WINCHESTER, Va. - After splitting a Saturday double header, the baseball team held an early lead on USA South opponent Averett University but could not hang on down the stretch as the Cougars left Winchester with a 12-7 victory at Bridgeforth Field.

SU (2-5 overall, 1-2 USA South) opened up a 4-1 lead on Averett (7-4, 2-1) after three innings, but the Cougars scored four runs - three unearned - on just one hit in the top of the fourth inning and never looked back.

The visitors exploited several Shenandoah errors and a depleted Hornets' pitching staff to stockpile an 11-4 lead by the seventh inning stretch.

The Hornets would stage a slight comeback in the latter half of the seventh inning when senior first baseman Tyler Daniel (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker) crushed a three-run homer over the fence in right center field with no outs, but Averett reliever Justin Johnson came in and froze the Shenandoah momentum by retiring three of the next four batters.

Daniel finished the day with the single best plate performance of any player in the contest by going 4-4 with a home run, a double, five RBI and a walk.

Averett starter Jon Marr went six complete innings allowing seven runs - five earned - on nine hits. The Hornets had four hurlers combine for the nine innings, allowing a collective five earned runs on nine hits, but breakdowns in defense led to seven unearned scores for the visitors.

A complete boxscore may be found at: http://www.su.edu/athletics/bb/2004/022904.htm

Shenandoah returns to Bridgeforth Field on Tuesday when SU will welcome non-conference opponent PSU - Altoona for a 1:00 double header.