(ALTOONA, PA:)  The Penn State Altoona baseball team managed just nine hits and two runs in a pair of losses at Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference foe Frostburg State Tuesday afternoon.  The Bobcats took the opener 8-2 and blanked the Lions in the second contest 6-0.  Altoona dropped to 6-10 overall and 2-2 in the league while FSU moved to 5-9 and 2-2 in conference.

In game one, Frostburg used three hits and two Lion errors to score five runs in the bottom of the third off Altoona starter Gerard Vath (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley).  The Bobcats added two more in the fifth inning and added another in the sixth.  FSU had eight total hits, two of the bat of Andrew Speights who also tallied three RBI.

Bobcat pitcher Zack Lucas kept the Altoona bats at bay, hurling 5 and 1/3 innings allowing four hits and two runs while striking out four.  Vath took the loss after surrendering seven runs, five earned, on five hits. 

The Lions managed just four hits in the game, one apiece by Zack King (Murrsyville, PA/Franklin Regional), RJ Barnard (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg), Chris Dixon (Camp Hill, PA/Cedar Cliff), and Ryan Pollicino (Mount Union, PA/Mount Union).  King produced the lone Altoona runs via a two-run double that knocked in Dixon and Pollicino.

Altoona was within striking distance in game two until Frostburg got four runs in the bottom of the sixth and ousted Lion starter Nick Donato (Doylestown, PA/CB West) after 5 and 2/3 innings of work.  Donato allowed five earned runs but only six hits, walked three, and struck out seven Bobcat batters.

King went 2-4 at the plate for Altoona, which had five total hits in game two.  Frostburg used five pitchers in the game, and reliever Gary Wolfe was credited with the win after pitching three scoreless innings and surrendering three hits.

Penn State Altoona is back in action on Thursday, April 3, for a non-conference doubleheader against Waynesburg University.  First pitch at the Ivyside Field is scheduled for 1:00 PM. 

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