No. 1 Penn State Behrend defeated No. 2 Mount Aloysius College 5-4 in the first game of the day to advance to Sunday's AMCC Championship Game. The Mounties returned to the field for a second game, this time defeating Alfred State College 16-10 to also punch their ticket to the conference title game.
#1 Penn State Behrend d. #2 Mount Aloysius, 5-4
The Penn State Behrend baseball team punched their ticket to the AMCC Championship Game on Saturday with a win over No. 2 Mount Aloysius. Jake Deitz helped send the Lions to the conference title game with a two-run single to walk off the Mounties in the bottom of the ninth, plating the tying and winning run. With Behrend trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Deitz knocked a single through the middle to score John Berger and Hunter Jamison for the walk-off winner. Both Berger and Jamison led off the innings with back-to-back singles to set the stage for the dramatic finish.
The Lions led 3-2 in the top of the ninth, but a two-RBI double by Tyler Quade gave the Mounties the lead in the final frame.
Mount Aloysius struck first with a solo homerun to open the scoring in the third inning.
Berger hit a single through the right side to plate Juston Jones as the first run for Behrend and Mac Ciocco would also score on the play via error to give the Lions their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth. With the game tied at two in the seventh, Berger led off with a walk and was advanced to second via sac bunt by Jamison. Donny Watters came in to pinch hit with the go-ahead run in scoring position and drove a line drive down the right field line to plate Berger for a run-scoring double. Jeff Zick got the start and pitched into the seventh, going 6.2 innings while limiting the Mounties to just two runs and striking out eight.
Jones collected the 100th hit of his career during his first at bat and tied for the team lead with two knocks, both being doubles. Berger collected two singles and came around to score twice. Zack Bowen received the win, pitching 2.1 innings in relief.
#2 Mount Aloysius d. #3 Alfred State, 16-10
The No. 2 seed Mount Aloysius baseball team won in a rematch over the No. 3 seed Alfred State Pioneers in the semifinal game of the AMCC championship tournament on Saturday. The Mounties (25-13) had 19 hits, 16 runs, 14 RBIs and 2 errors, while the Pioneers recorded 11 hits, 10 runs, 9 RBIs and 3 errors.
The Mounties took a 10-0 lead after scoring three in the first, three in the second and four in the fourth. Tyler Quade scored a run in each of those three innings, while Jeremy Iellimo and Trap Wentling scored twice in that span. A single up the middle for Alfred State in the top of the fifth plated two runs for the Pioneers to make the score 10-2. The Mounties scored three more runs in the fifth on three hits and one Pioneer error to extend their lead to 13-2.
A SAC fly and a single in the sixth brought in two more runs for Alfred State
Wentling singled to left field in the bottom of the sixth, bringing home James Rice for the 14-4 lead.
Alfred State's Owen Lansing scored off an error in the seventh and Sam Dickerson hit a three-run homer in the top of the eighth to make the score 14-8. A bases loaded walk for the Mounties and a Quade SAC fly scored two more runs in the bottom of the eighth.
A Pioneer single in the top of the ninth brought in two more runs for Alfred State, setting the final score at 16-10.
No. 1 Penn St. Behrend will face No. 2 Mount Aloysius in the AMCC Championship Game on Sunday at 11 a.m. Due to the double-elimination format, the Lions can clinch the conference title with a win, with the Mounties needing to win two to be crowned champions. If a second game is necessary, first pitch for game two is scheduled for 2 p.m.