WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson baseball team mounted a late comeback effort, but it fell short, 7-5, as Thomas More was crowned 2018 Presidents' Athletic Conference baseball champions in the second of two games on Saturday, May 12.
 
The Presidents conclude their 2018 season with a 28-16-1 overall record.
 
Adam Jaworski (Canonsburg, Pa./Peters Township) put W&J in front first in the game with a sac fly to left field following a single from Spencer Howell (Oakwood, Ohio/Oakwood) and ground-rule double off the bat of Justin Griffin (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East).
 
The Saints quickly tied the game with one run on two hits in the bottom of the inning before scoring three runs on three hits and an error in the bottom of the third. Two more runs crossed home plate for Thomas More in the fourth and fifth innings to run the W&J deficit to 6-1.
 
Howell tried to spark the offense with a solo home run down the left-field line in the top of the sixth, but the Saints answered with one run in the home half of the frame.
 
In the top of the seventh, W&J started to chip away at the Saints' lead, beginning with a Luke Zahren (Ingomar, Pa./North Allegheny) one-out single. Mullen Socha (Independence, Ohio/St. Ignatius) proceeded to double to deep center, allowing Zahren to race around and score, before Mark Merlino (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) blasted his fifth home run of the season and second of the day to pull the Presidents back to within two runs.
 
The Saints turned to their bullpen at that point and held W&J scoreless the rest of the way to win the conference title.
 
Merlino led the charge on offense, going 3-for-4 at the dish with two singles, his two-run home run and a walk. Socha and Howell both had two hits in the contest and combined for two RBI and three runs scored.
 
Tanner Gaerke (Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) got the start on the mound for the Presidents and pitched 2.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Garrett Harstine (New Philadelphia, Ohio/New Philadelphia) suffered his second loss of the season after pitching 0.1 innings of relief and surrendering three runs (two earned) on three hits.
 
Ben Marsico (Bradfordwoods, Pa./North Allegheny) took over on the mound next and went 2.2 innings before Will Bowser (Burgettstown, Pa./Madonna (W.Va.)) finished the game. Bowser tossed 3.0 innings, allowed no runs on two hits, walked two and struck out six.

Socha, Bryce Schnatterly (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) and Dan Trettel (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) were named to the PAC All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the game.

NCAA Division III Baseball Championship selections will be announced late Sunday night as W&J will await to see if it is awarded an at-large bid.