WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 3) – The Waynesburg University baseball team played a pair of nine-inning games during Tuesday's action from the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. The Yellow Jackets fell 11-1 to John Carroll and followed that up with a back-and-forth 13-7 setback against Albion.
 
After giving up a first-inning, two-run homerun to JCU (5-3), Waynesburg cut its deficit in half with an RBI single from sophomore Evan Homison (Mars, Pa. / Mars). Unfortunately, that was the last time the Jackets crossed home plate. Meanwhile, the Blue Streaks took control of the early morning contest with a four-spot in the third to go up 6-1. The victors added runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth frames, before closing out the offense with two in the top of the ninth.
 
Junior Tyler Srbinovich (Warren, Ohio / Niles McKinley) started and took the loss on the mound after allowing nine runs, five of which were earned, on 12 hits and a walk over six innings of work. He struck out six opposing batters in his first start of the year.
 
Freshman Brian De Schon (McKees Rocks, Pa. / Bishop Canevin) provided the biggest bright spot of the opening contest for Waynesburg. He was almost untouchable over two innings of hitless relief. He walked one batter and struck out five.
 
The Jackets struck first in game two against the Britons (3-0) when junior Chris Lee (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park) connected on his first collegiate homerun, a solo shot that put them up 1-0 in the top of the second inning. Albion responded with four runs in the third and two more in the fourth to take a 6-1 advantage. However, the Jackets weren't ready to concede the game just yet.
 
Waynesburg showed it could score in bunches as well with a six-spot in the top of the fifth inning to regain a one-run lead. Homison capped the frame with a go-ahead three-run homer, his first as a Yellow Jacket, to put his team up 7-6.
 
The Jackets maintained their slim edge throughout the sixth inning. Unfortunately, a six-spot from Albion in the bottom of the seventh and a run in the eighth brought about the games' final score.
 
Sophomore Seth McCrosky (Morgantown, W.Va. / Trinity Christian) got the start on the mound and allowed six runs, three of which were earned, on six hits and two walks in a no-decision. Freshman relief pitcher Trevor Hayes (Dawson, Pa. / Frazier) took the loss after allowing three runs in the fifth.
 
Lee logged a team-high four hits over eight at-bats with a double and a home run. He drove in a run and scored three more on the day. Junior Ryan Mills (Westminster, Md. / Westminster) continued to have a strong debut season with the team by going three-for-seven. Homison added three hits of his own, while also logging a team-high four RBI's.
 
The Jackets are back in action on Thursday, March 5, when they play a seven-inning doubleheader against Mitchell. First pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 9 a.m.