The University of Scranton cut an 11-run deficit to a single run midway through the game against Stevens on Tuesday night, but the Ducks pulled away to hand the Royals a 16-14 defeat at Volpe Field.

Scranton (18-17) trailed 11-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, but scored five times in the fifth and five more times in the sixth to pull within 11-10. But Stevens (24-14) stymied the Royals from there while scoring twice in the seventh and three times in the ninth for a 16-10 lead.

But the Royals gave it one more go in the bottom half, scoring four times before the final two outs were made two mistakes on the basepaths.

In the ninth-inning rally, senior center fielder Tommy Trotter (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) had a two-run single, the 212th hit of his career. That ties him for the most career hits in Landmark Conference history with Moravian's Kevin O'Keefe (2009-12).

Freshman left fielder Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) had three hits, two runs, an RBI and a stolen base to lead Scranton. Junior first baseman Ian McIntosh (Newtown, Pa./LaSalle College H.S.) had a two-run homer in the fifth and finished with three RBIs. He also had a potential game-tying hit in the bottom of the ninth land inches foul.

The Royals will be back in action on Thursday when they host Keystone at 5 p.m. at Volpe Field.

--ROYALS--