DALLAS, Pa. – Host Misericordia scored multiple runs in five innings on Wednesday to defeat The University of Scranton 16-9 in a non-conference baseball game that was halted after eight innings of play. The Cougars, who are receiving votes in the national top-25 poll, improve to 17-7 on the season while dropping the Royals to 10-9 overall.
Junior Kevin Haag (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining/Bridgton Academy (Maine)) had three hits and drove in a pair of runs while sophomore Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) also collected three hits and scored three runs to lead Scranton's offense in the contest.
Scranton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Wednesday, but Misericordia answered with the next seven runs to hold a 7-1 advantage at the end of three innings.
The Royals used a three-run fourth to cut their deficit to 7-4, but the Cougars countered with four runs in their half of the frame to stake out an 11-4 cushion.
A run in the fifth followed by two more in the sixth pulled Scranton to within four runs at 11-7 before the hosts pushed their lead to 13-7 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh.
The Royals pushed back with two runs in the top of the eight, but the Cougars closed out the scoring with three runs in the home eighth as the game was then called.
Sophomore Jarod Herman (Bethlehem, Pa./Notre Dame Green Pond) and senior Ian McIntosh (Newtown, Pa./LaSalle College H.S.) had two hits apiece for Scranton, which totaled 17 hits in the game including doubles from Haag, McIntosh, and sophomore Kevin Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central).
Junior Sam Flannery (Hop Bottom, Pa./Mountain View) led Scranton on the mound, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings in relief while allowing two hits. He was the lone Royals' pitcher out of five to take the hill not to concede a run.
Misericordia totaled 19 hits including seven extra-base in the victory while both teams committed two errors.
Scranton welcomes Drew to Volpe Field this coming weekend for a three-game Landmark Conference series. The Royals and Rangers open the weekend with a doubleheader starting at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.
--ROYALS--