Fishkill, N.Y. – The Albertus Magnus College baseball team opened the 2016 spring season with a 4-2 setback at Mount Saint Mary on Saturday afternoon at Dutchess Stadium. In windy, chilly conditions, the host Knights erased a late one-run deficit to earn their first home triumph of the year.
Mount Saint Mary used a two-out rally in the home half of the eighth to take their first lead of the game. With the bases loaded the Knights chased AMC freshman starter Malachi Emond (Coventry, Conn.) and plated three runs off Falcon reliever Christopher Rivera (New Britain, Conn.).
Mount Saint Mary tied the contest at two after third basement Tom Hhuvane was hit by a pitch and the Knights took the lead after a fielding miscue plated a pair on the following at bat.
With momentum on his side, MSM starter Kevin Duffy retired the side in order in the top of the ninth to seal the triumph. Duffy went the distance to earn his first win of the season, while Emond was saddled with the loss. In his collegiate debut, Emond scattered five hits and struck out five batters, while surrendering just two earned runs in seven and two thirds innings of work.
Albertus Magnus opened the scoring in the top of the fifth courtesy of a two-run triple by junior outfielder Michael Terzi (Wallingford, Conn.). With one out in the frame, Terzi deposited a shot into right field that brought senior Mike Saia (Bridgeport, Conn.) and classmate Steven Lockman (Wallingford, Conn.) racing home.
In the bottom half of the stanza, the Knights got on the board and cut the deficit in half courtesy of an RBI triple to left field by leadoff hitter Louie Rivera.
At the dish, Saia paced the Falcon attack with a 2-for-3 performance.
Albertus Magnus returns to action on Sunday, March 13, with the first game of its spring trip against Washington College in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. During the swing in the Palmetto State, the Falcons will play eight games in a five-day span.
For the latest information on the baseball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
