Costly errors early and a late arriving offense turned out to be a bad recipe for the Culver-Stockton College baseball team in its elimination game with Mount Mercy University Friday afternoon at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament in Ozark, Mo.

The Wildcats committed two errors in the first three innings, leading to five unearned runs of an 11-5 loss to the Mustangs. The loss ends the Wildcats' season with a 21-25 overall record. Mount Mercy advances and will play the loser of the game between Central Methodist and MidAmerica Nazarene at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

After scoring two runs in the first inning, Mount Mercy extended its lead with three unearned runs in the second inning. An error to start the inning opened the flood gates and the Mustangs took advantage, collecting three hits in the inning to score three times.

In the third inning, the first two batters reached for Mount Mercy before a throwing error on a possible double play ball led to four more Mustangs runs overall and a 9-0 lead after three innings.

The Wildcat bullpen stopped the bleeding as four relievers held the Mustangs to six hits and two runs over the last six innings of the game. However, the offense was stymied on just three hits through five innings.

C-SC collected its first two hits and loaded the bases with one out in the fourth inning, but a couple of groundouts ended the frame without the Wildcats denting home plate.

The Wildcats finally broke through in the sixth inning when Tristan Meny was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved up to third on a single by Bryan Barretto, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jacksin Day.

C-SC added four more runs in the eighth inning on three hits and two walks. Jordan Scott registered a RBI double to score the first Wildcat run, Harry Oden drew a bases loaded walk, and a third run came across as a result of a wild pitch. Ryan Osso then delivered a RBI groundout to account for the Wildcat scoring.

The offense was led by Meny and Barreto, who each collected two hits in the game. C-SC was limited to seven hits overall.