Arlington, Va. – Marymount University's baseball squad dropped a one-run heartbreaker on Wednesday afternoon, falling 4-3 to visiting Averett.  The Saints slide to 8-26 on the season with the loss.

The Saints offense chipped away in three separate innings to plate each of its three tallies, while the Averett bats came alive in the seventh to knot the contest at 3-3.

Karlis Graubics drew a walk to lead off the Marymount first, advancing to second on a Brandon Savage ground-out.  Macon Heikes drove a two-out single up the middle to plate the game's first tally and give the Saints the early 1-0 advantage.

The Blue and White extended that lead to 2-0 in the third on another two-out RBI-single after an Averett error kept the Saints' rally alive.  Brandon Savage drew a walk to start the frame, only to get erased and replaced on first by Bret Phillips following a fielder's choice.  The timely Cougar error came on a Macon Heikes bouncer up the middle, which proved too much for second basemen Elisha Hill to handle.  Hill booted the ball into shallow left, allowing both runners to move up into scoring position for Brandon Orbe.  Orbe knocked a line shot just past Averett shortstop Jason Carter to plate Phillips and double the Marymount advantage.

Marymount made it 3-0 in the sixth after Ben Berczek doubled and came around to score on a passed ball and an Averett throwing error.

As the Saints starter, Berczek had held the Cougars to only one hit through those first six frames.  It was the seventh inning when the Averett offense clawed its way back, using four hits to plate three runs and knot the score at 3-3.

The Saints mustered only one baserunner collectively through the seventh and eighth innings, while the Cougars threatened again in the eighth before finally cracking the stalemate in the ninth.  A lead-off double from Andrew Davies set the table for Timothy Coston, who collected that game-winning RBI with a shot up the middle.

Averett closer T.J. Viracola retired the Saints in order in the ninth to seal the deal.

Four different Saints collected hits in the effort, while Jason Freishtat took the decision on the mound after coming on in relief in the eighth inning.

Marymount returns to action on Wednesday as it travels to Catholic for a nonconference match-up.  First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.