The Dragons were on the brink of elimination from making this year’s MIAA baseball tournament after they suffered a 7-3 loss to Plymouth North on Friday night during Duxbury Youth Baseball Night on the David Murphy diamond.

Entering the game with a 7-8 record, Duxbury needed two wins in its final three games to reach the .500 mark. Unfortunately, the schedule makers didn’t do the Dragons any favors by scheduling their three toughest opponents to end the season. Plymouth North was a 10-7 victor over the Dragons the first time these two teams met in early April and was ranked No. 13 in the most recent Boston Globe poll.

Coach Gordon Cushing started his seniors on Senior Night, but had freshman Kevin O’Rourke on the mound for his first varsity start. Things looked great for the rookie when he fashioned a one-two-three first inning, but it quickly unraveled in the second when Joe Kingsbury singled and went to second on an error with Jaime Delano reaching first.

The hits kept coming off the Eagles’ bats and O’Rourke was replaced by sophomore Jake Foote, but only after Plymouth North had pushed across six runs for a 6-0 lead and a Jason Marino outfield throw nailed a runner at the plate to end the inning.

The Dragons would attempt to get back in the game in the bottom of the third when senior Steve Showstead reached on an error and came around to score on a triple by junior James Marcello, who followed him across the plate when an errant throw got away for a 6-2 PN lead.

Foot did an outstanding job over the next five innings, allowing just one run the rest of the way.

Duxbury got its final run of the night in the top of the seventh when Justin Marino tripled and came home on a throwing error.

After entertaining No. 10-ranked Marshfield on Monday afternoon, the Dragons are hoping to be in a position where Wednesday afternoon’s home game with Hingham could be for a berth in tournament play.