BOCA RATON, Fla. – A great pitching duel went the wrong way for Lynn University's baseball team as it fell 3-1 to Mercyhurst on Thursday afternoon.  Andrew Virgili struck out six batters in seven innings while his counterpart Nick Gillung fanned five in five innings.  The Fighting Knights drop to 5-6 overall.

Offense was scare through much of the first three frames.  Lynn managed just three hits off Gillung and the Lakers recorded only one base-knock off of Virgili.  However, Mercyhurst (3-0) started to get to the Knights' right-hander in the fourth but came up empty when LU's defense stepped up.

Opening the inning with two base hits, Virgili struck out Ethan Santora and then picked off the lead runner, Kevin McCall, at second base.  With two outs, Craig Denman ripped a double just inside the third base line but the pick-off kept Mercyhurst off the scoreboard.

The Fighting Knights surrendered the first two runs of the game in the fifth despite having a chance to put a zero on the scoreboard.  Mercyhurst had one out with runners on first and second when Jonathan Keppler hit a single through the left side of the infield.  Waved home by his head coach, Adam Brentlinger was gunned down at the plate by Richie McVey in left field.  Virgili then went 0-2 on Kevin McCall but the Lakers' third baseman got just enough of the next pitch to send it up the middle for a two-out, two-run single.

Shawn Kale came on in relief in the eighth and opened the inning with a strikeout.  But the ball got away from LU's catcher and Mercyhurst followed with a single that advanced Santora to third and a weak ground ball to second to cushion its lead to 3-0

The Knights answered in the home half of the eighth as Anthony Boza plated Mike Diorio with a sacrifice fly to cut its deficit to 3-1.  A ninth inning rally started on the right foot with Phil Mannelly walking on six pitches but closer Ben Rawding sent LU down in order after that to end the game.

Virgili failed in his attempt to win his fourth consecutive start, dropping to 3-1 overall.

Lynn gets a chance at redemption against Mercyhurst on Friday at 6:30 p.m. when they face the Lakers in Lake Worth, Fla.  Fans can follow the action live by logging on to www.LynnFightingKnights.com and selecting "Game Central."