Cresson, Pa - The Mount Aloysius Baseball team's regular season schedule came to an end on Saturday, as the Mounties were swept in a doubleheader by Penn State Behrend. They were unable to hold on to an early lead in a 9-4 loss in the 7 inning contest, and were unable to contain the Lions late in game 2 allowing 16 runs in the final 3 innings to lose the game 22-12.

Game 1 started quickly for the Mounties as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first frame. Jeremy Iellimo (Arnold, Pa/Valley Area) led off the game with a double to the right center field gap and then scored after a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. The Mounties scored their second run on 3 straight hits. Matthew McCourt (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) singled to third base and moved to second when Sam Keibler (Kittaning, PA/Kittaning) singled to left center. Douglas Smith (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) then drove a 1 out single up the middle to bring in McCourt.

Michael McCourt (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) was the starting pitcher for the Mounties and got off to a good start. He was able to work around an error in the first, a walk in the 2nd and an infield single in the third to keep Behrend scoreless through three. In the 4th, McCourt ran into trouble as the first 4 batters were able to reach base and score. He allowed 2 hits and a walk in the inning and saw the 4th runner reach on a fielders choice. The Lions added on in the 5th when the leadoff batter beat out an infield single and then would score on a home run to right center.

Matt McCourt led off the 5th with a home run of his own to cut the deficit to 3 runs. Behrend tacked on another run in the 6th to restore their lead. The Mounties looked to rally in the 6th, as they loaded the bases with 1 out, however Behrend was able to limit the Mounties to just 1 run as they forced a man out at the plate and then got a strike out to end the inning. McCourt brought in the only run of the inning when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. 

3 runs was as close as the Mounties would come as Behrend hit consecutive extra base hits, a double and a triple, with 1 down in the seventh. McCourt was removed after 6 and 1/3 for Cameron Domblisky (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) who got one out on a sacrifice fly to bring in the 9th run and the final out on a pop up. The Mounties were unable to score any in the 7th despite getting two runners on base, bringing the game to a close. 

Mike McCourt allowed 8 earned runs on 9 hits in 6 and 1/3 innings. He picked up his first loss of the year, moving his record to 6-1. The Mounties were able to rack up 11 hits and saw Iellimo, McCourt, Smith, Aaron Shinn (Woodbridge, VA/CD Hylton) and Patrick Mahon (Pittsburgh,PA/Allegheny CC) record multi-hit games. McCourt went 2 for 2 with the home run, 2 runs, 2 RBIs and reached 2 more times by getting hit by the pitch.

The second game got off to an equally fast start as both teams scored 2 runs in the first frame. Starting pitcher Dylan Coyle (Canonsburg, Pa/Canon-McMillan) allowed a lead off home run and then a second run to score on a double, steal and sacrifice fly. The Mounties used a two out rally to even the game. McCourt and Keibler drew back to back walks, and then Smith singled through the left side of the infield to score the first. Nicholas Belka (Freehold, NJ/Freehold, followed this up with a single through the right side to bring in the tying run. 

Coyle settled down after the first inning, as he put up 3 consecutive scoreless innings to allowed the Mounties to take a lead. Mount Aloysius moved ahead in the 3rd. McCourt led off with a single to right and then came around 2 batters later when Smith drilled a home run the other way to right field. The lead lasted only 1 inning as the Lions were able to score 4 in the top of the 5th on 4 hits and a walk. The Mounties got one run back in the 5th as Daniel Singer (Saint Mary's, PA/Elk County Catholic) led off with a triple to right center and then scored on a Keibler RBI ground out. 

In the 6th, Coyle was replaced by Nick Lagnese (North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin) after allowing a single and a walk. Lagnese was able to get out of the 6th, but ran into trouble in his second inning of work as he allowed 3 runs to score on 3 hits and two walks while recording 2 outs. Mount Aloysius again struck back in the bottom half, scoring on a double steal by Iellimo and Singer with two down.

Trouble compounded in the 8th as pitcher Douglas Cannon (Valencia PA, Mars Area) was tagged for 5 runs, 3 earned in the inning, as Luke Stultz (New Paris, Pa/Chestnut Ridge) allowed 2 inherited runs to score but got out of the inning with a line out and a fly out. The Mounties were able to counter with 5 of their own in their half of the 8th. Smith led off with his second home run of the game, again hitting a long ball to right field. Mahon was able to bring in the second run of the inning on a single through the left side. Singer singled up the middle to bring in the third, and after McCourt was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Keibler singled to right to score 2 and get the Lions lead back to 3 runs.

The 3 run deficit did not stay that way for long as the back end of the Mountie bullpen imploded, allowing 8 runs in the final frame. 4 different pitchers each were tagged with earned runs as the Lions used 5 runs, 3 walks and a hit batsmen to score the runs. Mount Aloysius did pull one back in the final at bat. Shinn hit a one out double to left to start the inning. Pinch hitter Trevor Miller (Pittsburgh, PA/Penn Hills) singled to right to move Shinn to third. Cody Smith (Loysville, PA/West Perry) then brought in the run beating out a fielder's choice.

Coyle (4-3) picked up the loss as he allowed 6 runs in 5 and 1/3 innings on 8 hits and 2 walks. Smith was the offensive bright spot for the Mounties. He finished 4 for 5 with two home runs and 4 RBIs.

The losses moved the Mounties to 25-13 on the season with a 12-6 record in conference play. They are currently in a 3 way tie for 2nd, but sit at the unfavorable end of the tie breaking scenario. It is unclear where the Mounties will finish as the final standings are still to be determined.