The Misericordia University football team suffered its first MAC loss of the season in a 28-21 defeat to Eastern, Saturday afternoon at Mangelsdorf Field.
Down by a score late in the fourth quarter, the Cougars forced the first punt of the game and took over at their own 21 with 3:44 to play.
The Cougars quickly moved into Eastern territory and seemed headed for another late-game TD, but the Eagles forced a fumble and ran out the clock.
Jacob Hunter ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns and Kasiah Poole added his first career TD.
Jordan Alston had four catches for 92 yards.
Gavin Morris led the defense with 17 tackles.
Misericordia took the opening kick-off and marched into scoring position. Hunter scrambled to his left for 15 yards for a first down near midfield and Jacob Hoy made a leaping grab to move to the Eastern 38.
After two hard runs by Logan Tierney, the Cougars moved to the Eastern 14 on a pass interference penalty.
A fourth-down conversion was erased on a holding penalty and MU's 41-yard field goal attempt was wide left.
Eastern took over and went 76 yards in 10 plays to take a 7-0 lead with 5:24 left in the first quarter.
The Cougars answered quickly on their next possession.
After Hunter hit Hoy over the middle for 17 yards, Alston broke a tackle at midfield and raced down the right sideline for a 52-yar gain to the Eastern eight yard line.
Three plays later, Hunter scrambled to his right for a six-yard score to tie the game, 7-7, with 1:57 left in the opening period.
Eastern threatened on its next possession, but the drive stalled at MU's 17 and Jordan Chmielewski blocked the Eagles' 34-yard field goal attempt.
Anthony Rucci took a quick out pass down the right sideline for a 25-yard gain on first down to the Eastern 35.
After a pass interference penalty, Hunter scrambled to his left for 15 yards to convert third-and-10 and set up a first-and-goal.
The Eastern defense held and the Eagles went 95 yards over to take a 14-7 lead in the final minute of the first half.
Eastern took the opening kick-off of the second half and put together a 7:00 scoring drive to take a 21-7 lead with 7:51 to play in the third period.
The Cougars answered on their only possession of the third quarter. Poole used a spin move to break a tackle and pick up 20 yards to the Eastern 18.
Facing third-and-2 at the Eastern 10, Hunter broke a tackle and went around the right side for a score to get within 21-14 with :01 left in the third quarter.
The Eagles used a halfback pass to take a 28-14 lead with 9:34 to play.
Hunter hit Rucci for 18 yards to midfield and connected with Alston over the middle for 15 yards to the Eastern 33.
Hunter picked up 27 yards on two carries to set up first-and-goal and Poole went in from two yards out to cut the margin to 21-14 with 6:06 to go.
RJ Tocco had a tackle-for-loss on first down and Morris had back-to-back stops to force the first punt of the game.
Rucci made a leaping grab over the middle for 16 yards to the MU 43 and Hoy made a sliding catch at the Eastern 48 with just over 2:00 to play.
Eastern forced a turnover on third down and ran out the clock.
