first-inning home run from the Gray squad's Dan Bertolini, the Blue team's offense exploded with nine runs on nine hits. Senior Jeff Stoll went 2-for-2 with a double and four RBIs. Junior John Mang held the Gray team in check after the first inning homer, not allowing a hit the rest of the way.

Game 3 (Blue 2, Gray 0)
The Blue team, led by freshman starting pitcher Trey Archer, clinched the series despite a strong effort from Gray starter senior Wes Craig. Bennett broke a 0-0 tie in the fourth inning with a two-out, RBI single. Junior Jamie Walczak scored the second run of the game later in that inning. Russell Gardner hurled three innings of scoreless relief for the win. Freshman Thurman Schaetzle pitched well in relief for the Gray team.