FORT WAYNE, Ind. – On Tuesday afternoon, the University of Saint Francis Cougars (21-18; 10-13 Crossroads) traveled to Mount Vernon, Ohio to face the Mount Vernon University Cougars (25-12; 18-6 Crossroads) in the final doubleheader of their four-game series for the season and earned a split dropping the opener 10-6 before winning the finale 9-2.

In the opening game, sophomore pitcher Hunter Frost went out to the mound hoping to ride the brilliant performance by Cory Wolter the other day to snap the Cougars' losing streak to another win against a tough Mount Vernon team and started strong in the first couple innings retiring the side in order in the first and then escaping a threat in the second.

But in the bottom of the third the sophomore hurler ran into trouble. With two outs and a runner on second, Mount Vernon plated the game's first run with a single up the middle followed by a two-run home run to gain a 3-0 lead over Saint Francis.

Frost surrendered another run in the bottom of the fourth with a bases-loaded walk and then both teams exchanged runs through the next couple innings capped by designated hitter David Miller's 11^th home run of the season.

However, matters worsened in the bottom of the sixth. Mount Vernon hit two RBI-doubles including a bases clearer, driving Frost from the game and blowing the game open at 9-2.

The Cougars didn't go quietly though as they went back to work with the bats in the top of the seventh. Saint Francis got back in the ball game with three runs on two hits including a two-out two-run single by first baseman Tyler Prince to cut the deficit at 9-5.

That was the closest they would get though as Mount Vernon added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth and claimed the opener 10-6.

But come the finale, the Cougars went straight to work in the top of the first setting the tone right from the start.

Catcher Xavier Nolan led off the game with a single and it sparked a rally as the Cougars scored six runs on five hits, a walk, hit batsman, and an error giving starting pitcher Deron Swanson a 6-0 lead to work with before taking the mound.

In the top of the second, third baseman Kaden Sullivan slammed a two-run home run over the left field wall to extend the lead to 8-0, giving Swanson more than enough run support.

The freshman hurler went on to shut down Mount Vernon as he allowed just one run through four innings pitched. Meanwhile, the Cougars bullpen came in and shut down the opposition the rest of the way as Sean Ferguson and Casey Henry combined for just one run allowed on three hits over three innings of combined relief.

Swanson earned the win as the Cougars paved the way to a 9-2 victory to earn the hard-fought split.

The Cougars resume play on Friday afternoon when they return home to Cougar Field for a four-game weekend series against the Grace College Lancers (14-21; 8-14 Crossroads) with a doubleheader beginning at 1 pm.