Box Score

MORAGA, Calif. -- A pair of unearned runs in the third inning would ultimately prove to be the difference as the Cornell baseball team dropped a 5-3 contest to Saint Mary's in Moraga, Calif., on Tuesday afternoon. The loss drops the Big Red to 2-5 overall and 0-4 on its current west coast swing over spring break.

Scott Hardinger went 3-for-4 with a run scored, and Frank Hager drove in a pair of runs to lead the Big Red offense on the day. Cornell banged out eight hits, but left five men on base, including three in scoring position on the game.

Cornell got on the board in the fourth inning when Hardinger hit a leadoff double and moved to third on a fly out to right by Nate David, then scored on Adam Jacobs' groundout to short. Saint Mary's, which opened the scoring with two runs in the third, added single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, two of those on solo home runs, to take a 5-1 lead into the seventh inning.

In the seventh, Jacobs started things off by being hit by a pitch and moved to second on Jerry Vitiello's single to left. Both scored on Hager's RBI double to right-center, but the rally ended with Hager being thrown out trying to stretch the double to a triple. Saint Mary's then sent the final seven Big Red batters down in order.

Tony Bertucci took the loss for the Big Red, working 6.1 innings and allowing three earned runs on nine hits, striking out a pair. Stephen Osterer worked the final 1.2 innings, walking one and striking out two.

Cornell will try to even the set on Wednesday, taking on the Gaels in another 3 p.m. Pacific time start in Moraga, Calif.