PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College baseball team played host to Milwaukee Area Technical College on a beautiful spring afternoon. The Hawks stranded the tying run at third base in a 4-3 game one loss and dropped the second game, 7-1, to the Stormers.

In the first contest, Harper (2-26-1, 2-18 N4C) trailed 4-2 into the bottom of the seventh, but its lower half of the order made some noise. Paul Kramolisch (/Bolingbrook) delivered a one-out single, and Justin Reaves (Chicago, Ill. /De La Salle) doubled home Kramolisch and advanced to third base.

Milwaukee (6-22, 4-18 N4C) starter Carl Mercier (3-5) worked out of the tight spot by striking out Branden Davis (/Rich East) and getting Nate Paprota (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) to ground out back to him to end the game. Kramolisch (0-4) also went the distance on the mound for Harper. The freshman gave up four runs (two earned) on nine hits and struck out five in seven innings.

The Hawks got solid production from leadoff man Jeremiah Mack (/Westinghouse), who was 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and a run. They also got a 2-for-3 performance from shortstop David Dugger (Matteson, Ill. /Rich Central). Dugger also swiped a bag and had an RBI.

In game two, Harper had a tough time solving MATC starter Eric Pascutti in a 7-1 loss. The Hawks managed just three hits (Nick Kouzios (Crystal Lake, Ill. /Prairie Ridge), Dugger, Reaves) and scored their lone run of the game in the fourth inning. Dugger also stole two bases.

Harper starter Travis Lindquist (Madison, Wis. /James Madison Memorial ) (0-6) pitched six innings and gave up just one earned run on five hits with two strikeouts. The Hawks' defense was a bit shaky with three crucial errors.

Harper will be back on its home field Sunday afternoon against College of DuPage (33-12-2, 13-7-2 N4C) for a doubleheader starting at noon.