SLIPPERY ROCK— Preston Falascino gave himself a nice birthday package.

The Slippery Rock University sophomore drilled a two-run homer to center in the first inning and got the win with three scoreless innings of relief Tuesday at Critchfield Park. The Rock snapped Mercyhurst’s 14-game undefeated streak with a come-from-behind 7-6 victory in the first game of a doubleheader.

“Pretty good birthday ... I’ll remember this one,” said Falascino, who turned 20 Tuesday.

The visiting Lakers (15-1, 7-1) won the nightcap, 7-2, to split the twinbill.

Mercyhurst had built a 6-2 lead in the first game as a two-out, three-run double by Dan Popio capped a four-run fourth inning that snapped a 2-2 tie.

“I knew we wouldn’t quit, but I can’t say I was too confident we would come back like we did,” SRU coach Jeff Messer said. “That was a huge win for us.

“We just haven’t been getting consistent pitching so far, even from our seniors.”

The Rock (10-9, 3-5) entered the twinbill with a 7.73 team earned run average. Garrett Peterson worked just four innings of the first game, walking seven, before Falascino worked the final three frames.

The teams combined to walk 18 batters in Game 1.

“Just one of those days,” Mercyhurst coach Joe Spano said. “That was uncharacteristic for both of these teams.”

Mercyhurst led the PSAC with a 1.94 team ERA before Tuesday.

After scoring three runs in the fourth, SRU took the lead in the fifth on a two-out, two-run double by No. 8 hitter Kyle Vozar. Then Falascino shut the door, striking out four and allowing one hit over the final three frames.

Falascino (1-1) took a 17.36 ERA into the game.

“He needed that ... We needed that,” Messer said of his performance.

“My catcher, Tyler Walters, called a great game when I was in there,” Falascino said. “I was able to mix my pitches and he knew what to call and when.”

Walters, a freshman and SRU’s leading hitter with a .392 average, doubled, walked and scored two runs in the win.

The Rock was limited to four hits in the second game. Austin Alonge and Giancarlo Saia had two RBI each for Mercyhurst.

Freeport graduate and senior center fielder Ryan Siegel, who entered the day with a .333 batting average, was 1 for 6 with two walks and a stolen base for the Lakers.

SRU hosts California (Pa.) in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Friday at Critchfield Park.