Pittsburgh, PA - The Mount Aloysius Baseball team's season, in which they set the program record for wins in a season, came to an end on Friday as they lost in walk-off fashion to third seeded Penn State Altoona. The Lions pushed the winning run across in the 11th inning as they took the game 7-6.

The Mounties were again able to get on the board early. In the first, Douglas Smith (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) drove a ball to deep left field that hit the top of the fence, bounce high in the air and landed on the other side for his 4th home run of the season. The Mounties added on to their lead in the 3rd with some small ball. With 2 down senior Daniel Singer (Saint Mary's PA/Elk County Catholic) singled to left and then using a hit and run advanced to third on a single through the left side from Ryan Leonard (James Creek, PA/Tussey Mountain. Singer was then able to scamper home on a delayed steal that saw Leonard intentionally caught in a rundown, only to be tagged out after the run had scored. They would score 1 more time in 4th as Patrick Mahon (Pittsburgh, PA/Allegheny CC) and Aaron Shinn (Woodbridge, VA/CD Hylton) both reached on 1 out infield singles. They each advanced a base on a passed ball and Mahon was able to scamper home as the throw to third got away, allowing him to score on the error. 

Despite cruising through the first three innings, starting pitcher Michael McCourt (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) ran into trouble in the fourth. He allowed a lead off double and saw the runner advance to third on a fly ball to center. After a safety squeeze brought the run home, Penn State Altoona was able to string together 4 consecutive 2 out hits to move ahead of the Mounties 4-3. 

The Mounties tied the game in the 6th as Mahon started another rally, this time with a double to right. he moved to third on a Shinn single, then scored when Matthew McCourt (Mullica Hill, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) drilled a double to right center. The Lions were able to escape the inning allowing only the one run as they got a strike out, intentional walk and grounder to second to end the threat. They responded immediately to retake the lead in bottom of the inning. They were able to chase Mike McCourt with a lead of single, sacrifice bunt and another single to left. McCourt was lifted in favor of Dylan Coyle (Canonsburg, Pa/Canon McMillan) with runners on the corners and one out. Coyle allowed the first batter he faced to double down the line to retake the lead and then allowed a second to score on a sacrifice fly to center. He got the next batter to ground out to get out of the inning. 

Mount Aloysius was able to cut the lead in half right away. In the 7th, Nicholas Belka (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) hit a two out single to right and then move to second on a wild pitch. After a pitching change, Mahon came up big again as he singled through the right side to bring in Belka. After Coyle threw a scoreless bottom half of the inning, the Mounties were able to tie it up at 6 in the 8th. Smith drew a one out walk and then Sam Keibler (Kittaning, PA/Kittaning) drilled a double to the right center gap to bring Smith all the way around from first. 

Coyle was able to settle down and put up consecutive scoreless innings in the 8th, 9th and 10th to give the Mounties a shot to move ahead and potentially win the game. Mount Aloysius looked to be in business in the 11th, as Keibler led off with a single and Jeremy Iellimo (Arnold, PA/Valley Area) drew a walk. Singer beat out a potential double play ball to put runners on the corners with one out. A quick move saw Keibler picked off at third base and then pinch hitter Trap Wentling (Greenville, PA/Greenville) lined out to 2nd to end the threat. 

The base running gaffe came back to hurt, as Altoona won the game in the 11th. The Lions got a one out double from from Catcher Cumming and then a second runner on through a highly contested catchers interference. The call saw the umpires convene for a ten minute delay that upon its completion saw Austin Anderson single down the left field line to score the winning run.

Despite allowing just 1 run in 5 innings of work, Coyle picked up the loss, moving his record to 5-3 on the year. He allowed just the 1 run on 6 hits and 2 walks. Mahon finished 4 for 5 with 2 runs scored and an RBI. Keibler and Shinn also recorded two hits a piece. 

The loss ended the Mounties season at 27-16. The end of the season also sees the end of the careers of seniors Matt McCourt, Keibler, Scott Schultz, Trevor Miller, Shinn, Luke Stultz, Singer and Ryan McElwee. The Senior class departs with 79 wins to their name. McCourt graduates as one of the most decorated players in program history. He leaves with the program record in home runs with 43.