West Palm Beach, Fla. (February 26, 2008)--The Mount St. Mary's baseball team opened the 2008 season with a 6-2 loss to St. Bonaventure at the Papa Johns Palm Beach Challenge. Matt Staso went 2-for-2 to pace the Mount offense.

The Mount grabbed an early 1-0 lead on a Staso RBI single in the top of the second. Drew Counselman led the inning off with a base hit and Ryan Stamp added a walk. The runners moved over on a doubel steal before Staso's RBI single.

Starting pitcher Andrew Germuth was in control early, setting down the first 11 batters he faced. The Bonnies (2-1), however, got the tying run on a two-out rally in the fourth. Kevin Suminski came around to score on Anthony Randich's single into right field to tie the game. Suminski reached base on a single with two outs and moved into scoring position by stealing second base.

The Bonnies broke the game open with four runs in the fifth. Suminski laced a two-out two-run single with the bases loaded to snap the 1-1 tie. Max Brittenham then came on in relief for the Mount and was promptly greeted by a Randy Moley two-run single that gave the Bonnies a 5-1 lead. St. Bonaventure added an unearned run in the seventh to make the score 6-1.

The Mount rounded out the scoring in the ninth when Bobby Plumb's pinch-hit RBI double plated Staso to make the score 6-2.

Staso finished the game 2-for-2 with a run scored while Counselman was 2-for-4 with a run scored an a stolen base to pace the Mount offense. Germuth allowed five runs in 4.2 innings, striking out seven in the game. Brittenham allowed an unearned run in 2.1 innings of work while Colin Stuver pitched a scoreless eighth for the Mount.

The Mount returns to action today at Florida Atlantic.