KINGS POINT, N.Y. – The University of Scranton baseball team banged out 15 hits and took advantage of nine errors by the Merchant Marine Academy in a 16-10 victory on Monday afternoon at Roosevelt Field. The Royals won the Landmark Conference series after splitting the doubleheader on Saturday.

Eight different players had hits for Scranton (9-11, 7-5 Landmark), which put up crooked numbers in four different innings, including six runs in the top of the first. The Royals are tied for second in the conference and have won three of four series so far this season after failing to win a series all last season.

Senior designated hitter Michael Umerich (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) finished with four hits, two RBIs and three runs, and sophomore second baseman Anthony Simone (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley Senior) singled twice, doubled, drove in three runs and scored three runs.

The Royals scored nine unearned runs in the game, but still had to fend off the Mariners (10-9, 6-6 Landmark) for most of the afternoon. Merchant Marine Academy scored three times in the first to cut the Royals' lead to 6-3. After Scranton pushed the lead to 14-4 after scoring four times in the top of the sixth, the Mariners answered with three runs of their own to stay within striking distance.

Merchant Marine pulled within 14-10 after scoring three times in the bottom of the eighth, but Scranton pushed two runs across in the top of the ninth and then thwarted a Mariners rally in the bottom half of the inning to finish the game.

Sophomore catcher Dan Hansen (Helena, Mont./Helena) singled, doubled, drove in two and scored a run in the win, and senior first baseman Ross Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights/Blair Academy, N.J.) singled, doubled and scored twice.

Scranton also got a single, two RBIs and three runs scored from junior left fielder Brian Healy (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) and a two-run single from freshman third baseman Patrick Mergel (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic).

Sophomore lefty David Chromey (Old Forge, Pa./Old Forge) got the win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, and senior righty Michael Villegas (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) tossed a scoreless inning in the win.

Scranton is back in action on Tuesday when it plays its home opener against Baptist Bible College at 3 p.m. at Connell Park.

--ROYALS--