Cresson, PA - The Mount Aloysius Baseball team picked up two more wins on Tuesday afternoon, as they swept a doubleheader with Juniata College. They held off a late Juniata rally to win game 1 12-10, and used a dominant pitching performance to win the nightcap 6-0.

The Mounties gave up a run in the first inning without giving up a hit in the frame, but were able to strike back quickly to build an early lead. The first two Mounties of the game reached base after being hit by a pitch and walked, when the Juniata starter picked up an injury and had to be removed from the game. After the first reliever was able to retire a batter, Sam Keibler (Kittaning, PA/Kittaning) drove a single up the middle to bring in Jeremy Iellimo (Arnold, PA/Valley). Daniel Singer (Saint Mary's PA/Elk County Catholic) and Keibler executed a double steal to set the Mounties up for further damage. Singer scored a batter later on an RBI ground out from Nicholas Belka (Freehold,NJ/Freehold) and Keibler was driven in by a clutch two out single to left center from Matthew Brown (Hustontown, PA/Forbes Road). The Mounties continued to hit in their second at bat, as they put up 4 more runs on 3 hits and 3 free passes. Iellimo brought in the first run on a single through the left side of the infield. Singer and Matthew McCourt (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) brought in runs with bases loaded walks, and the final run of the frame scored when Keibler grounded into a double play. 

Juniata answered with two runs of their own in the third, only to see the Mounties restore and increase the lead in the following frame. Brown led off the inning with a double to right, and scored 2 batters later when Trap Wentling (Greenville, PA/Greenville) laid down a squeeze bunt to score the 8th run of the game. Another run scored on an error and the Mounties final two scores came when Singer doubled down the left field line to score Iellimo and Alan Mackey (Altoona, PA/Altoona)

Ryan McElwee (Centre Hall, PA/Penn's Valley) started the game for the Mounties, and despite giving up 5 runs in total, only allowed 1 in his first four innings of work. The Mounties went to the bullpen after McElwee walked the first two batters of the fifth inning. Alex Arone (Homer City, PA/Homer Center) was the first to enter, and was unable to slow down the Juniata offense. He allowed both inherited runners to score, and was credited with 3 more runs allowed, with only 1 of them being earned. Max Pici (Trafford, PA/Penn Trafford) entered the game with two outs, allowed his inherited runners to score, but was able to get a strike out with the tying run on second to get out of the inning. The Mounties were able to pull one run back in their half of the 5th. Dan Singer hit a 1 out single to left, and then after getting a head start on a hit and run, scored from first on a single to left center by Keibler. Nick Lagnese (North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin) entered the game for the Mounties in the 6th and shut things down. He pitched the final two innings, and did not allow a hit to earn his 3rd save of the season.

Despite the Juniata comeback attempt in the 5th, the Eagles were never able to pull even with the Mounties, which left McElwee to pick up his 3rd win of the season. Singer finished the game 2 for 2, while also reaching on walks twice, scoring two runs and bringing in three. Keibler, Brown and Aaron Shinn (Woodbridge, VA/CD Hylton) also picked up two hits apiece.

The second game of the day was a much more relaxed affair for the Mounties, as they received an excellent pitching performance from Shinn. Shinn spun a 3 hit shutout on his way to picking up his third victory of the season. The three hits off Shinn all came in the first 3 innings of the game, as he allowed only 1 runner over the final four innings, who reached on an error. 

The Mounties scored 2 runs in the opening frame again to jump out to an early lead. Iellimo and Singer started off the game with walks. After two outs and a stolen base, Belka came up big with a two out single to right center to score the runs. The Mounties tacked on 2 more runs in the 4th, courtesy of some freebies from the Eagles. The Mounties used an error and 2 free passes to load the bases. Iellimo brought in the third run of the game with a bases loaded walk, and McCourt beat out an infield single to score the 2nd run of the inning an put the Mounties up 4. Mount Aloysius closed its scoring in the 4th. Belka and Douglas Smith (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) reached on a hit by pitch and walk to start the inning. Brown brought in the first run with a single through the right side. The final run was scored when Iellimo reached on an error by the short stop, scoring Smith.

The shutout was Shinn's second of the season as he improved his record to 3-0 this year. McCourt and Keibler were the lone Mounties to collect multiple hits, as the Mounties stranded the bases loaded in each of the first four innings.

The wins move the Mounties to 19-4 on the season. They are currently on a 12 game winning streak, and have received votes towards national rankings for the first time in program history. They will be back in action on Thursday, as they travel to Shenandoah for a 9 inning contest. First pitch will be 4:00 PM.