Emmitsburg, Md. (March 19, 2009)—Mount St. Mary's scored eight runs in the bottom of the first inning en route to a 10-7 win over Navy at Straw Family Stadium on campus on Thursday afternoon. Shane Eyler (Taneytown, Md./Francis Scott Key) went 3-for-4 with a grand slam to pace the Mount (3-7) to the victory.

Navy (5-9-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead when Michael Speciale led off the game with a double and scored on an Alex Azor single to right field. Mount St. Mary's starter Max Brittenham (Stamford, Conn./St. Luke's) settled down and recorded the final three outs of the inning on strikeouts.

The Mount then took command of the game in the bottom of the first. Buddy Fields (Manassas, Va./Stonewall Jackson) opened the frame by beating out a grounder to short for an infield single. Fields then stole second and scored on a Matt Staso (Ellicott City, Md./Mount St. Joseph) single to right field. Jacob Darr (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) and Kyle Kane (Boonsboro, Md./Boonsboro) followed with a single and a walk, respectively, to load the bases for Eyler.

Eyler worked the count full against Navy starter Jonathan Berkowitz (0-3) before driving the ball over the right-center field fence for his second home run of the season and second career grand slam.

The Mount was not finished in the inning. Josh Winter (Timonium, Md./Boys' Latin) singled and Alex Andrews (Vienna, Va./James Madison) doubled to put runners on second and third. Tony Quaranta (New Freedom, Pa./Loyola Blakefield) drove home Winter with a sacrifice fly and Fields finished the eight-run first with a two-run homer to left field. It was the first career home run for Fields.

Navy answered with a pair of runs in the top of the second, but Zach Helman (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) plated Eyler with a single to center to give the Mount a 9-3 advantage.

Navy fought back with three runs in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run home run by Matthew Curley and a solo shot by Speciale. The Mount's Staso scored an unearned run in the bottom of the inning for a 10-6 advantage. Navy's Jeff Bland belted a pinch-hit home run in the eighth for the final margin of 10-7.

Eyler had hits in each of his first three at bats, stretching his streak of consecutive at bats with a base hit to seven before he was retired on fly out in the sixth inning.

Eyler finished the day 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI while Andrews went 3-for-4 with a runs scored for the Mount. Fields went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base while Staso added a pair of runs scored in a 1-for-4 day at the plate.

On the mound, Brittenham struck out nine while allowing six runs in 5.1 innings to earn his first win of the season. Freshman Brady Feigl (Severn, Md./Old Mill) struck out six while allowing one run in three innings of relief while closer Mike Matta (Woodbridge, Va./Potomac) got the final two outs on a double-play ball.

Navy had five players record two hits in the game. Speciale went 2-fo3 with three runs scored while Azore added a pair of hits and two RBI. Mike Guadagnini went 2-for-3, Curley 2-for-4 and Steven Soares 2-for-4 in the loss.

Berkowitz allowed eight runs in 0.2 innings to take the loss while Chip Tengler pitched 4.2 innings of relief, allowing one earned run with four strikeouts.

The Mount returns to action on Saturday, March 21, with a doubleheader against Penn at noon at Straw Family Stadium on campus.