STERLING, Kan. – The York University baseball team lost both games of a doubleheader at Sterling by scores of 6-5 (11 innings) and 11-6 Thursday evening.

The Panthers are now 4-6 on the season and 0-2 in KCAC play.

In game one, the Warriors got on the board with a run in the first and second innings followed by two runs in the third stanza. It was not until the fourth inning when Ian Heck singled down the right field line did the Panthers register a hit. Heck's base knock pushed Austin Grant to third base as he had reached on a walk. However, three consecutive strikeouts ended the threat.

York got on the board in the fifth frame. Cameron Reeve walked and swiped second base. After moving to third on a passed ball, Secundino Morales' base hit to center field cut the deficit to 4-1.

The Panthers got back to work in the fifth when Daniel Polo blasted a two-out solo home run to make it 4-2. In the seventh, Sam Hodoloy doubled down the right field line and Peyton Pinedo came in as a pinch runner. He scored on Reeve's bunt single. Moments later, Reeve scored on a wild pitch, knotting the contest at 4-4. 

The Warriors answered with a run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 5-4. Down to the team's last at bat, Isaac Stark walked and moved to second on an error but was erased at third base on a fielder's choice. Two batters later, Ryan Romero's single through the left side plated Morales, tying the game at 5-5 and forcing extra innings after a scoreless ninth.

Hodoly and Romero had two hits apiece – and each had a double. Polo launched a home run while Reeve crossed home twice in the contest. The team totaled five hits on nine runs.

For the game, Heck got the start and worked five innings. He tallied seven strikeouts. Thomas Fogle recorded three strikeouts with two innings of work. Cole Doebele worked two frames with a strikeout while James Mockry tossed 1.1 innings and had four strikeouts but took the loss. 

In game two, York trailed 1-0 in the top of the second but quickly knotted the contest at 1-1. After Romero reached on an error and moved to second on the play, he hustled to third on a fly ball. A sacrifice fly pushed him across to tie the game.

Trailing 7-1 in the fourth, the Panthers sliced into the deficit with three runs. Nicholas DeMonte reached on a fielder's choice and Ryder Williams came in as a pinch hitter. A walk to Pinedo put two runners on and York loaded the bags when Stark was hit by a pitch. Morales drew a base on balls to score Williams. Grant's single to left center field scored two more to make it 7-4. However, a groundout ended the threat.

Sterling plated four runs in the fifth but the Panthers continued to battle, scoring two runs in the seventh inning. Heck walked and moved to second when Romero was hit by a pitch. A Polo single to center field drove in Heck and DeMonte's single loaded the bases. Trevor Peterson drove in a run with his base hit but that was as close as the visitors could get.

For the game, Grant drove in two runs while Polo, DeMonte, Peterson and Morales also drove in one apiece. Morales walked three times and Romero crossed home plate twice.

On the mound, Dalton Juden worked three frames and had four strikeouts. Jackson Van Roekel added three strikeouts in two innings of work while Fred Juden fanned three batters in an inning of action.

The Panthers return to action Saturday, Feb. 17 when they play the final game of the series at Sterling College starting at 1 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at Yorkpanthers.com.