MT. PLEASANT, Iowa - The Ashford University baseball team completed 30 innings in just two days by finishing off the rare tripleheader on Wednesday, but was on the short end of each contest against Iowa Wesleyan College, falling by scores of 6-0, 7-5 and 12-7.

The Saints outhit the Tigers in each game, but untimely defensive errors and baserunning miscues would prove costly. With the three losses, Ashford is mathematically eliminated from postseason play at the MCC Tournament, sitting at four games back of Clarke College.

Ashford was coming off a nine-inning home victory over William Penn University on Tuesday. Weather conditions forced the Saints and Tigers to postpone their previous scheduled regular-season meetings.

Iowa Wesleyan is now on target for a top-three finish in league play and automatic advancement into next week's MCC tourney if it can pull out a win in a weekend series against Waldorf College.

IWC leadoff hitter Jared Zueck drove in a combined nine runs (including a grand slam in game two), one-time NAIA National Player of the Week Edder Morales and Lino Sampson connected for back-to-back home runs late in game three and another NAIA Player of the Week, ace Jansel Encarnacion, hurled a complete-game shutout to open the afternoon.

Junior left-fielder Austin Poindexter of Bettendorf connected for three base hits in game one to help AU outslug IWC, 8-5.

But Encarnacion scattered those eight hits over seven innings, recording nine strikeouts and issuing just two walks.

Ashford threatened with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, but Encarnacion retired Adam Wojciechowski of La Salle, Ill., on a swinging third strike. He also worked out of jam in the seventh, leaving runners stranded on second and third to end the game.

The Tigers spoiled another solid outing from lefty Mitch Jankowski of Brownsburg, Ind., who recorded a career-high seven strikeouts. He did walk five, but gave up only five hits in the strong seven-inning effort.

Sophomore Nolan McNeill of Bettendorf got the nod on the hill in game two and held the Tigers' bats in check with three runs in 4 2/3 innings. He left with a 4-1 lead, but Zueck's grand slam in the sixth frame hurt Ashford's hopes in the late stages.

The Saints had a 7-2 lead through the second inning evaporate in the finale, despite the fifth home run of the year by sophomore catcher Cameron Puetz of Peru, Ill. Ashford tagged IWC starter Derek Zander for five runs in under two innings.

Sycamore products Anthony Misitano (two-run single) and Mike Ray keyed a three-run second inning and Ray, who leads the conference in stolen bases (19), lined a run-scoring double to force out Zander in a pitching change.

Ashford committed five errors in game three, eventually leading to five unearned runs.

Tigers' reliever Michael Reed blanked the Saints for four scoreless innings for the final win.

Ashford travels to Mt. Mercy College to finish up the regular season, playing a nine-inning game on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Cedar Rapids-Xavier High School. The two teams will then meet again on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.