Wabash lost an extra-inning non-conference contest to the Cleary University Cougars Monday afternoon. The Little Giants took the loss in 10 innings by a score of 4-2.
 
The game proved to be a pitcher's duel with both teams shut out until the seventh inning. Bryan Roberts kept the Little Giants in the game throughout, pitching nine innings and allowing five hits. He surrendered two runs in the ninth inning with two outs in a dramatic frame that could have seen Wabash claim the victory. Roberts also struck out six batters and walked two.
 
The Little Giants rolled into the ninth inning and recorded two quick outs. Roberts worked the would-be final batter of the game to a two-strike count, On the payoff pitch, the hitter swung at the third strike in the dirt that got away from catcher Andrew Roginski. The ball skipped away from Roginski just far enough to allow the Cleary batter to reach base safely.
 
The mishap sparked the Cleary offense in the top of the ninth inning. The Cougars capitalized on the wild pitch with a single and a triple to bring home both runs to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
 
Wabash could not get anything going offensively in the bottom of the ninth to respond to the Cougars. In the top of the tenth inning, Cleary strung together a series of hits again, as well as some Little Giant fielding errors, to scratch across two more runs, which made the score 4-2 in favor of the Cougars.
 
The Little Giant offense continued to stall in the bottom half of the tenth, which resulted in their retirement in-order and a heartbreaking loss for the Little Giants.
 
Taylor Canter gave Wabash the 1-0 lead to break the scoring drought. Canter drove home Roginski with a single to left field in the bottom of the seventh. Cole Harlacher drove in another run for Wabash in the eighth inning with a single to center, and gave the Little Giants a 2-0 lead heading into the top half of the ninth inning.
 
Second baseman Cole Harlacher focused on the mental side of the game. "We've been derailed with a two-game losing streak and need to worry less about who is in the other dugout. We need to focus on playing against the game to get back on track."
 
Wabash (16-11) will travel to Richmond, Indiana to take on Earlham College Wednesday afternoon. The Little Giants travel to Greencastle this weekend to face DePauw University in a pivotal North Coast Athletic Conference West division showdown.