Box Score

The Muhlenberg baseball team couldn't take advantage of an improbable second chance and fell out of second in the Centennial Conference standings with a 7-6 setback to visiting Dickinson.

The Mules nearly rallied all the way back from a four-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth, helped along by a dropped popup. But a deep fly out to right ended Muhlenberg's comeback bid with the tying run on second.

Muhlenberg's third straight loss puts it in a more precarious position heading into its final three games. After entering Tuesday's contest tied for second place with Haverford, the Mules (15-16, 8-7) are now a game back of the Fords and level with McDaniel in third as a host of schools battle for the three remaining playoff spots behind first-place Gettysburg. Johns Hopkins (7-7 CC) is right behind in fifth, with Muhlenberg set to host the Blue Jays Saturday for a critical doubleheader to close out the regular season. Four other squads, including Dickinson, are within two games of third place.

Trailing 7-3 going into their last at-bat, the Mules made things tense for the Red Devils (20-11, 6-8), loading the bases with one out. Freshman John Icaza (pictured above) kept it moving with an RBI single to center, and junior Jimmy Cody grounded into a run-scoring fielder's choice to cut the deficit to two.

The game looked to be all but over when senior John Scuderi hit a towering popup on the infield, but the Dickinson second baseman muffed the sure out, allowing classmate Brett Rosen to come home and make it 7-6.

Icaza led the way offensively with three hits, including a booming double to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Junior Nick Plinio had an RBI double in the seventh and finished with two hits.

Junior David Anderson was a hard-luck loser on the mound. Anderson threw eight strong innings, surrendering only two earned runs four days after spinning eight shutout frames in a victory over Swarthmore. The right-hander struck out three without a walk.