Lions Defeat Mt. Aloysius in AMCC Tournament

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend baseball team defeated Mt. Aloysius 4-0 in game one of the 2012 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Championship Tournament.

The Lions (26-13-1) scored three runs in the first four innings to get by the Mounties for the second time this season.

In the bottom of the second, Behrend took advantage of crucial error to plate their first run.  Josh Barbara (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) walked to get things going and then advanced to third on a wild pick-off attempt.  Vinny Rice (Harmony, PA/Seneca Valley) followed with a perfect bunt to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

Barbara got things going again for Behrend in the fourth.  With runners on first and second and nobody out, Barbara laced a single down the third base line for the RBI.  Matt Bittner (Lancaster, NY/St. Mary's) came in to score after leading the inning off with a walk.  Now with a 2-0 lead, James Verona (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) drove in Ryan Geible (East Butler, PA/Butler) for the Lions third run of the game.

With a three-run cushion, Ryan Jacobs (Port Vue, PA/South Allegheny) was cruising on the bump.  Jacobs threw 7.2 innings while striking out six to earn the win.  Chad Zurat (Clearfield, PA/Clearfield) shut the door on the Mounties, striking out two of the five batters he face to pick up the save.

With a stolen base in the eighth, Ryan Kragnes (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) broke the school record for steals in a season.  Kragnes has 31 on the year.

Bittner led the Lions with two hits and an RBI.

Behrend will play the winner of Pitt-Bradford/La Roche tomorrow at 10 a.m.  The entire AMCC Tournament will be played at La Roche.