TUCSON, Ariz. (SabreAthletics.com) – The Marian University baseball team dropped a difficult one to Welesyan University (Conn.), 15-10, this afternoon, March 12, at the Kino Sports Complex.

The Sabres scored at least a run in each of the first six frames, jumping out to as much as a 6-2 lead, but fell behind, 14-10, after the Cardinals posted a five-run sixth. Wesleyan scored in the first four frames and six of the eight innings overall.

Cole Miklavcic led the Sabres with a 4-for-5 effort at the plate. He added three runs, an RBI and a stolen base. Garrett Dorn turned in a 3-for-5 effort with an RBI and two runs scored. Wesleyan registered 22 hits in the game and was led by Donnie Cimino and Stefan Sundseth, who recorded four apiece. Three others tallied three-hit games.

Wesleyan improved to 2-2 with the win, while Marian dropped to 3-2 with the loss.

Marian plated two runs in the first and three in the second. Cardinal errors led to two unearned runs in favor of the Sabres. Miklavcic came through with two hits, two runs and a stolen base in his first two at bats.

Freshman Hunter Veness made his first collegiate start and had a strong showing for the first two innings, allowing a run in each, but working around a couple jams.

In the third, after the Sabres took a 6-2 lead, the Cardinals threatened with two outs, a trend that would haunt the Sabres all day. With runners at second and third, Chris Bonti took a 3-1 pitch and drove in a pair on a double over the head of Miklavcic in center field. The Cardinals would go on to score three and cut the deficit to 6-5.

Marian tacked on another run in the fourth when Adam Ryan doubled home Dorn with two outs to make it 7-5, Sabres.

But in the bottom of the fourth, the Cardinals answered back with four runs to take a 9-7 lead. Three of the runs were unearned after an error by the shortstop prolonged the frame.

Two innings later, the Sabres regained the lead with a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Marian capitalized on a sixth-inning error by the left fielder, as he was unable to corral a routine fly ball. Chase Eagan and Miklavcic both scored on the play to give the Sabres a 10-9 lead.

Jeff Thomas, who came on in the third inning in relief of Veness, had found his groove entering the sixth inning. He retired the first two batters he faced, including recording his third strikeout of the day.

However, the next hitter, Bonti, took an 0-2 count and blooped a single into right field that fell right between Eagan the second baseman and Ty Gellinger the right fielder. After that, things began to unravel. The next six batters reached base and five runs crossed the plate to give Wesleyan a 14-10 advantage, one in which they would not relinquish.

Meanwhile, Derek Lukin, who came on in relief of the starter, Jimmy Hill, in the sixth inning, allowed just two unearned runs on four hits over the final four innings. He shut down the Sabre offense for the final three innings to earn the win.

With two outs in an inning, Wesleyan impressively went 14-for-21 at the plate and scored 12 of its 15 runs in the contest.

Marian will look to shake off the loss quickly as they prepare to take on Cornell College for the second time on the trip tomorrow, March 13. First pitch is slated for 10 a.m. local time, noon central. Live stats and audio will be available via www.sabreathletics.com.