MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Albertus Magnus College baseball team opened its annual spring break trip to the Palmetto State with a non-conference doubleheader split against the Panthers of Plymouth State University on Monday morning at Ebbets Field. 

Justin Marks (Beacon Falls, Conn.) helped guide the Falcons to a 3-1 victory in game one as the freshman left-hurler threw a complete game while allowing one run on three hits. Game two of the doubleheader went to Plymouth State by a final score of 7-2.  

THE BASICS
FINAL (G1): Albertus Magnus 3 | Plymouth State 1 
FINAL (G2): Plymouth State 7 | Albertus Magnus 2
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (1-3) | Plymouth State (2-4) 
LOCATION: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED - G1 

• The Falcons got on board early in the top of the first inning as Ron Losacano (Old Lyme, Conn.) led off the game with a sharp single into right field before advancing to second on a groundout.
• With the corners full, Jason Sullivan (Meriden, Conn.) connected with a fastball and rifled an RBI single up the middle to plate Losacano and give the Falcons the early 1-0 advantage.  
• The Panthers tied it in the second inning, 1-1, following an RBI double down the left-field line by Griffin Crane.
• Albertus threatened the Panthers in the top of the fourth, as the blue-and-white loaded the bases with two outs on the scoreboard until Losacano sent a screaming line drive down the third base line that was snared for the final out of the inning.  
• Marks shut the Panthers down in order in the fourth, and the teams moved to the fifth inning, still tied at one. 
• The pitchers owned the fifth, as both hurlers threw 1-2-3 frames to keep the score knotted at 1-all. 
• In the bottom of the sixth, the Panthers put runners on first and second with two outs, but Marks induced a lineout to centerfield to end the threat and send the teams into the seventh inning. 
• King Rivera (Bridgeport, Conn.) led off the seventh with a hit-by-pitch before advancing to second on a passed ball. Arent singled up the middle to score Rivera until a Panthers' error advanced him to second.
• An Alex Kozlowski (Shelton, Conn.) single up the middle scored Bobby Arent (Ridgefield, Conn.) from third, giving the Falcons the 3-1 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh. 
• With one out and a man aboard in the bottom of the seventh, Marks caught the Panthers' runner leaning and zipped a throw to first for the pickoff before getting a flyout to left field to end the game.     

ON THE HILL 

• WP: Justin Marks (W, 1-0) | 7.0 IP | 1 R | 1 ER | 3 H | 3 BB | 6 K  
• LP: Jason Smith (L, 0-2) | 3.1 IP | 2 R | 1 ER | 2 H | 0 BB | 5 K  

AT THE PLATE

• Kozlowski went 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI, and a stolen base.  
• Arent had a 2-for-3 day at the plate with a run scored. 

HOW IT HAPPENED - G2 

• Freshman hurler AJ Rooks (Coventry, Conn.) shut the Panthers down in the top of the first, working around a leadoff walk with a pair of strikeouts and a flyout to left field. 
• Rooks held the Panthers off the board in the second inning, permitting only a hit and striking out the final hitter. 
• With one out in the bottom of the second inning, Shawn Smith (Shelton, Conn.) drove in Nick Ramos (Mineola, N.Y.) from first on a double into the right-center field gap to give the Falcons the 1-0 advantage. 
• The Panthers struck back quickly in the top of the third, plating two runs on three hits to take the 2-1 lead. 
• Albertus rallied in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases on singles from Sean Jefferson (West Haven, Conn.) and Ramos and a walk from S. Smith, but were unable to push the tying run across.  
• Solid defensive work from the Falcons kept the Panthers at bay until the top of the sixth when the visitors scored five runs on six hits to take a commanding 7-1 advantage.  
• Albertus did not go down quietly, rallying in the bottom of the seventh with a run scored.  
• Rivera worked a walk and stole second base before Arent followed with his own walk. A walk to Losacano loaded the bases with no outs before Kozlowski drove a deep sacrifice fly into the left-centerfield gap that scored Rivera from third.
• The Panthers recorded an out, but the Falcons remained pesky at the plate, as Sullivan followed on the very next at-bat with a single back through the box to load the bases with two outs.
• With the bags juiced, Ramos worked the count full, fouling off several pitches, before swinging through a breaking ball for the final out of the game.      

ON THE HILL 

• WP: Sean Thompson (W, 1-0) | 1.0 IP | 0 R | 0 ER | 0 H | 1 BB | 1 K  
• LP:  AJ Rooks (L, 0-2) | 5.0+ IP | 4 R | 4 ER | 7 H | 3 BB | 8 K  

AT THE PLATE 

• S. Smith went 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI, and a walk. 
• Ramos went 1-for-3 with a single, a run scored, and a hit by pitch. 
• Jefferson & Sullivan both went 1-for-4. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Today's games marked the third and fourth meeting between the Falcons and Panthers.
• After today's doubleheader split, Albertus holds a 3-1 lead in the all-time series.
• The Falcons recorded their first win of the season in the opening game of the doubleheader over Plymouth State. 
• Marks picked up his first career win and threw his first complete game.

UP NEXT

The Falcons return to the diamond on Tuesday, March 14, as the team continues their spring break trip in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with a non-conference clash with St. Joseph's (Brooklyn). The first pitch is set for 10 AM.