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Host Hanover College scored the winning run with one out in the bottom of the ninth on Thursday evening as they capped a comeback against the Mount with a 4-3 win. The Lions, 8-9 overall and 1-3 in the HCAC, resume their three-game series against the Panthers on Mar. 31 when they play a doubleheader at Hanover.
The Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead in Friday's series opener against Hanover, thanks to a sacrifice fly by Justin Shelton (Cincinnati, OH/Anderson) and an RBI double by Kyle Ottaway (Fairfield, OH/Fairfield). Hanover cut the deficit to 2-1 in the second inning and tied the score at 2-all in the fourth inning. The Panthers took the lead, 3-2, in the sixth inning but saw the Lions tie the game at three-all in the ninth when Cole Wendeln (Florence, KY/Boone County) scored on a wild pitch. The Mount, however, would get their next two batters on base but, would strand them there to end the inning. Hanover plated the winning run, when after loading the bases with one out, got a run-scoring single to right field for their 14 win of the season in 20 games.
Aaron Sparks (Cincinnati, OH/La Salle) started on the mound for the Lions, pitching 5 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits, three runs (two earned) with four walks and four strikeouts. Chris Bruckman (Huber Heights, OH/Chaminade-Julienne) pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief and was tagged with the loss, dropping his 2012 mark to 1-3. The Mount had eight hits in the game, with Oluseyi Olaore (Cincinnati, OH/Woodward) recording three hits and two stolen bases.
The Lions left nine runners on base while Hanover stranded 12 runners. The Mount committed three errors to the Panthers' one miscue.
