GLENVILLE, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team fell in 11 innings to Mercyhurst, 5-4, Friday afternoon in the MEC-PSAC Mixer at the Sue Morris Complex.
The Mountain Lions (2-2) scored three unanswered runs in the eighth and ninth innings to force extras against the ninth-ranked team in Division II.
Senior catcher
Jakob Divers sent his second home run of the season over the fence in the eighth inning to draw Concord within 4-2.
In the ninth, freshman catcher/first baseman
Michael Dupont singled to start the frame before sophomore catcher
Chance Davis sent a double down the right field line to get to the tying run in scoring position. A groundout allowed pinch runner and sophomore infielder
Trevor Wimmer to score while a sacrifice fly from senior outfielder
Ryan Fralin tied the score.
Concord appeared it might win in the 10
th as it loaded the bases with one out, but Mercyhurst (1-0) was able to escape the jam.
The Lakers scratched across a run in the top of the 11
th. In the CU bottom half, junior infielder
Anthony Stehlin got into scoring position with one out, but was stranded to end the game.
Concord's first run came on a two-out single in the third inning as Stehlin scored on junior infielder
Evan Antonellis' infield hit. Mercyhurst scored twice in the fifth and added two more runs in the seventh to take a 4-1 lead.
Senior pitcher
Trent Abernathy struck out a career-best 11 hitters in his 6.2 innings. He allowed three hits and three runs (two earned). Senior outfielder
Adam Linkous (0-1) was charged with the loss as he gave up just a single hit and a run in three innings of relief. Linkous struck out six. Overall, Concord struck out 19 as a staff Friday.
Davis, Divers and Stehlin were all 2-for-5 with a run scored to help paced a 12-hit offensive attack.
CU continues play at the MEC-PSAC Mixer 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
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