Tampa shuts out Mercyhurst 12-0 as the Lakers magical season comes to a bitter end

Joe Spano and his Lakers are huddling around each other down the right-field line, kneeling on one knee after being eliminated from the College World Series by Tampa 12-0 in the Semifinals. Photo by Brad Davis, Mercyhurst University, Head Athletic Director.

Jack Butler jbutle58@lakers.mercyhurst.edu

CARY, North Carolina - The Lakers advanced from the loser’s bracket to face the Spartans from Tampa in the Semifinals with back to back elimination victories over Catawba and UC San Diego. Joe Spano's team has played three games in four days, having only one-off day on Monday. On the other hand, Tampa has taken the field in two of the four days, earning a pair of off days on Monday and Wednesday. Besides off days, Mercyhurst rallied to win two emotional and hard-fought games in a row, which eventually caught up to them.

These two teams met during the opening round of the College World Series on Sunday, Tampa won 4-2 and expected the same, but it was the complete opposite, a rout by the Spartans.

Sophomore, Chad Cwick took the ball for Mercyhurst and Tampa started Sammy Peralta.

Mercyhurst went quietly in the first and Cwick walked to the mound for his only appearance in the CWS. Cwick retired Mikey Nova and Drew Ehrhard to begin the semifinal, however one error changed the complexion of the inning leading to three early Tampa runs.

There was a ball hit to Jack Elliott at third off the bat of Danny Servin, but it was bobbled, giving Tampa an extra out. Things got worse when Cwick drilled Cole Perry moving Servin to second. Next up was Nick Derr, who plated both Servin and Perry with a two-out triple. Tampa was not finished when Derr scored on a Sam Freitas RBI single increasing it to a 3-0 lead Cwick produced a Nick DeTringo pop out, ending the disastrous frame.

Peralta dominated the home half of the first and the Spartans continued to be in a grove at the plate in the second. Spano summoned game 1 starter and Reds draftee, Tyler Garbee after Cwick gave up a single to ninth hitter Danny Blair to lead off the second. Garbee tried to keep the score close against this devastating lineup, however, Tampa lit him up for six runs during an outing lasting only 1.2 innings.

The leadoff man, Yorvis Torrealba walked and two batters later, Servin hits a three-bagger to right-center, who scored on a throwing error by Dominic DeRenzo after driving in Blair and Torrealba. It extended the lead to 6-0 for Tampa entering the bottom of the second, where Peralta struck out Mercyhurst in order.

Garbee came back out to start the third and it got ugly fast when four of the first five hitters reached on base hits. Garbee retired Freitas, then the avalanche of hits was underway. Stevie Mangum and DeTringo got on with back to back singles, setting up Blair to provide the knockout punch. The Tampa centerfield, Blair came through with a 2 RBI double sending Mangum and DeTringo to score. Torrealba ended Garbee's collegiate career at Mercyhurst with an RBI single, plating Blair. Spano marched from the third-base dugout taking the baseball and Garbee walked off the mound one last time.

Mercyhurst righty, Tyler Garbee heads off the field for the final time wearing the Laker navy and green, hugging one of his teammates and waiting to celebrate with his others outside the dugout. Garbee was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 19th round with the 564th overall pick, and he will continue to pitch at the next level. Photo by Jack Butler.

Reliving Garbee was Russell Lamovec, letting an inherited runner score on an Ehrhard single, extending the lead to 10-0 in favor of Tampa. Lamovec produced two fly balls to end the long half-inning.

The Lakers had sixth chances to hit but with how Peralta was pitching it looked very improbable to comeback. Peralta took care of Mercyhurst in the third allowing a measly hit then Lucas Folmar entered the game giving Spano some much-needed length from the bullpen.

Folmar's outing began with two scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth, needing to muster out of jams to get out of both. Unfortunately, during the home half of those two frames, Peralta shut down the Lakers facing seven batters and only giving up a Josh Surowiec single with two outs in the fourth.

Spano brought Folmar back to pitch the sixth when the reliever's throwing error led to another Tampa run. Magnum reached on a wide throw by Folmar, then DeTringo and Magnum were retired. With two outs Torrealba drove Magnum home with a double, earning another RBI on the afternoon. Folmar produced an Alec Aleywine fly out to Baranchak in right to end the threat.

Tampa decided to not bring out Peralta in the bottom of the sixth, as they commanded a huge 11-0 lead, still fooling Mercyhurst hitters the rest of the day. Peralta went 5 scoreless frames of 3 hit baseball, striking out 9, not walking anybody, and facing 18 batters, three over the minimum. More impressive is no Laker even reached second base when Peralta toed the rubber.

The first reliever out of the bullpen for the Spartans was James Reynolds in the sixth, who pitched two frames, allowing no hits, no runs and walking one. A half-inning later Spano sent Chris Smith to the mound, retiring the side in order, the first time Tampa went one, two, three. Smith returned to the pitching slab in the eighth, yielding a solo shot off DeTringo's bat to give Tampa a 12-run advantage.

Mercyhurst's best chance to get on the scoreboard was in the last of the eighth when Dominic Cecere and Elliott both singled, giving the Lakers their first opportunity to drive in runners in scoring position. However, Alex O'Donnell grounded out to Alex Passarella and had one more frame to score.

Spano made some classy moves in the ninth involving two senior Laker hurlers. Beginning the last frame was Nolan Freeman, facing two hitters and working 1/3 of an inning. Christian Young retired the final two Spartans, ending his Mercyhurst career on a high note after struggling in a short outing against UC San Diego.

The Lakers were shut down in the ninth by Cooper Krug, completing the combined 12-0 shutout and the celebration began for Tampa on the infield while Mercyhurst was heading home.

Mercyhurst and Tampa are shaking hands on the Coleman Field infield following the Spartans’ rout of the Lakers 12-0, advancing to the College World Series Championship game on Saturday. Photo by Jack Butler.

The Laker players began shedding tears down the left-field foul line, realizing their season was over, but it was a historic year for the program. Spano guided Mercyhurst to their second consecutive trip to Cary and third in the last five years after a bad showing in the PSAC tournament, however, the team displayed resiliency during the Atlantic Regional 1 and Atlantic Super Regional to get to the CWS. When playing in the biggest stage the Lakers won two games, most in a single appearance and more than the previous two combined. There is a lot to be proud of for Mercyhurst as Tampa waits for an opponent later this afternoon for the championship game on Saturday.

The Lakers will be returning back to the Mercyhurst campus on Friday at around 12 noon for a cookout to congratulate them on a phenomenal season, all are welcome to attend.