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Steve Letz’s RBI single in the top of the 8^th provided the final margin as the Hounds fell to the Vikings, 4-3.

Tied 3-3 in the 8^th, Jeff Boehm led off the inning with a walk, knocking starter Matt Frawley out of the game. Boehm then stole second off reliever Christian Bokich. Bokich got through the next two Viking hitters before facing Letz, who shot a groundball into left to bring in the go-ahead run.

DuPage County (24-12) had chances in the bottom of the 8^th and 9^th. The Hounds got men on second and third with one out in the 8^th, but Southland closer Anthony Spangler struck out Stewart Nelson and Clayton Johannes to end the threat.

Emerson Misch and Drew LaComb hit back-to-back one-out singles in the 9^th, but Richie Gorski and Brian Lees both hit flyballs to Letz in right field, shutting the door on the Hounds’ comeback.

Tyler House was the pitcher of record for Southland, allowing three unearned runs in seven innings and working around six Viking errors. Matt Frawley was tagged with the loss.

Southland (22-11) struck first as Micah Rooke hit a bases-loaded single in the 1^st inning. DuPage responded in the bottom half when Kopach scored on a wild pitch and error. The Hounds took the lead in the 2^nd when Clayton Johannes beat out a two-out infield single to score Trent Carrier.

The Vikings pounced in the 4^th with the tying and go-ahead runs on an Alex Lugo double and Jerry Houston single, which made it 3-2. Johannes again brought the Hounds back in the 6^th with an RBI single to plate Mike Roberson.

The loss drops the Hounds’ season-long MCL lead down to half a game. The Vikings have played three fewer games this season and will have next week to try and make up the rest of the difference. DuPage County will look to hold on over their final five games, beginning with a Tuesday night matchup with the Northwest Indiana Oilmen. That home game will be broadcast on dupagehounds.com.