Published: April 24, 2008 10:48 am         

Mountain Ridge upsets Northern, 8-4

FROSTBURG - Six Mountain Ridge batters hit safely in a five-run sixth inning that snapped a tie game as the Miners ended top-ranked Northern's 11-game winning streak and handed the Huskies their first loss, 8-4, Wednesday evening at the Armory.

Marcus McGinnis had three singles and winning pitcher Jeremy Shingler and Tyler Stevens ripped two doubles to lead a 12-hit attack for Mountain Ridge (7-4 overall, 6-4 Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference).

Justin Rosenberger had three singles and Kyle Gillum two singles for Northern (11-1, 8-1).

Tied 3-3 after Northern scored a run in the top of the sixth, Mountain Ridge quickly went to work in the bottom of the sixth with Cody Hovatter smacking a leadoff double and scoring on a single by Logan Harden to put the Miners back on top 4-3.

Josh Bittner singled and, after a sacrifice bunt by John Richards, Sean Fazenbaker singled home Harden. A squeeze bunt by McGinnis made 6-3, and Shingler and Stevens capped the inning with run-scoring doubles.

Northern scored a run in the top of the seventh before reliever Josh Neilson got the final two outs on ground balls with two runners aboard.

Shingler pitched 6 1-3 innings for the win.

Northern entertains Allegany today at 4:30. Mountain Ridge hosts Southern on Friday, at 5 o'clock, at Frostburg State.