(ALTOONA, PA:)  Penn State Altoona scored 30 runs in two games Saturday afternoon en route to a doubleheader sweep of Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference foe Hilbert College at the Ivyside Field.  Altoona won both games handily, taking the opener 18-1 before winning the nightcap 12-5.  The Lions improved to 6-8 overall and 2-0 in the league.

In game one, Altoona banged out 14 hits and capitalized on seven Hilbert errors.  The Lions scored six runs apiece in the first and second innings to give starting pitcher Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley) more than enough support. 

Freshman Ryan Pollicino (Mount Union, PA/Mount Union) was one of five players to record two hits in the game.  He also scored two runs, belted a 3-run home run in the first, and had a career high 5 RBI.  Keith earned the win after hurling four innings and allowing just three hits while fanning five Hawks.

The Lions sent 10 men to the plate in the first inning and 11 more to the plate in the second.  Hilbert starting pitcher Matt Schoepflin surrendered 15 runs on 10 hits and seven walks.  Only eight of the Lions 18 runs in the contest were earned. 

The fireworks continued in game two as the Lions got 11 runs in the third inning to blow the game wide open.  Freshman Tyler Stiffler (Altoona, PA/Altoona) went 2-4, scored a run, and tallied four RBI.  Teammates Grady Luzier (Forest, PA/West Branch) and RJ Barnard (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) also cracked two base hits apiece, and Luzier had two RBI. 

Freshman left-hander Kevin Obermeier (York, PA/York Catholic) went five strong innings for the win, giving up four hits and one earned run to go along with seven strikeouts.  Obermeier's counterpart, Andrew Lotocki, was touched up for 11 runs, five earned, in three innings of work before being lifted.

Senior catcher Tony Petulla (Osceola Mills, PA/Philipsburg) was walked five times in the pair of games, scored four runs, had two hits, and drove in two.  The 11-run third inning was the largest single-inning output of the season.

Hilbert got on the scoreboard with a run in the fifth, three in the sixth, and one more in the seventh.  Frank Simmeth had three of the Hawks nine hits in the game.  Hilbert dropped to 1-7 overall and 0-4 in the AMCC.

Penn State Altoona returns to action on Tuesday, April 1, for a 1:00 PM AMCC doubleheader at Frostburg State.

CONTACT:        Penn State Altoona Sports Information
                           Steve Crider  --  SID
                           814-949-5173
                           sac310@psu.edu