ERIE, Pa. (Interstat) — Andrew Malec pitched eight innings of three-hit, shutout ball, striking out five, as Mercyhurst beat Central Connecticut 7-2 on Sunday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. The Lakers snapped a two-game skid against the Blue Devils, who had won the previous meetings Friday and Saturday.

Mike Samarin drove in three runs, going 1 for 4 with a sacrifice fly and an RBI double. Jayden Walker added two hits and two RBIs, and Darek Staudt singled in a run in the seventh. Mercyhurst outhit Central Connecticut 11-4.

The Lakers scored twice in the first on Samarin’s sacrifice fly and Walker’s RBI single. Walker singled home another run in the third, and Samarin doubled in two more in the fourth. Staudt’s single in the seventh preceded a steal and an error that produced an unearned run.

Central Connecticut scratched out two unearned runs in the ninth on a hit batter and a sacrifice fly. Zach Worzel took the loss, allowing five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. The Blue Devils fall to 17-24, while Mercyhurst improves to 14-29.