FLEMINGTON, N.J. – Five runs in the top of the ninth lifted Cairn University to a 14-11 win over the Centenary University baseball team in Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) action on Monday afternoon.

Cairn jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the top of the first inning. Daniel Morales had a two run single for the Highlanders in that frame.

The Highlanders extended their lead to 5-0 on Morales' RBI double in the third inning.

The Cyclones got one of those runs back in the bottom half of that frame as senior John Tierney laid down a sacrifice bunt and a Cairn error on the play allowed everyone to be safe including junior Casey Brown, who scored.

Trailing 6-2 in the sixth inning, the Cyclones scored a pair of runs. Sophomore Jon Fleck had an RBI double and then came around to score on senior Michael Caprari's RBI single, which made it a 6-4 game.

Cairn pushed its lead to 9-4 with two runs in the seventh inning and another in the top of the eighth.

The Cyclones turned in a big bottom of the eighth inning. Centenary sent 12 men to the plate and scored seven runs on five hits to take an 11-9 lead. Freshman Michael Vallario and junior Chase Koffel drew bases loaded walks to drive in runs before senior Mike Dolan was hit by a pitch to force in another run. Brown then took a free pass with the bases still loaded and that run pulled the Cyclones to within one, 9-8.

Senior Tim Maxwell tied the game at 9-9 with his one-out single through the left side of the infield. Tierney followed that with a double down the right field line that gave the Cyclones an 11-9 lead.

Back-to-back two run doubles in the top of the ninth inning gave Cairn a 13-11 lead. Jonathan Jaynes' double tied the game before Nathan Wilson's base knock put the Highlanders ahead. The Highlanders added an RBI single for the 14-11 advantage and the eventual win.

Morales earned the win on the mound in relief action. He threw the final 1.2 innings and allowed just two hits. Senior Luis Santiago suffered the loss after giving up four runs in two innings of work.

Jacob Allen went 3-for-4 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot for Cairn while Morales finished 4-for-6 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

Fleck was 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored for the Cyclones while Caprari contributed two hits and two RBIs.

The Cyclones will be back in action when they complete the season series against Cairn on Wednesday, April 18 at 3 p.m.