Emmitsburg, Md. (April 28, 2007)--The Mount St. Mary's baseball team split a doubleheader with Sacred Heart on Saturday afternoon at Straw Family Stadium on campus. Sacred Heart took the opening game, 13-2, before the Mount earned a 4-2 win in the nightcap. The Mount improves to 24-17 overall and 11-4 in the Northeast Conference.

In the second game, sophomore Ivor Hodgson allowed two runs and three hits in six-plus innings to improve to 3-0 on the mound this season. Hodgson struck out a career-high seven batters in the game.

Sacred Heart (19-20, 9-5 NEC) struck first on Phil Tantillo's solo home run in the top of the fifth. The Mount rallied for four runs in the bottom half of the inning, however. Joe Hayes singled to left center field to open the inning. Matt Trusch followed with a bunt that was misplayed by the Sacred Heart third baseman to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Justus Yocum then placed a bunt single to load the bases for Matt Eiden, who blooped a single behind first base to tie the score. Drew Counselman's sacrifice fly gave the Mount the lead and Josh Vittek added an RBI single to right to make the score 3-1. A wild pitch by Sacred Heart starter Rob Tencza provided the final run.

The Pioneers rallied in the seventh when Tencza led off with a home run to left and Frank Baines walked. Mount closer Mike Matta, however, got a strikeout and a ground-ball double-play to end the game for his sixth save of the season.

Hayes and Eiden each had two hits in the win for the Mount in the victory. Tencza allowed four runs (one earned) in 5.2 innings with five strikeouts for the Pioneers.

In the first game, Sacred Heart scored six times in the top of the first inning to jump start a 13-2 victory. Jeff Hanson's RBI single started the rally. Tencza and Bainer added RBI singles before Tantillo doubled home a pair of runs and then scored on a Mulrain double.

The Mount answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third on Matt Eiden's two-run shot, his first home run of the year. The Pioneers, however, scored twice in the fifth, four times in the sixth, and once in the seventh to cruise to the victory.

Maiella's grand slam in the top of the sixth highlighted the Pioneer offensive eruption.

Maiella was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBI to pace the Pioneers in the game while Hanson added two runs scored and three RBI. Steve Tedesco, Jovan Rodriguez, Bobby McKee and Bainer each added two hits in the win.

Six different Mount players had a hit in the loss. Sacred Heart starter Jay Monti, who entered the game leading the nation in ERA, allowed two runs and six hits in the complete-game victory to improve to 7-2 on the year. Bucky Kosky allowed eight runs (six earned) in 4.1 innings in the loss for the Mount.

The teams complete their four-game series tomorrow with a noon nine-inning game at Straw Family Stadium on campus.

Game Notes...The Mount's loss in the first game snapped a six-game win streak that matched the Mount school record in the Division I era (since 1989)...The Mount is 12-2 over its past 14 games...The 24 wins are one shy of the school's Division I record of 25 set during the 2004 season...The Mount maintained its lead in the Northeast Conference