A seven-run inning fueled the Muhlenberg baseball team to a 12-10 win at Southwestern in the finale of a three-game series and the last game of the team's Spring Break trip to Texas.

Although the Mules (2-7) went 1-4 in the Lone Star State, they were highly competitive in all their games against three teams who are much farther along in their seasons. In their four losses, they led two games in the sixth inning or later, were within one run of the recent top-ranked team in Division III in the eighth inning, and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning.

After suffering a 6-5 walkoff loss on Friday night, Muhlenberg fell behind Southwestern 2-0 in the first inning of the Saturday morning game. 

The Mules tied the game in the third on RBI singles by sophomore Sean Habeeb and junior Spencer Hobson, then blew the game open in a seven-run fourth in which they sent 11 batters to the plate.

Sophomore Mike Carcich (pictured above) led off the inning by drawing a walk and capped it with a two-run double. Habeeb and freshman Emmy Bulis recorded RBI singles in the big frame, and sophomore Marius Haughton contributed a two-run single. 

Haughton added another two-run single in the sixth, giving him a four-RBI game and giving Muhlenberg a 12-5 lead.

The Pirates (4-12) chipped away, scoring two in the sixth and hitting a two-run homer in the seventh, which was to be the last inning due to a time limit so the Mules could catch their flight back home. 

With one out and a runner on first, junior Ryan Schultz came on in relief, and although he allowed one run to score, he got the final two outs by strikeout - the last with the tying runs in scoring position - to earn his first career save.

Habeeb went 3-for-4, stole three bases, and scored three runs, while sophomore Jason Hughes recorded his first career three-hit game. 

In the Friday night game, the Mules trailed 3-2 before scoring three runs in the fifth to take the lead. Senior Thomas Pranzo delivered the go-ahead hit, and Hughes, who recorded his first career hit in the fourth, made it two hits in two at-bats with an RBI single.

The Pirates scored single runs in the fifth, eighth, and ninth to come away with the win.

Habeeb reached base in all five plate appearances, with two singles, a double, and two hit by pitches, and scored three runs. Pranzo also had three hits.

Sophomore Marty Edson pitched a scoreless seventh in relief, throwing out a runner at home plate on a comebacker and then striking out the last hitter he faced with another runner on third.