ALBION – A marvelous comeback came up a run shy as the Albion College baseball team fell 9-8 to Ohio Northern University. Fifth year Mark Lauro crushed his third home run of the season in the loss. 

ONU grabbed the early 2-0 lead before Albion cut the lead in half. In the bottom of the second, Evan Schuster and Jack Lasceski led off the frame with singles. Following a sac bunt, Ryker Mazey grounded out to plate Schuster. 

The Polar Bears scored three in the fourth, but Garrett Draper recorded an RBI single in the bottom of the inning. Schuster and Lasceski started the inning with hits, leading into Draper's opposite field single. Albion brought the score to within two in the seventh when Matt McGann drove in Carson Dunn, who led off the inning with a double off the third base bag. 

Ohio Northern exploded for four runs off just three hits in the eighth to take a 9-3 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, a single and an error led to Lauro's no-doubt homer to right, cutting the deficit to three. 

The MIAA's batting average leader, Kris Stojanovski, started the ninth off with a hustle double. With two in scoring position, Lasceski lifted a sac fly to center. Senior Braeden Emery followed with a sac fly, bringing the Britons to within a run, but ONU retired the final batter to escape with the win. 

Stojanovski led Albion with three hits, as six Brits finished with a pair of base knocks. 

Wrapping up non-conference action with an 8-9 record, the Brits host Kalamazoo on Friday for the MIAA opener. First pitch is at 4 p.m., but the weekend weather forecast could alter some plans.