An 11th-inning grand slam was the difference as the Misericordia University baseball team fell 8-4, Wednesday at Eastern.

MU, playing as the home team, could have won the game in the bottom of the ninth. Nate Hamlin walked and stole second, then advanced to third with just one out. However, a suicide squeeze play failed and the junior was thrown out, ending the threat.

Sophomore William Minderjahn was 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while freshman Joe Tagliarini was 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Down 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Tagliarini singled home Minderjahn to get the Cougars on the board.

The rookie first baseman came up big again in the seventh, this time doubling to score both Minderjahn and Hamlin and pull Misericordia within a run.

The game-tying hit came in the bottom of the eighth, as MU's all-time home run king Nate Newman launched a two-out solo shot to pull even. The game remained tied until Eastern's four-run blast in the top of the 11th frame.

Sophomore Matthew Karabin (4 IP) took the loss, while classmate Justin Shuleski threw two shutout innings.

The Cougars are 17-8, 8-3 and face Eastern tomorrow in a doubleheader.