LANGHORNE, PA – Baseball's homestand came to an end on Thursday with #15 Gettysburg snapping the Highlanders' three-game win streak, 13-11.
 
The Bullets were the first to touch home plate, going ahead 1-0 in the first as the lead off hitter reached on an error and came in to score. Cairn (11-6 / UNITED EAST) took over in the second with junior catcher Zach Bauers (Cooper City, FL / Cooper City) leading off with a double and scoring as sophomore second baseman Andrew Holt (Sunrise, FL / New College of Florida) got down the sacrifice bunt and Gettysburg (21-1 / CENTENNIAL) threw the ball away, advancing Holt to second. Sophomore shortstop Nathan Schurga (Wilmington, DE / Conrad Schools of Science) singled up the middle, scoring Holt and giving Cairn the 2-1 lead.
 
Gettysburg tied the game in the third on a leadoff walk and double. It was all quiet through the fifth as junior lefty Nick Benson (Philadelphia, PA / Father Judge) entered in relief with two scoreless innings with one hit and three strikeouts. The Highlanders grabbed the lead back in the bottom of the fifth as senior outfielders Dylan Jackson (Levittown, PA / Chestnut Hill College), Will Wikner (Gaithersburg, MD / Shenandoah University) and Bauers walked to load the bases with one out. Holt then singled to center, scoring Jackson and Wikner before junior third baseman Ben Gagnon (Bethlehem, PA / Northampton CC) scored Bauers with a single through the right side, Cairn ahead 5-2.
 
Highlander pitching held it down in the sixth and seventh until the Bullets fired off in the eighth, scoring four runs on five hits to jump ahead 6-5. Cairn wouldn't go down without a fight in the bottom half as Jackson walked again and Wikner tripled, clearing the bases. Senior first baseman Tyler Warr (Langhorne, PA / Neshaminy) singled, scoring Wikner. Bauers and Holt walked to lead the bases as Gagnon came through with another big hit, scoring both and going ahead 9-6.
 
A disastrous ninth inning ensued, putting Gettysburg ahead 13-9 with a pair of doubles and three-run home run. The Highlanders gave one last effort at a comeback as Jackson and Wikner put up back-to-back triples and Wikner scored on a Warr sacrifice fly, down 13-11. The walk-off hopes would come to an end as the Highlanders would be caught stealing to end the game.
 
Wikner went 4-5 on the day with two triples and as many RBI while Bauers was a perfect 4-4. Holt added three hits on the day while two singles from Gagnon produced 3 RBI. Jackson, Warr, and Schurga rounded out the offense with a hit each.
 
Cairn will prepare to open conference play on Saturday at #14 Penn St. Harrisburg.