MOOSIC, Pa. – An early six-run deficit was one too many for The University of Scranton baseball team to overcome in a 6-5 loss to 15th-ranked Misericordia on Thursday afternoon at PNC Field.
The Royals (14-12) trailed 6-0 after three-and-a-half innings against the nationally ranked Cougars (18-6), but scored twice in the fifth, twice in the seventh and once in the ninth, but couldn't plate the tying run.
In the ninth, Scranton put two runners on with none out, then used a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up to second and third with one out. Freshman third baseman Michael Ratner (Langhorne, Pa./The Pennington School) then sent a sharp ground ball up the middle for an RBI single, but Misericordia junior shortstop Chris Boroch (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) made a diving stop to keep the ball from getting into center field. He got up quickly and caught Scranton's second runner too far around third, threw behind him and the Cougars got the second out in a rundown. Ratner moved to second on the play, but was stranded their when Misericordia recorded the final out on the next batter.
Scranton got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore shortstop Patrick O'Dell (Harleysville, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) had an RBI fielder's choice and senior first baseman Ross Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights/Blair Academy) delivered a two-out, RBI single.
The Royals got two more in the seventh when junior catcher Dominick Gulius (Laflin, Pa./Coughlin) came around to score when O'Dell beat out an infield single and the throw was wide of first base, allowing Gulius to score and O'Dell to move to second. He later scored on a sac fly by Danzig.
Facing one of the top pitching staffs in the country this season, Scranton had 11 hits on the day, including two each by Ratner and freshman outfielders Chase Standen (Newtown Square, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) and Tommy Trotter (Cranford, N.J./Cranford).
Senior Stephen Hart (Mountainside, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) and sophomores David Chromey (Old Forge, Pa./Old Forge) and John Kranick (Jessup, Pa./Valley View/Keystone College) combined for five shutout innings of relief, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out one.
Scranton is back in action this weekend when it hosts Susquehanna in a Landmark Conference series beginning with the doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Connell Park.
--ROYALS--