WASHINGTON – Gallaudet University had a final chance to make a statement, during the regular-season, against a nationally ranked baseball foe and for five innings Monday the Bison were right there with No. 25 Shenandoah University. Fielding errors cost the Bison a chance to stay close with the Hornets as they scored 10 runs over the final five frames as GU lost 11-3 at Hoy Field.

Gallaudet (14-17) trailed 1-0 early in the game after a failed pickoff attempt by sophomore pitcher Marcus Smith (Baltimore, Md.) in the first inning allowed Shenandoah (23-9) to get on the scoreboard. In the top of the fifth inning, the Hornets pushed across one run with two outs. Michael Paul then launched a fly ball to right field where freshman Ryan Rippy (Tullahoma, Tenn.) dropped a potential third out. The miscue allowed two more runs to come home as Shenandoah led 4-0.

The Bison got two of those runs back in the bottom of the fifth when senior Tommy Barksdale (Brookeville, Md.) singled home junior JJ Klein (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Smith but Barksdale was thrown out trying to take second base on the play.

The Hornets tacked on two runs in the sixth as they led 6-2. GU scored its third run in the sixth when Jeremy Murphy (Owings Mills, Md.) singled home Rippy as the Bison only trailed by three.

In the seventh, junior relief pitcher Tyler Crace (Westfield, Ind.) came in for Smith. SU's Corbin Lucas (2-for-5, two runs) singled through the left side of the infield into left field where Klein misfielded the ball as Nick Beall (two runs) scampered home from first base and Lucas ended up on third with no outs. Moments later, Crace threw a wild pitch that allowed Lucas to run home.

Gallaudet had a chance to get out of the ninth inning without any damage but a dropped foul ball with two outs kept the inning alive for the Hornets, who scored two additional runs.

Smith (2-5) took the loss even though he lasted six innings, his second longest start this season. He allowed nine hits (four doubles) and six runs (three earned), walked two and struck out two in six innings of work.

Shenandoah freshman pitcher Billy Arens (4-1) got the win on the mound as he went eight innings as he surrendered three runs on 10 hits, walked two and struck out four.

The Bison will jump back into North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) play with two home doubleheaders this weekend. GU (6-2 NEAC) will host Penn St.-Abington (16-15, 7-1 NEAC) on Saturday and Penn St.-Berks (10-16, 6-2 NEAC) on Sunday.