Bradford, PA - The Mount Aloysius Baseball team started its AMCC schedule this weekend with a doubleheader at Pitt-Bradford. The Mounties easily took the 7 inning contest 13-3, and outlasted the Panthers in the 9 inning night cap 8-7.
Junior
Michael McCourt (Mullica Hill, NJ/ St. Augustine Prep) started the game on the mound for the Mounties and put in a strong performance. McCourt threw a complete game, scattering 8 hits while walking 2 and striking out 2. He allowed 3 runs, 2 earned, and the final two when the game had mostly been decided. Between the 2nd and 6th innings, McCourt put up 4 big zeroes that allowed the Mounties to build their lead.
The Mounties started things off quickly, as
Sam Keibler (Kittaning, PA/Kittaning) drove a 2 out double to left field to bring in
Daniel Singer (Saint Mary's, PA/Elk County Catholic) in the first. The Panthers responded with a run of their own in the bottom half, but the two big innings from the Mounties put the game out of reach.
In the third, the Mounties scored 5 runs on 2 hits an error and 2 walks. Singer and
Matthew McCourt (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) drew walks to start the inning. Keibler followed this up with another run scoring hit, this time bringing in Singer on a single to center.
Nicholas Belka (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) dropped down a squeeze bunt to bring in McCourt and after another run on a throwing error,
Matthew Brown (Hustontown, PA/Forbes Road) drove in Belka with a sacrifice fly to center. The final run scored on a
Joe Hudak (Central City, PA/Shanksville-Stonycreek) RBI single through the left side of the infield.
An inning later, the Mounties tacked on 3 more. After a hit batter, another Keibler single and an error,
Douglas Smith (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) brought in one run via a sacrifice fly, with another run scoring on a throwing error. The final run of the inning scored when Brown singled ro right. Pitt-Bradford was able to push a run across in the bottom of the 6th, only to see the Mounties answer with 4 more in the top of the 7th. Brown led off the inning with a single to center and
Patrick Mahon (Pittsburgh, PA/Allegheny CC) followed with a single of his own. After Hudak reached on an error,
Jeremy Iellimo (Arnold, PA/Valley) singled through the right side to bring in the first run. Singer hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the second run of the inning and Keibler finished off the scoring with a 2 RBI single to left center.
Keibler, Mahon and Brown finished as the most productive Mounties offensively. Keibler finished the game 4 for 5 with 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Mahon went 3 for 4, while Brown went 2 for 2, drew a walk and brought in two runs.
Game 2 did not start as well for the Mounties as they found themselves down 3-0 after 2 innings. The Mounties were able to respond to the deficit, scoring 4 runs in the 3rd to move ahead of the Panthers. Hudak led the inning off with a double to left field, and was brought in two batters later on a Singer single to center. McCourt singled and along with Singer, scored on a fielding error two batters later. Smith would cap off the inning, driving a double to left center to score Belka.
The Mounties lost their lead in the 5th, as Pitt-Bradford was able to score 2 more off of starter
Dylan Coyle (Canonsburg, PA/Canon McMillan).
Luke Stultz (New Paris, PA/Chestnut Ridge) threw a scoreless 6th, and the Mounties retook the lead in the 7th. The Mounties scored their three runs on only 1 hit as they advanced on 2 wild pitches and scored on 2 more Panther errors. The second run came courtesy of a double steal by Keibler and Singer.
Bradford quickly looked to come back in the bottom half, but
Nick Lagnese (North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin) was able to get out of a jam allowing only 1 of his inherited runners to score. The Mounties were able to erase the Panther tally in the 7th with another in the top of the 8th. Matt Brown drew a lead off walk and then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Pinch hitter
Aaron Shinn (Woodbridge, VA/CD Hylton) came through bringing in the run with an RBI ground out to shortstop.
Lagnese threw a 1-2-3 8th inning and despite a late 2 out rally in the 9th, shut the door by getting AMCC Preseason Player of the Year Austin Parent to ground into a fielders choice. Stultz was awarded with the win, his first of the year, while Lagnese picked up his second save of the season. McCourt was the lone Mountie to record a multi-hit game in the nightcap, finishing 2-5.
The Mounties are now 13-4 on the season and 2-0 in AMCC play. They will take on defending AMCC champion La Roche University on Wednesday at home, starting at 1 PM.
