WINTER HAVEN, Fla., and BABSON PARK, Fla. -- The Siena Heights baseball team suffered a pair of losses on Monday, dropping a 9-2 decision to 19th-ranked Saint Francis (Ill.) at Chain 'o Lakes Park before falling to Bethel (Ind.), 4-2, at Webber International University.
Siena Heights (1-3) took an early 1-0 lead in its morning game against Saint Francis before allowing nine consecutive runs.
Dan Abbott (Plymouth, Mich./Lutheran Westland) ripped an RBI single in the first inning, plating Mike Lollo (Allen Park, Mich./Cabrini) who had reached with a walk.
After that, the Fighting Saints took the lead for good.
SHU scored its final run in the ninth inning. Tyler Karcher (Middleville, Mich./Thornapple-Kellogg) led off the frame with a single and eventually scored on a double by Lollo.
Lollo batted 2-for-4 while Abbott went 2-for-2.
Pitcher Matt King (Rockville, Ind./Rockville) suffered the loss. He worked five innings, allowing six runs on eight hits, although only three runs were earned. King also had two strikeouts.
Ben Finn (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) worked two scoreless innings in relief.
For Saint Francis, David Kuhne batted 3-for-4 with a triple and four runs. Tim Reichert added a 3-for-5 game with two RBI. Michael was the winning pitcher, allowing one run on seven hits in 7 2/3 frames.
In the loss to Bethel, the Saints held a 1-0 lead into the sixth before Bethel tied the contest at 1-all. After taking its last lead at 2-1, SHU surrendered three runs in the Bethel seventh and never recovered.
Drew Milligan (Hudson, Mich./Hudson) reached on an error, Lollo singled and then Kyle Benschoter (Hudson, Mich./Hudson) knocked in Milligan on a fielder's choice.
The Pilots tied the game at 1-1 on an RBI single by Casey Weaver.
Kyle Johnson (Adrian, Mich./Adrian) drew a bases-loaded walk for SHU in its sixth; Kyle Revella did the same for Bethel in the seventh, tying the contest at 2-all.
The Pilots took the lead for good on a play that featured both a wild pitch and error -- both of which were responsible for pushing in a run.
Thomas McCarter (Lapeer, Mich./Lapeer East) started on the mound for SHU, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing one run on nine hits. Zach Smith (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted) later worked 2 2/3 frames of scoreless ball. Ryan Grant (Myakka City, Fla./Braden River) suffered the loss.
For Bethel, Revella went 3-for-4 while relief pitcher Clint Nealeigh labored 3 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball for the win.
Siena Heights will return to action on Tuesday with a 7 p.m. contest against host Webber International (Fla.).