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MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - In a game that lasted nearly seven hours with 12 different pitchers, 45 combined runners left on base, 651 total pitches thrown, and 44 total strikeouts, the Bloomsburg University baseball team dropped a 9-8 decision in 18 innings against Mercyhurst University in the opening contest of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional I tournament on Thursday at Millersville University's Cooper Park. The Huskies dropped to 34-15 overall and are still looking for the program's first NCAA playoff victory since 1995. The Lakers improved to 30-13 overall on the season.

Things seemingly went against Bloomsburg for much of the afternoon and evening hours as the Huskies made eight errors and left 27 runners on base during the game. The 27 runners left on base broke the NCAA Division II record of 25 previously held by North Alabama in a 16-inning game against Lee on March 3, 2018. The teams combined to break the record for most runners left on base as Bloomsburg left 27 and Mercyhurst left 18 for a total of 45 - one more than the previous record of 44 set in the same North Alabama-Lee game.

Bloomsburg went 1-2-3 only one time from the ninth inning on and left 19 of its 27 runners on base during that stretch, loading the bases in the 12th, 14th, and 16th innings but failing to score. Bloomsburg loaded the bases with nobody out in the 14th, but Russell Lamovec got redshirt freshman Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) on a shallow fly to center and then struck out junior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) and Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Home School) looking at borderline called third strikes to end the threat. The Huskies thought they had the game won in the bottom of the 16th when junior Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) seemingly took ball four, with the bases loaded, to end the contest. However, the call went against the Huskies which kept the at-bat going and Holmes eventually flew out to the warning track in right-center to end the inning.

The inability to plate a run ruined sensational relief efforts - in particular - from senior Zach Newmyer (New Cumberland, Pa./Red Land) and freshman Jared Marshman (Berwick, Pa./Berwick). After Mercyhurst tied the game with a single run in the top of the eighth inning against senior Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus), Newmyer pitched three scoreless innings allowing only a walk while striking out six. Then, in the most pressure-packed appearance of his young collegiate career, Marshman was unfazed as he went six scoreless innings after not having thrown since April 30 against Le Moyne. The freshman righthander kept putting zeroes on the scoreboard and allowed only three hits and two walks, with six strikeouts, through his first six innings.

However, in the top of the 18th inning, the Huskies' eighth error of the day came back to bite them as Luke Baranchak tripled home Josh Surowiec, who led off by reaching on a dropped fly ball, to give Mercyhurst a 9-8 advantage against Marshman who was lifted following the go-ahead run. Junior Ed Herbener (Drums, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) came on and did a sensational job of keeping the deficit at one by retiring Dominic Cecere on a shallow fly ball to left and then striking out Kenny Robinson to end the inning.

Redshirt freshman Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) singled back up the middle with one out in the bottom of the 18th, stole second, but was left stranded when junior Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Home School) struck out to end the marathon.

The Huskies fell behind 4-0 in the top of the second inning when Mercyhurst scored four times against Bloomsburg junior starter Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury). The rally was aided by a pair of Bloomsburg errors, but Mercyhurst did have four hits in the inning with Cecere and Matthew Gibson each driving in a run in the frame.

Bloomsburg battled back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to 4-3. After Mercyhurst starter Tyler Garbee retired the first two batters of the inning, sophomore Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) and Chasanov drew back-to-back walks to start the rally. Swiger then laced a double to left field to bring both runners home to get Bloomsburg on the board. The Swiger double was the first hit of the game for the Huskies. Krizan followed with a run-scoring single to plate Swiger to cut the deficit to 4-3. After a walk to sophomore Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) ended the afternoon for Garbee, Nicholas McRandal came on in relief and uncorked a wild pitch to advance both Krizan and Reed to second and third. However, the right-hander was able to retire Holmes on a fly ball to right to end the inning.

Mercyhurst got a run back in the top of the fifth - aided by two more Bloomsburg errors - as the Lakers pushed the advantage to 5-3. Then, in the top of the sixth, Mercyhurst added two more runs - one unearned - as the Lakers extended the lead to 7-3 before the Huskies rallied again.

In the home half of the sixth, the Huskies erupted for five runs to take their first lead of the contest at 8-7. Chad Cwik came on for the Lakers and pitched to three batters without recording an out. Bloomsburg had three consecutive singles from Chasanov, Swiger, and Krizan - with Krizan's safety driving home both Chasanov and Swiger after a wild pitch - to cut the deficit to 7-5 and ending the day for Cwik. Reed drew a walk against Jared Kapturasky and then Holmes was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. After Kapturasky recorded his first out, senior Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) walked to bring the Huskies to within a run at 7-6. Sophomore Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) followed with a run-scoring fielder's choice during which an errant throw at second allowed both Holmes and Reed to score to give Bloomsburg an 8-7 advantage.

After sophomore reliever Nick Stoner (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) allowed a walk and a single to start the seventh, Hinkle came on and struck out Cecere and Robinson for the first two outs of the inning. Gibson then singled through the left side of the infield, but junior Gianni Sinatore (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) came up firing and threw a strike to Shiffer at home plate to cut down Baranchak for the final out of the inning.

But, in the eighth, Hinkle walked Matthew Schneider with two outs on a 3-2 pitch that did not go Bloomsburg's way, and Surowiec doubled to right to bring home Schneider to knot the game at 8-8. It was the first earned run allowed by Hinkle all season.

Marshman suffered the tough-luck loss as he dropped to 4-1 on the season. The right-hander certainly deserved a better fate as he allowed only an unearned run on four hits in six and one-third innings. He walked two and struck out six. Lamovec threw 148 pitches in relief to get the win and improve to 5-3 on the year. He pitched eight scoreless innings and allowed six hits and eight walks but did strike out a dozen.

Bloomsburg had 16 hits and drew a ridiculous 17 walks against six Mercyhurst pitchers. Swiger finished 4-for-8 with two runs scored and two RBI while Chasanov and Shiffer each had three hits. Shiffer also walked three times on the day. Mercyhurst had 15 hits but walked only six times against six Bloomsburg pitchers. Baranchak, Gibson, and Cecere each had three hits for the Lakers.

The teams also combined to tie the NCAA Division II record for most combined strikeouts on Thursday as Mercyhurst pitchers had 24 strikeouts and Bloomsburg pitchers recorded 20 - equaling the 44 set by Southern New Hampshire (26) and Stonehill (18) on April 19, 2007.

Bloomsburg will have very little time to regroup as it will attempt to stave off elimination against the region's number-one seed - and host - Millersville University on Friday morning, May 17. First pitch from Cooper Park is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.