Emmitsburg, Md. (April 29, 2007)--Mount St. Mary's blasted five
home runs en route to a 16-2 win over Sacred Heart in Northeast
Conference baseball action at Straw Family Stadium on campus.
Fifth-year senior Eric Smith broke school records for runs scored,
runs batted in and total bases in a career in the Division I era at
the Mount in the game. The win also tied the Mount's school record
for wins in a season in Division I.
The Mount improves to 25-17 on the season and 12-4 in the NEC to
maintain first place in the conference standings. The 25 wins this
year match the school record for wins in the Division I era (since
1989) set by the 2004 team which finished 25-18.
Smith was 2-for-5 with a runs scored and five RBI in the game.
He hit a grand slam in the Mount's seven-run second inning. Smith
now has school career records for runs scored (115), RBI (126) and
total bases (174) in the DI era.
Matt Trusch, Mike Gioioso, Josh Vittek, Justus Yocum and Smith
all homered in the game. Trusch's home run was the first of his
four-year career at the Mount. He finished the game 3-for-5 with a
double, home run and three RBI. Vittek went 2-for-4 with three
runs scored and two RBI in the win. Gioioso and Stephan Fay also
had two hits in the win.
Sacred Heart (19-21, 9-6 NEC) got on the scoreboard with a run
in the top of the first. Steve Tedesco opened the game with a
double. Jovan Rodriguez reached on an error and Bobby McKee
singled through the left side of the infield to score Tedesco with
the run. Sacred Heart loaded the bases in the inning with one out,
but Mount starter Andrew Germuth pitched out of the jam.
The Mount answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the
inning. Smith's RBI double to left-center field plated Ivor
Hodgson to tie the game. Drew Counselman then singled to bring
home Vittek for a 2-1 lead.
The Mount took control of the game with seven runs in the
second. Trusch led the inning off with a solo home run to left for
his first career round tripper. Mike Gioioso singled and moved to
second on a Matt Eiden sacrifice. After Yocum was hit by a pitch,
Hodgson moved the runners over with another sacrifice bunt and
Vittek was walked to load the bases. Smith then blasted an 0-1
pitch over the center field fence for his fifth home run of the
year.
The Mount wasn't through scoring in the inning, however, as
Counselman walked and Fay singled to extend the rally. Trusch then
hit a ball off the top of the center field fence for a two-run
double to give the Mount a 9-1 lead.
The Pioneers scored a run in the top of the third, but Yocum's
solo home run to lead off the bottom of the inning game the Mount a
10-2 advantage. The Mount sealed the win with a six-run fourth.
Fay doubled down the left field line to plate Drew Counselman
before Gioioso blasted a three-run homer, his second of the
season. Vittek added a two-run shot, his ninth of the year, to
close out the scoring.
Tedesco, Mike Cahill, Rodriguez and McKee each had two hits in
the loss for Sacred Heart. Germuth allowed two runs and struck out
three in six innings to improve to 6-4 on the year for the Mount.
Jared Balbach allowed four runs in one-plus inning to fall to 1-5
on the year for Sacred Heart.
The Mount hosts Coppin State for a 4:00 p.m. game on Tuesday
afternoon at Straw Family Stadium in its next game.
Game Notes...The Mount won three of four games
in the series...It was the second-straight weekend the Mount won
three of four games in a series between the top two teams in the
NEC standings...The Mount's 12 NEC wins match the school record for
NEC wins set in 2005 and 2006...Smith leads the NEC with 48 RBI
this season...The 48 RBI are the third-best single-season mark in
the DI era at the Mount...The Mount is 13-2 over its past 15 games
and 22-8 since starting the season with a 3-9 record.
