WASHINGTON – CUA fell to Muhlenberg 14-12 on Sunday in a wild, 11-inning affair.  The Cardinals scored seven times in the sixth inning to grab an 8-7 lead, but the Mules tied things up with a single run in the eighth.  Muhlenberg then exploded for six 11th inning runs and held off a CUA rally in the bottom half.

The game was filled with plenty of ups and downs from both squads, as they combined for 11 errors, which led to only eight of the 26 runs being earned.

The Mules took a 3-0 lead in the first when a walk forced a run in and a CUA error allowed two other runs to cross.

After Muhlenberg extended to a 4-0 lead in the second, CUA got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the inning when Brendan Breslin singled home Mark Kalokitis.

Another Mules run in the fifth, followed by two more in the sixth put the visitors in front 7-1, but CUA exploded for seven runs in the bottom half to surge in front 8-7.

Kalokitis led the inning off with a single and came around on a Chris McCloud single.  McCloud, Dan Sullivan, Colin McCarthy, Matt Grieb, Marc Hanna and Tim Mierzwa all scored unearned runs for the Cardinals as they went in front by one.

Muhlenberg was able to tie the game in the eighth when Joseph Vila singled home John Scuderi with two outs.

CUA had a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth, as McCarthy reached on a one-out single and Pat DeToro replaced him as a pinch runner.  But Dave Grear grounded into a double play, and the teams headed for extra innings.

In the bottom of the tenth, Mierzwa singled and moved down to second on a wild pitch.  Hanna then flew out to center and Mierzwa moved up 90 feet.  That brought up pinch hitter Beriah Smith who went down swinging after a tough at bat.

Muhlenberg broke things open with a six-run 11th that featured only three hits, but three Cardinal errors.

CUA did all it could to try and win it in the bottom of the 11th, with Kory Smigocki driving in a run with a sacrifice fly and Grieb blasting a three-run homerun to bring the Cardinals within 14-12.  But Mierzwa flew out to right field to end it, sending the Cardinals to their second loss of the season.

Rob Renzi suffered the loss for CUA after allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning, while Christian Ferlan picked up the win after he went four innings and surrendered three runs.

Kalokitis finished with four hits to lead the Cardinals, while Breslin totaled three.  Grieb and Breslin shared the lead in RBIs with three apiece.

CUA continues its six-game homestand on Tuesday when the Cardinals welcome McDaniel to town for a 3 p.m. start.