Clarke College sophomore Michael Schermer, of Morongo Valley, Calif., didn't allow an earned run in five and two-third innings of mound duty Wednesday, but the Crusaders' defense didn't hold up in a 6-1 non-conference loss to Loras College at A.J. Spiegel Park in Peosta. Schermer struck out five and walked two batters for the Crusaders, who committed four errors in the nine-inning game and gave up five unearned runs.

Clarke (13-19) scored an unearned run in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead over the Duhawks. That advantage held until the sixth with the Duhawks plated two runs. The visitors added two more runs in the seventh and padded the lead with a pair of runs in the ninth.

Tony Harvat (So., Westchester, Ill.) was 2-for-3 with a run scored for Clarke, while Dean Molitor (Jr., Carroll, Iowa) was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Schermer's season mark slipped to 2-3 with the loss.

Austin Safranski pitched the middle three innings and picked up the win for Loras (14-9). Kevin Moriarity pitched the final three innings and picked up the save.

Loras outhit Clarke, 8-5.

Coach Chad Harris' team will return to Midwest Collegiate Conference action this afternoon with a 4 p.m. doubleheader at Mount Mercy College.

-CRUSADERS-