AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- The Presidents managed just three hits and left eight runners on base in a 4-1 loss against Wisconsin-Oshkosh at Lake Myrtle Park.

The loss drops the Washington & Jefferson baseball team to 5-2 on the season, while UW-Oshkosh, picked to finish third in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, improves to 3-4.

The Titans, serving as the home team, struck for a pair of runs with two outs in the bottom of the second off W&J starter Trevor Kerr (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville). A single and hit batter led to back-to-back RBI singles before Kerr ended the inning with a strike out.

A single and sac bunt set the table for another run to cross home plate in the bottom of the sixth and make it a 3-0 margin.

W&J got on the board in the top of the seventh after Mark Merlino (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) led off with a four-pitch walk and Ryan Sciullo (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area) followed with an RBI triple down the left-field line. Sciullo would be stranded at third as UWO got a ground out to third and two strike outs after a pitching change to end the inning.

The Presidents loaded the bases for the second time in three innings in the top of the eighth, but failed to scratch a run across. Adam LaRue (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) led off with a single to center field and went to second on a wild pitch. Derek Helbing (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial) then walked to put two men on. Nick Vento (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) hit into a fielder's choice that erased LaRue before Frank Fortunato (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) drew a walk to load the bases. UWO was able to get the next two batters without a run crossing the plate and added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning on a solo home run to yield the final margin.

Helbing walked twice, while LaRue, Merlino and Sciullo each collected hits. Helbing also erased four base runners with his arm, throwing out three runners attempting to steal and three total picked off.

Kerr suffered the loss to drop to 0-1 this season as he worked 5.1 innings and gave up eight hits and three runs while striking out eight and walking one.

W&J will return to action with a nonconference game against St. Thomas (Minn.) at the Chain of Lakes Stadium in Winter Haven, Fla., at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21.