Emmitsburg, Md. (May 12, 2007)--Quinnipiac edged Mount St. Mary's in a pair of one-run games to earn a doubleheader sweep in a matchup of the top two teams in the Northeast Conference The Bobcats (24-14-1, 17-6 NEC) rallied from a 5-0 deficit to capture the first game, 6-5, in 10 innings before edging the Mount (30-20, 16-7 NEC), 3-2, in the nightcap. The Bobcats move one game ahead of the Mount in the NEC standings with the wins.

In the opening game, Drew Counselman's three-run homer capped a four-run first inning that gave the Mount a 4-0 advantage. Justus Yocum walked and moved to second on Ivor Hodgson's bunt single. A Quinnipiac error led to the Mount's first run before Counselman's fifth home run of the year made it 4-0. The Mount added a run in the second on Hodgson's RBI single up the middle that scored Yocum, who doubled with one out.

The Bobcats got back into the game with a three-run third. Northeast Confernece leading hitter Tim Binkoski doubled with the bases loaded to cut the Mount lead to 5-2 and Randy Gress added a sacrifice fly to cut the Mount lead to 5-3.

Quinnipiac tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Binkoski doubled to open the inning to chase Mount starter Bucky Kosyk from the game. Gress then greeted reliever Mike Matta's first pitch with a double to left to make the score 5-4. Jeff Mainetti then singled to left to plate Gress with the tying run.

The Mount had a great chance to win the game in the bottom of the seventh. Hodgson walked, Josh Vittek doubled and Eric Smith was intentionally walked to load the bases with no out. Tyler Brett came on in relief and struck out the first two batters he faced before getting a ground out to end the threat. Quinnipiac had the bases loaded in the top of the eighth with one out, but Matta got a double-play to escape the jam.

In the 10th, Gress and Mainetti singled with one out to put runners on first and second with one out. Wilson Matos then flied to right to move Gress to third and Pete Kummerfeldt laced a single off the glove of a diving Justus Yocum in right to plate the winning run.

Brett pitched four innings of scoreless relief to earn the win for the Bobcats. Brett teamed with Eric Bretscher to give the Bobcats eight scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing just three Mount hits.

Counselman finished 2-for-5 with three RBI to pace the Mount while Hodgson added a pair of hits and his 12th stolen base of the year. Binkoski was 3-for-5 with two RBI while Gress added a 2-for-4 effort with two runs scored and two RBI for the Bobcats.

In the nightcap, Pat Egan tossed a complete-game four-hitter to lead Quinnipiac to the 3-2 victory. Egan allowed one earned run and struck out seven to improve to 3-3 on the season. Hodgson was a hard-luck loser for the Mount, allowing three runs (two earned) with five strikeouts in a complete game. Ryan Rizzo and Binkoski each had two hits in the win for the Bobcats.

Quinnipiac struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Mainetti had an RBI single and Matos an RBI double to open the scoring. A Mount error led to an unearned run in the third inning for a 3-0 advantage.

The Mount rallied with a pair of runs in the fifth. Joe Hayes and Matt Trusch singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. Sophomore Matt Staso followed with an RBI single down the left field line to plate Hayes to cut the deficit to 3-1. Staso moved to second on the throw to third on the play. The Mount then tried a suicide squeeze, but Matt Eiden's bunt attempt was popped up and Trusch was doubled up on the play. A Quinnipiac error on the next batter made the score 3-2, but Egan got Hodgson to ground out to short to thwart the rally.

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

Game Notes...Eric Smith was 1-for-7 at the plate on the day, leaving him two hits shy of the Mount's all-time hit record...Matta allowed two runs in a career-high five innings of relief in the opening game for the Mount...Counselman's home run gives the Mount 23 long balls over the past 13 games...Quinnipiac leads the NEC with a 17-6 record, followed by the Mount (16-7), Monmouth (15-8), Central Connecticut State (14-9) and Sacred Heart (12-11)...The Mount's magic number to clinch its first NEC Tournament appearance since 1998 is one.