YORK, Neb. – The York University baseball team lost a pair of tightly contested games against Avila on Tuesday afternoon.

The home team lost the first game 13-12 before losing the nightcap 5-3.

The Panthers are now 20-26 on the season, including 12-21 in KCAC action.

Head coach Brian Walth's team trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the first but the home squad responded with a three-run burst. Nicholas DeMonte led off the frame with a walk and Isaac Stark entered as a pinch runner. Two batters later, Cesar Galvan ripped a single to center field. Ian Heck's base knock up the middle drove in Stark to make it a one-run game. With two away, Daniel Polo belted a double down the left field line, driving in Galvan and Heck.

Trailing 4-3 in the third, Secundino Morales looped a single to right field and hustled to second on Galvan's base hit. Heck doubled in the duo. After a walk to Ryan Romero, Polo came through with a single to the gap in left center field, giving the home team a 6-4 lead. With Romero and Polo on base, Cameron Reeve laced a single down the right field line, plating Romero. DeMonte followed it up with an RBI single to the gap, allowing Polo to score for an 8-4 edge.

Avila battled back and led 13-8 before York pulled within two after a three-run sixth inning. DeMonte got things going with a lead-off single. Stark entered as a pinch runner and moved to second on a Morales base hit up the middle. Galvan's single loaded the bases and Heck's single through the right side plated Stark. Romero kept things going with a base hit to left field, driving in Morales. Galvan scored on a double play, pulling the Panthers within two at 13-11. 

Polo's double to right field pushed Connor Larson across home plate in the eighth, pulling the home team within one. Larson pinch ran for Ian Heck, who doubled to center field with one out before scampering to third on a wild pitch. York was unable to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth

For the game, Heck rattled off four hits in five at bats. He drove in four runs and scored twice. Galvan and Polo recorded three hits apiece. Polo drove in four runs while Galvan scored three times. DeMonte and Morales tallied two hits each. Morales and Stark crossed home twice.

On the mound, Bryce Woodard struck out two in three innings of work. Owen McClung and James McCown each saw time on the mound before Ruben Colliander tossed the final 4.2 innings a0nd had six strikeouts.

Game two was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning. With one down, Heck was hit by a pitch and moved to second on Romero's single to right field. Two batters later, Austin Grant beat out an infield ball for a hit, allowing Heck to score.

Down 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth, York battled back. Polo lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, driving in Heck, who had previously singled and moved to third on Romero's base knock. Romero went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Grant's RBI single to left field.   
However, that was as close as the Panthers could get.

For the game, Grant led the way with three hits and two RBI. Romero registered two hits while Heck scored twice.

On the mound, Cole Doebele tallied six strikeouts in four innings of work. Sam Maudsley accounted for a strikeout in 1.2 frames. Marce Vasquez and Heck also saw time on the mound.