Cresson, PA - The Mount Aloysius Baseball team were outplayed on Wednesday afternoon, as they were swept in a doubleheader for the first time this year. The Mounties lost a close game in the opener, falling 10-8 in 10 innings, and were beaten 12-2 in the second game.

The Mounties spent fell behind early in the opener, as they allowed 5 runs in the top of the second. After a quick first inning, starting pitcher Ryan McElwee (Centre Hall, PA/Penns Manor) struggled with his control as he allowed 2 walks around a double to load the bases with no outs. The Bobcats were able to score 3 runs on a passed ball, RBI groundout and triple, before McElwee was replaced by Nick Lagnese (North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin) who allowed 2 unearned runs to score on an error and a 2 out single to right center. 

Despite the early deficit, the Mounties fought throughout the game, eventually tying the game in the 6th. They scored two runs right away. Nicholas Belka (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) started the inning with a one out triple to right field, and scored a batter later when Aaron Shinn (Woodbridge, VA/CD Hylton) singled to right. Shinn then used som heads up base running to score. He advanced to second on a passed ball, and was able to tag up and score from second base when Matthew Brown (Hustontown, PA/Forbes Road) hit a long sacrifice fly to right center field. The Mounties added a third run in the 4th. Belka and Shinn led off the inning with back to back singles, and the bases were loaded when Patrick Mahon (Pittsburgh, PA/Allegheny CC) walked with one out. Jeremy Iellimo (Arnold, PA/Valley) hit a pop fly to left field that dropped in, however the Bobcats were able to force out one of the runners to give Iellimo a run scoring fielders choice. 

As Lagnese put up 4 straight 0s to keep the Mounties in scoring distance, his teammates pushed another run across in the 5th. Matthew McCourt (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) led off the inning with a perfectly executed bunt single. Two batters later, Belka came through with his third hit of the day to bring in McCourt to cut the lead to one. The Mounties looked to tie the game when the next batter Shinn drove a double to left center, however the Bobcats were able to cut the run off at the plate on a well placed relay throw. In the 6th, Brown led the inning off with a double to right, and was lifted for a pinch runner. Iellimo came through a batter later with a single up the middle to tie the game. 

After tying the game in the 6th, the Mounties suffered a morale blow as Pitt Greensburg used a two out rally to score 2 in the 7th and move back ahead. The Mounties answered with two of their own in the bottom half of the frame. Douglas Smith (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) reached to start the inning after striking out on a wild pitch. After a Belka walk, the Bobcats got two quick outs on a strikeout on a lineout, however Smith was able to score on a heads up base running play when the Bobcats threw to double up a runner. Mahon then came through with a clutch two out double down the left field line to tie the game. Max Pici (Trafford, PA/Penn Trafford) held Pitt Greensburg in check for two bonus frames however, the Bobcats were able to push 3 runs across in the 10th with two outs off of three freshman pitchers, Pici, Dakota Sunday (Blairsville, PA/Homer Center) and Jake Kost (La Plata, MD/Saint Mary's Ryken) The Mounties did attempt to rally again as they scored 1 run in the bottom of the 10th, but a bases loaded line drive to center held up in the wind and was hauled in for the final out.

Belka and Shinn both finished the game with 3 hits, while Mahon added 2. Pici picked up the loss as he was tabbed with two of the runs, one earned, in the 10th. Lagnese finished with 5 innings pitched, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned on 1 hit and 5 walks.

Game two did not start as quickly as the first, however, the Bobcats were able to build a 6-0 lead through 4 innings. Starting pitcher Douglas Cannon (Valencia, PA/Mars Area) allowed 5 runs on 9 hits and a walk in 3 and 2/3 innings. Pitt-Greensburg scored 1 in the 2nd, 1 in the 3rd and 4 in the 4th to build the lead. The Mounties were able to score a run in the 5th, but were unable to shut down the Bobcats in the next at bat as they tagged on 5 more runs in the 6th.

The Mounties two runs came in the 5th and the 6th innings. After a walk, a batter hit by a pitch and a wild pitch, the Mounties were able to score their first run of the game on an RBI groundout to third. In the 6th, Mountie pinch hitters loaded the bases on a single, walk and error, and senior Trevor Miller (Pittsburgh, PA/Penn Hills) drew a walk to bring in the last run for the Mounties.

Cannon picked up the loss in the game, moving his record to 3-2 on the year. The Mounties were outhit 18-6 in the game, with no Mounties recording multiple hit games. 

The Mounties (21-7, 8-2) will look to strike back from the loss this weekend, as they travel to Buffalo to take on Hilbert on Saturday.