FORT MYERS, Fla. - Southern Vermont baseball lost a close game to the Coast Guard Bears of New York 9-8 on Wednesday. Freshman Eric Wells (Athens, Pa.), sophomore Adam Northup (Richmond, R.I.), sophomore Dave Gage (Gloversville, N.Y.), and freshman Roger Manning (Southbury, Conn.) each had three hits for the Mountaineers who tallied 20 hits total.

The Mountaineers came out strong with two quick runs due to RBIs from Northup and Wells. Coast Guard answered right back with five runs in the bottom of the inning off five hits and an error. Cook knocked in Manning in the top of the second, just to see the Bears score one of their own in the bottom of the second inning.

When the Mountaineers scored one in the top of the third, Coast Guard returned with two more. The score remained eight to four until the bottom of the sixth when the Bears put up one run, just to give one back in the top of the inning with some small ball and an RBI from Manning on his second hit of the day.

With one inning left, SVC made a threatening run to make the game closer than it had been since the first. After an RBI single by Gage and a base hit by junior Brett Pawlak (Shelton, Conn.), the bases were loaded and SVC had a chance to have a big inning, only having one out.

Cook's good sense of the strike zone gave him a free pass to first and an RBI. Northup struck out swinging, putting the two-out pressure on Wells. His patience prevailed as he walked in another run to bring the Mountaineers within one. The next batter flied out to center field, however, to put an end to SVC's comeback.

Gage was 3 for 5 at the plate with two runs, a walk and an RBI. Cook had a walk and two RBIs on his two hits. Northup was 3 for 6 with a run and an RBI, and Wells was 3 for 5 with a walk, two RBIs and a run. Manning was 3 for 4 with a walk to accompany his run and RBI.