The Denison baseball team's late-game rally fell short as Muskingum University pulled out a 7-5 decision on Wednesday evening in Granville, Ohio.

The Muskies opened the game with a pair of runs in the top of the first.  In the bottom of the frame, the Big Red answered with three tallies to take a one-run advantage.  With one out, Muskingum starter Nathan VanMeter issued three-consecutive free passes to load the bases.  Drew Rice and Matt Forgatch drew walks, while Andrew Mahle was hit by a pitch.  Junior catcher Justin Vaske cut the deficit in half with an RBI single through the right side, while Rice scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2.  DU took the lead on a ground out by senior Peter Krieger.

After four scoreless frames, MU regained the lead thanks to a two-run double by Will Simpson.  An RBI double by Erik Spitzer and a one-run single by Adam Bennett in the seventh extended the Muskies lead to 6-3.

In the bottom of the eighth, three-straight singles by Kyle Clemmenson, Josh Butler and pinch hitter David Baskin allowed the Big Red to trim the lead to 6-4 with one out.  With runners at first and second, Evan Nicholson reached safely on a fielding error to load the bags.  Rice knocked in Butler from third on a sacrifice fly to right to make it a 6-5 contest.  Muskingum answered with an RBI single by Matt Connor in the top of the ninth to make extend their lead to 7-5.

A one-out single by Vaske allowed the game-tying run to step up to the plate.  However, Muskie reliever Logan Addison started a 163 double play to end the game.

Vaske paced the Big Red attack with two hits and an RBI, while Rice, Krieger and Baskin all logged a hit and drove in a run.  Junior pitcher Tyler Vaske took the loss after surrendering five runs (three earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts in 6.1 innings.

For Muskingum, Tyler Hardcastle went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs, while Bennett and Colten Maxwell each had two hits.  Reliever Kevin Schwede got the win after pitching 1.1 hitless innings.  Logan Addison logged his first save of the season after giving up one hit in the final frame.

Denison falls to 15-17, while the Muskies improve to 8-15.  The Big Red return to action on Tuesday (April 19) when they host Case Western Reserve.  The nine-inning game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.