Led by the 2007 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championship men's golf team, Penn State Altoona finished second in the final AMCC Presidents Cup Standings with 75 points, the school's best ranking and highest point output since joining the league in 1998.  The Cup is awarded annually to the AMCC member institution with the most successful overall athletic program in conference play.  Penn State Behrend, which boasted five regular season league championship teams, captured its seventh Presidents Cup in eight years by totaling 99.5 points.  Frostburg State checked in at third with 73 points while Lake Erie (68) and Medaille (65) rounded out the top five.  The men's golf team earned the Altoona Lions 10 Presidents Cup points based on its first place finish at the 10-team conference championships.  The women's cross country team, which finished runner-up at the AMCC championships, recorded nine Cup points while men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball tallied eight points apiece for their respective third place regular season finishes.  To view the final 2008 AMCC Presidents Cup Standings and point breakdowns, CLICK HERE.

 

(ALTOONA, PA:)  The Penn State Altoona softball team dropped its final two regular season home games of the 2008 season to non-conference foe Juniata College Thursday at the Ivyside Field.  The Eagles won game one 5-1 and used a seventh inning rally in the nightcap to claim an 8-7 victory.  Altoona fell to 4-26 overall while Juniata improved to 19-15 on the year.

In game one, Eagle pitcher Alyssa Erb hurled a complete game, scattering four hits, allowing one run, and striking out eight Lion batters.  Offensively, Juniata banged out eight hits and took advantage of four Altoona errors to score its five runs. 

After scoring one run in the third, Juniata broke the contest open with a four-run sixth inning that included five hits.  The Eagles left the based loaded in that frame and stranded eight runners in the game.

Altoona's lone run came in the bottom of the seventh after Nicolette Stimely (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown) walked and eventually scored on an Aisha Kassam (Lititz, PA/Warwick) fielders choice.  Lion pitcher Emily Cummins (Spring Mills, PA/Penns Valley) took the loss after allowing one run through three innings, and freshman Lindsey Laudermilch (Hershey, PA/Hershey) went the final four frames, giving up four runs and five hits.

The Eagles used a two-run seventh inning rally to steal game two after the Lions made a valiant comeback.  Trailing 6-2 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, the hosts batted around the order, scoring five runs on five hits to take their first lead of the day at 7-6.  After Megan Turiano (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone) and Karen Keim (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) belted a pair of RBI singles, freshman Callie Lyle roped a bases clearing, two out double that scored three runs and pushed Altoona into the lead.

Cummins, who pitched the final five innings of game two for Altoona in relief of starter Chelsey Rhodes (Williamsburg, PA/Williamsburg), worked a 1-2-3 sixth inning before Juniata rallied in the seventh.  A leadoff walk and bunt single put runners on first and second for the Eagles in the final frame.  A sacrifice bunt moved the runners up a base before Liz Schmitt dropped a suicide squeeze to score Tara Carl and tie the game.  With runners on the corners, the Eagles executed a double steal to perfection as Schmitt stole second and Stacy Nagy scurried home for the game-winning run.

Penn State Altoona is back in action this weekend beginning Saturday at Medaille College.  First pitch of the doubleheader in Buffalo is set for 3:00 PM.

 

(ALTOONA, PA:)  Mount Aloysius pitcher Jess Walters threw a combined 16 innings and picked up two victories Wednesday, leading the visiting Mounties to a doubleheader sweep of Penn State Altoona at the Ivyside Field.  Mount held off the Lions 4-2 in the opener, then rallied late and eventually won game two 3-1 in nine innings.

Walters scattered seven hits and allowed only two earned runs en route to the opening game victory.  Offensively, Aloysius banged out 10 hits and scored three runs in the fifth off Lion reliever Chelsey Rhodes (Williamsburg, PA/Williamsburg) to stake a 4-0 lead.  Stacey Hammond had the key hit in the frame, delivering a two-RBI single, and teammate April Trexel also stroked a run-scoring single. 

Altoona responded with two runs on four hits in the sixth including an Aisha Kassam (Lititz, PA/Warwick) two-run, two-out base hit that scored Kara Myers (Millheim, PA/Penns Valley) and Nicolette Stimely (Lewistown, PA/Lewistown).  But Altoona would strand seven runners on base, leaving the sacks packed in the third inning.

Lion pitcher Emily Cummins (Spring Mills, PA/Penns Valley) hurled the first four innings, surrendering five hits and only one earned run.  Mount pounded out 10 hits in the game and left 10 runners stranded.

Cummins and Walters went at it again in game two, and the Lions took a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning.  But with one out, Mount's Brittany Aurand was plunked by a pitch and advanced to second on a groundout.  Center fielder Andie O'Neal then blooped a single just over Lion shortstop Megan Turiano's (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone) head, scoring Aurand and sending the contest to extras. 

Both teams had opportunities to score in the eighth but came up empty.  The Mounties used a bunt single that put runners on first and second before Walters tapped one down the first base line.  Lion first baseman Lindsey Laudermilch (Hershey, PA/Hershey) tried to get the lead runner at third, but an errant throw let everyone to advance an extra base and allowed Ashley Duke to score the go-ahead run.  After a strikeout, O'Neal came up big again, pounding a single up the middle to plate an insurance run and give Mount the 3-1 lead. 

Walters sat the Lions down 1-2-3 in the ninth to claim her second win of the day.  The Hollidaysburg native went all nine innings, giving up eight hits and only one earned run while striking out five.  Cummins was equally good, striking out seven and allowing seven hits despite taking the complete-game loss.

O'Neal went 3-5 in the game for Mount Aloysius while Myers turned in a 3-4 performance for the Lions.

Penn State Altoona dropped to 4-24 overall and 1-13 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.  The Mounties upped their record to 17-15 and 8-6 in the AMCC.

The Lions are back home on Thursday for a non-conference twin bill against Juniata.  First pitch is set for 3:00 PM at the Ivyside Field.