ALTOONA, Pa. - The Penn State Altoona baseball team found its hitting stride Saturday afternoon against Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponent Franciscan University, allowing the Lions to clinch an AMCC playoff berth and tied the Lions' single-season wins mark set by the 2000 squad.  Altoona won the first game 11-4 before exploding for a 24-1 victory in game two.

In game one, Jimmy Baum (Shermansdale, PA/West Perry) had two doubles which drove in a combined five Lion runners, and Altoona was able to bounce back after giving up two runs to the Barons in the first.

The Lions would respond by scoring two runs of their own in the second, and finished off the opponents by notching four-run innings in both the fourth and sixth innings.  Altoona cracked 10 hits in the first contest, opposed to just four from Franciscan.  The Barons also ended game one with six defensive errors.

Baum went 3 for 5 with 5 RBI, while teammate Jim Byers (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) contributed his own five RBI, going 2 for 3 with two runs.  Ryan Pollicino (Mount Union, PA/Mount Union) also connected on two hits for the hosts.

Lion starter Mike Myers (Boiling Springs, PA/Boiling Springs) picked up the win, going six innings while striking out four Baron batters.  Myers also walked three and gave up six hits and three earned runs.

In game two, the Lions would score in every inning, including a five-run second inning and an explosive 12-run fourth.  Altoona cracked four home runs in the game, with two of them coming from freshman Jacob Settle (Altoona, PA/Altoona).  The other two came from Tyler Stiffler (Altoona, PA/Altoona) and Tyler Elbin (Warfordsburg, PA/Southern Fulton) in the third and sixth innings, respectively.

Twelve Altoona players contributed to the Lions' 16 hits, including RJ Barnard (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg), who went 2 for 3 with two RBI, and Robert Reece (Levittown, PA/Neshaminy), who went 2 for 3 as well. 

Gerard Vath (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley) collected the win, going a full four innings and only giving up two Baron hits.  Vath struck out seven and walked one, and Franciscan's only run was unearned.

The Lions are currently 20-12 overall, 11-5 AMCC, and will take the field again on Wednesday, April 22, for a conference clash with Mount Aloysius at Stewart Field.