Fifth-year outfielder Brett Federico led the offense with two hits, including a double and an RBI. Still, the St. Lawrence University baseball team suffered a 7-2 loss to Hobart on Friday afternoon at Tom Fay Field in Canton, N.Y.

St. Lawrence fell to 8-18 overall with the result and 4-7 in Liberty League play, while Hobart improved to 16-10 and 6-7 in league action.

The game began with a bang for the Saints as David Zuhlsdorf strolled out to the mound and struck out the side, firing up the dugout. Zuhlsdorf and Hobart's Teck Nash each went three up and three down in the first two innings, stifling the offenses.

Hobart got the first run on the board in the top of the third when a hit by pitch, followed by a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single, made it 1-0. The Statesmen tagged on three more in the fourth to gain a 4-0 lead. A leadoff single, an error on a pickoff, and a catcher's interference spiraled the inning for the Saints.

Federico broke up a no-hitter in the bottom half of the fourth with a single, but St. Lawrence was unable to do any further damage. Hobart got a pair of security runs in the fifth as the Scarlet and Brown faced a 6-0 deficit.



The score remained that way until the bottom of the eighth when St. Lawrence found home plate. Daniel Verrastro led off the inning and scorched a single to right field. The outfielder mishandled the play, sending the senior bounding around to third base. The throw into third also got away, which sent Verrastro home to make it 6-1.

St. Lawrence got a single from Willie Landman in the next at-bat and a hit by pitch to put serious pressure on the Statesmen. A double play ball and a ground out to third got them out of the inning without any more damage, however.

Hobart tagged on a seventh run in the top of the ninth, leading to the Saints' last at-bats. Mike Siano led off the inning with a single and was scored by a Federico double to left center. John Gannon would then reach safely on an error to put two runners on, but a game-ending double play ball sent the game to a final.

Zuhlsdorf went four innings in the contest, striking out five batters, and was relieved by Joshua Polumbo, who pitched the final five innings, striking out two and allowing no earned runs.

The two teams will line it up again tomorrow at Tom Fay Field for a doubleheader matinee starting at noon.