The Denison baseball team closed out the regular season schedule with a 12-5 setback to Hiram in the final game of the North Coast Athletic Conference Crossover Series. Despite the loss, the Big Red will still advance to 2014 NCAC Tournament next weekend in Chillicothe, Ohio.

DU built an early 3-0 lead behind a pair of hits and a costly Terrier throwing error. With runners at the corners, senior Andrew Touhy roped a single down the left line that scored Georgie Montes. After a Ryan Mulligan sacrifice bunt to the pitcher moved two runners into scoring position, sophomore Duncan Moran knocked in Evan Flax with a ground out to third. Junior Ryan Loehnert followed with a base hit up the middle that scored Touhy.

Hiram returned the favor in the top of the second after generating three runs on one hit, three walks and one Big Red miscue. The Terriers added single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 5-3 lead. Despite trailing the majority of the game, Denison was still within striking distance after eight innings.  However, a seven-run top of the ninth by Hiram all but nailed down the win.

The Big Red struck for two in the bottom of the inning, but the hill was too high to climb.  Touhy crushed a one-out triple to right center that scored pinch hitter Eric Zmuda, while Mulligan dropped a single into center that allowed Touhy to touch the dish.

Touhy finished 3-for-5 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs, while Montes and Flax each had two hits and a run scored. Loehnert went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Alex Enrique and Moran each had extra-base hits. Junior starter Ian Barry suffered the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on four this with five walks and two strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.

Hiram second baseman Shane Haidet was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with a double, one stolen base, two RBIs and two runs. Ron DeAmicis drove in four runs and scored another, while Jim Jaksa, Mark Leone and Geroge Blake all scored two times each. Pat Rhodes gave up three unearned runs on 11 hits in eight innings en route to his third win of the year.

Denison falls to 20-19 overall and 14-5 in the NCAC, while Hiram ends its season with a 15-19 overall record and an 8-11 mark in league play. The Big Red returns to action on Thursday at the NCAC Tournament in Chillicothe, Ohio. DU will take on Allegheny, who took two of three from Wabash this weekend, in a rematch from last year's NCAC Tournament first round.