Macon, Ga. ? The Stetson baseball team (11-14, 4-6 Atlantic Sun) found itself unable to hold two different five-run leads and Mercer scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to hand the Hatters a jolting 11-10 defeat Friday night at Claude Smith Field in the opener of a three-game series.  Four different Hatters hit home runs.

Stetson led 10-5 in the eighth and 10-7 with two out in the bottom of the ninth when Mercer began its amazing comeback.  With runners on first and second, pinch hitter Thomas Carroll and second baseman Tyler McCarty came up with consecutive RBI singles to make it 10-9.  The next batter, left fielder Richard Bentley, hit a gentle bouncer to freshman shortstop Robert Crews (Port Charlotte, Fla.) that looked to be the game-ender, but his throw for the force-out at second base went awry as the tying run scored.  First baseman Mike Armstrong then delivered the RBI single to right field that scored the winning run.

Senior reliever Robbie Elsemiller (Okeechobee, Fla.) took the loss by allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits.  Mercer reliever Lane Guyer earned the win with three shutout innings.  Hatter sophomore starter Robby Donovan (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) threw seven innings, allowing seven runs (four earned) on seven hits, walking none and striking out two.

Sophomore designated hitter Aaron Crittenden (Fort Myers, Fla.) went three for four at the plate with a two-run home run, which he hit in the top of the third inning.  Junior first baseman Jeremy Cruz (Miami, Fla.) blasted his conference-leading ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot over the left field wall in the sixth inning.  Crews and sophomore catcher Brad Pippa (Danbury, Conn.) also homered for the Hatters.

Senior center fielder Justin Bass (DeLand, Fla.) had two hits including a double, as did sophomore right fielder Brian Pruitt (Miami, Fla.).  Freshman left fielder Frank Florio (Long Valley, N.J.) delivered two base hits for the Hatters as well.

Stetson will attempt to shake off this painful defeat tomorrow when it takes the field against Mercer again in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.  Bill Topping will call the action; his broadcast plus live stats can be accessed through www.gohatters.com, the official online home of Stetson Athletics.