Errors made a comeback necessary for the Remsen St. Mary's baseball team in its 8-7 season-opening win over Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Monday at Marv Thelen Field.

The errors reared up again Tuesday in Alta and this time the Hawks' comeback bid fell short in a 9-5 non-conference loss to the Cyclones.

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Jon Klein took the loss for RSM, allowing nine runs (six earned) on seven hits while walking two and striking out nine.

Alta jumped on Klein early for three runs in the second and two in the third for a 5-0 lead.

"Jon was trying to work different thirds of the plate and (Alta) was content to hit bloop doubles and singles," RSM coach Steve Erdmann said. "They had a couple guys crush the ball to right field, too. There were a lot of times where they had runners on first and second and that puts a lot of pressure on the defense."

Klein finally got some run support in the top of the fourth as St. Mary's plated three runs. The Hawks had the early five-run deficit whittled down to a single run at 5-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth when the errors began to pile up.

RSM had four errors in the bottom of the fifth, allowing four Alta runs to come across. Three of those runs were unearned and all were deflating, Erdmann said.

"That half of the fifth inning was pivotal," Erdmann said. "That took a lot of the momentum away from us at that point in the game. Jon was still throwing well, had good zip on his fastball.

"We got it to within one, then spotted them another four."

Klein attempted to lead a rally in the seventh with a leadoff double, later scoring on a Tanner Kockler fielder's choice.

The comeback came up short, however, as the Hawks slipped to 1-1 on the season.

Klein's double was one of seven hits on the night for RSM. Kockler was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs, Eric Bohnenkamp was 2-for-3 with a double and Michael Wesselmann added an RBI single in the losing effort.

In the season opener Monday at home, the Hawks were able to overcome a four-run deficit late to rally past the visiting Eagles for their first War Eagle Conference win of the season.

Marcus led 3-1 after the opening frame, then bolted to a 6-2 lead in the top of the fifth thanks to another fielding blunder.

Bohnenkamp started on the mound and pitched into the fifth, allowing six runs (three earned) while walking five and striking out five.

MMC's half of the fifth opened with an RSM error, a base hit and a walk to load the bases. After the walk, Louis Pick came on in relief of Bohnenkamp and retired two straight batters on a strikeout and a pop out before walking in a run. Marcus' Jordan Boekhout then hit a ground ball up the middle to drive in two and the Eagles led 6-2.

The Hawks came storming back to tie the game at 6-all in the bottom of the fifth, but the Eagles took advantage of another RSM error to plate a run in the seventh.

Down a run in their final at-bat, the Hawks mounted a one-out rally as Bohnenkamp reached after being hit by a pitch and Brad Konopasek singled.

Konopasek's single moved Bohnenkamp to third and a Wesselmann fielder's choice brought the tying run around. A walk to Tyler Galles put runners on the corners and Klein followed with a bloop single to just off the dirt behind second base.

The ball glanced off the glove of a Marcus defender and fell in, allowing Konopasek to score. The Eagles took the force at second base, but realized too late Konopasek was streaking home for the game-winner.

"It was kind of a strange play," Erdmann said. "They had the shift on for Jon and the center fielder was playing in front of the bag at second base. There were guys all around the ball and it fell on the ground."

Pick worked the final three innings on the mound after coming in during the fifth, allowing no earned runs with three walks and five strikeouts.

The Hawks had eight runs on 10 hits, committing four errors that led to four unearned runs for the Eagles.

RSM (1-1, 1-0) will look to shore up the defense Wednesday in another non-conference match-up against Storm Lake St. Mary's in Remsen.