Huntingdon, PA - Mountie baseball showed early fight but was unable to sustain momentum down the stretch, falling 8-2 to Juniata in a non-conference contest Tuesday afternoon at Langdon-Goodale Field.

The Mounties found themselves in an early hole as Juniata pushed across single runs in the first and second innings, but Mount Aloysius responded with its best offensive stretch in the third. Jack Foster (Huntingdon, Pa., Huntingdon) helped ignite the inning with a double and later came around to score on a fielder's choice by Sidric Grove (Clearville, Pa., Everett), putting the Mounties on the board. Moments later, Andrew Scalia (Windber, Pa., Windber ) delivered a clutch RBI single to right field, knotting the game at 2-2 and giving Mount the early momentum.

The Mounties had several new faces in the starting lineup, as Greg Schilling (Nanty Glo, Pa., Blacklick Valley), Leo Bazala (Ligonier, Pa., Ligonier Valley ), Ryan Gamble (Pittsburgh, Pa., Montour), and Foster each made their first start of the season. The group held its own, highlighted by Foster.  The outfielder went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Scalia also turned in a strong day at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Gamble added a hit in his first start behind the dish.

On the mound, Jacob Smith (Leechburg, Pa., Kiski ) got the start keeping the Mounties within striking distance through four innings. The right-hander allowed three runs on seven hits while working efficiently and limiting further damage after the early innings. His effort kept the Mounties in position to compete deep into the game.

The Mountie bullpen saw contributions from Michael Cacciotti (Altoona, Pa., Bishop Guilfoyle), Matthew Watkins (Broad Top City, Pa., Tussey Mountain), and Tanner Pry (Butler, Pa., Butler). Watkins was particularly effective, tossing a scoreless inning in relief. Despite those efforts, Juniata was able to create separation late, capitalizing on timely hitting and aggressive baserunning in the seventh inning to break the game open.

The Mounties will travel to Hamburg, NY for a crucial conference doubleheader on Saturday. The games will be played at 1:00 and 3:30 pm at the FSSJ Field Complex.

#GoMounties