Box Score ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst baseball team dropped was unable to hold off a late rally from Carthage College, falling 9-5 to the Red Men in the finale of a three-game series.

Elmhurst (8-16, 3-9 CCIW) jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead before Carthage cracked the scoreboard. The Bluejays grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a Reagan McReynolds' RBI single. A groundout from Zac Tsiodras in the third inning drove home A.J. Compton, giving Elmhurst a 2-0 lead. Elmhurst struck again in the third, scoring a run on Compton's RBI single and taking a 3-0 lead in the process. 

Elmhurst starter Ben Havel cruised through the first five innings, allowing only two runners to move into scoring position. Havel retired the first two batters in the sixth before running into trouble. Reed Hero singled and Jared Helmich followed with a two-run homer to put Carthage on the scoreboard. Graham Wick followed with a solo shot to left to tie the score at three. 

A Drew Bailey solo homer and a two-run single from Wick put Carthage in front 6-3 in the eighth inning. Elmhurst answered back in the bottom of the eighth. Tsiodras drove home a run with a ground out Greg Struck scored on a Carthage error to bring Elmhurst to within a run at 6-5. 

Carthage tacked on insurance runs in the ninth inning when Matt Rave roped a bases-clearing, three-run double to left field to make the final score 9-5.

Brandon Kressner and McReynolds finished with two hits apiece in the loss to lead Elmhurst at the plate. Carthage finished with 12 hits with Helmich collecting three hits and Bailey, Wick and Rave finishing with two hits apiece.

Havel did not factor in the decision, working seven innings and allowing seven hits and three earned runs. He walked one while striking out three. Ben Modesitt took the loss in relief, allowing two hits and three runs. 

Helmich picked up the win for Carthage, tossing eight innings and allowing eight hits and five runs (three earned). He walked just one while fanning 11. 

Elmhurst travels to Aurora University on Tuesday, April 14.