LAKE WALES, Fla. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team suffered a pair of close losses on the second day of the Warner Invitational Friday. The Cougars fell 2-1 in extra innings to the University of Saint Francis (Ill.) before dropping a 5-3 decision to Warner University.

In the opener, it was a battle between Brody Harris and USF's Austin Mendell. Both pitchers had shutouts going through five innings while combining to allow just three hits.

The Cougars were finally able to break through though in the bottom of the sixth. Chris Triplett drew a leadoff walk and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Conner Lengerich. Triplett would score two batters later when Jeremiah Johnson delivered a clutch two-out double.

However, Spring Arbor was unable to hold the lead as Saint Francis (13-7) pushed the tying run across in the seventh inning. The Fighting Saints would then capitalize on a Cougar error in the eighth to plate the game-winning run.

Harris surrendered just one run on three hits in 6.1 innings of work while striking out four. Duncan Patterson was hit with the loss after tossing 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.

In the second game, Warner (18-10) broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the fourth inning, and added two more in the fifth to grab a 5-1 advantage.

Spring Arbor battled back though plating two runs in the sixth to get within two. The Cougars got the first two runners aboard to start the inning and Mitchel Patterson drove both in with a double to right-center field.

Still trailing by two in the seventh, SAU brought the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs, but the Royals were able to escape the jam and hold on for the win.

Patterson finished with two RBI's while Alex Holley picked up two hits and an RBI.

Andrew Wright pitched five inning allowing five runs on eight hits while fanning three. Joe Romence threw one scoreless inning of relief.

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