CRESSON — Back from their spring break trip in Myrtle Beach and greeted by much more favorable weather in Cresson, the Mounties opened AMCC play Sunday with a tough doubleheader sweep at the hands of Alfred State, falling 20-5 in the opener before dropping a more competitive 10-6 decision in game two. Mt. Aloysius was put on it’s heels early in game one and couldn’t recover, while game two proved to be a missed opportunity despite an 18-hit performance and a late rally, defensive lapses and a big ninth inning by Alfred State ultimately decided it.

Game One: Early Deficit Too Much to Overcome

Mt. Aloysius found itself in a deep hole early and never recovered, falling 20-5 to Alfred State in the opener of Sunday’s AMCC doubleheader.

Alfred State broke the game open with an eight-run second inning and continued to pile on, putting the Mounties in a 16-0 deficit before the lineup could respond. Defensive miscues and early pitching struggles made it difficult for Mt. Aloysius to settle in.

To their credit, the Mounties showed some life offensively in the middle innings. Owen McDermott (West Leechburg, Pa., Leechburg) got them on the board with an RBI double in the fourth, and they followed with multi-run frames in the fifth and sixth. Logan Quade (Mechanicsville, Md., Chopticon ), Sidric Grove (Clearville, Pa., Everett), Coy Martino (Punxsutawney, Pa., Punxsutawney), and Liam McCarty (Buffalo, N.Y., Canisius) all contributed RBIs during that stretch.

McCarty led the offense with a 3-for-3 game, while McDermott added two hits. Mt. Aloysius finished with 10 hits, but the early damage proved far too much to overcome.

Game Two: Missed Opportunity Despite Offensive Output

The second game was far more competitive, but Mt. Aloysius let a winnable game slip away late in a 10-6 loss.

After falling behind 2-0, the Mounties responded well. Michael Todd (Pittsburgh, Pa., Seton LaSalle) drove in a run in the fourth, and a strong sixth inning gave them the lead. Grove tied the game with an RBI triple before Anthony Maseto (Cherry Tree, Pa., Harmony) followed with a go-ahead single with the infield in to make it 3-2.

Behind them, Troy Misiura (Coalport, Pa., Glendale) delivered a strong outing on the mound, striking out a career-high 12 over seven innings and putting the Mounties in position to win.

However, the late innings unraveled. Alfred State tied the game in the eighth via a homerun and then capitalized on mistakes in the ninth, scoring six runs to take control. Defensive errors and missed execution proved costly in the decisive frame.

Mt. Aloysius didn’t quit, putting together a three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth. Grove, Maseto, and McDermott each drove in runs as part of an 18-hit effort, but the comeback attempt fell short.

McDermott finished with four hits, while Grove and Maseto had three apiece, highlighting a strong offensive performance that ultimately didn’t translate into a win. The Mounties outhit the Pioneers 18-9.

With the sweep, the Mounties fall to 6-12 (0-2 AMCC) on the year. They have some non-conference match-ups in the mid week as they’ll host Gettysburg (Tuesday) and then a doubleheader at Franciscan (Wednesday) before returning to AMCC play next Saturday when they host the reigning AMCC champs Penn State Behrend.