DeLand, Fla. - Stetson left a season-high 15 runners on base in a 6-5 defeat to Central Michigan Sunday afternoon at Melching Field. 

The Chippewas (7-7) scored five unearned runs in the fifth inning to take a 5-1 lead over the Hatters (13-6).  Ben Humphrey's two-out, three-run home run highlighted the CMU outburst.  The blast was Humprey's team-leading third long ball of the year. 

Stetson was first on the board after leaving the bases loaded in the first inning.  Shane Jordan singled in Jeremy Cruz for the 1-0 lead, but the Hatters then left the bases loaded for the second straight inning.  In total, Stetson left 11 men on base over the first four innings. 

The Hatters did break through with three runs in the fourth.  Justin Bass and Aaron Crittenden delivered run-scoring singles and Brian Pruitt's sacrifice fly pulled Stetson within a run at 5-4. 

CMU added an insurance run in the seventh on a base hit from James Teas to score Scott Szpyrka with two outs. 

Cruz knocked in a run in the eighth to make it a one-run game.  He finished the day 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.  Josh Clendenin and Adam Tindle also added three-hit games. 

Robby Donovan (0-1) took the loss for Stetson.  Dan Taylor (2-0) picked up the win in relief for Central Michigan.  Eric Lawrence earned his second save. 

Stetson had pulled out late-inning wins in each of the first two games of the series but the Chippewas held on Sunday to avoid the sweep. 

The Hatters remain home and face Quinnipiac Monday night with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch at Melching Field.