Even for a team that had made its fair share of comebacks this season, a big early deficit proved too difficult to overcome as John Carroll fell to Muskingum, 15-11, in an elimination game at the 2010 Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Friday in Tiffin, Ohio.

Box Score

The Blue Streaks became the first of the four teams in the field to end its tournament run due in large part to giving up 13 runs in the first four innings. Despite outscoring Muskingum by a 7-2 margin over the final five innings, the offensive explosion by the Muskies in the opening frames essentially sealed JCU's fate.

John Carroll had defeated Muskingum in all three regular season meetings this year and had allowed just five runs to the Muskies in those three games.

Today's meeting in Peaceful Valley would immediately prove to be different, as Tom Schaberl was tagged for seven runs as Muskingum rolled to a 7-0 lead after two innings.

Ryan Pacyga, Bryan Robinett and Johnny Hastings each had RBI hits in the top of the third inning to pull JCU to within 7-4, but the Muskies responded with three more runs in both the third and fourth to go ahead 13-4.

Chris Koller, Adam Jenkins and Michael Eden would then hold the Muskies to just two unearned runs the rest of the way.

In the meantime, Tom Hickey would put on a show with a pair of home runs (both of which were solo) as of part of a 5-5 day. Robinett also had a solo home run as part of John Carroll's 16-hit attack.

John Carroll's record now stands at 25-16, and the Blue Streaks -- who were sixth in the last regular season NAA Division III Mideast Regsional Poll -- must now await word if they receive an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.