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The Saint Vincent baseball team split a non-conference twinbill at Bearcat Ballfield against Penn State-Altoona, taking game one by a score of 4-3 before falling 9-7 in extra innings in game two.

Matt Whittaker worked five strong innings and the Bearcats overcame an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Lions in game one.

Altoona scored twice in the top of the second inning, but SVC answered back with a run in the bottom of the third.  TJ Kuny led off with a single, then was replaced at first by Luke Fox, who grounded into a fielder's choice.  After Fox stole second, Chris Winkler singled him home, cutting the deficit in half.

An inning later, Bobby Swartwout singled with one out to start a Bearcat rally.  Eddie Kilkeary and Aaron Burger both singled to load the bases, and Brennan Hoffer hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Kuny then had what would prove to be the game-winning single, scoring Kilkeary from second to make it 3-2.

Burger added an insurance run in the sixth, hitting a towering solo home run to straightaway center.

The Lions managed to get a run back on a home run by Gavin Roselli off reliever Greg Martin, but the Bearcat reliever settled down and recorded the final three outs to earn his sixth save of the season, extending his school record.

Whittaker (1-1) worked five innings, giving up three hits, walking one and striking out five.  Alex Augustine worked a scoreless sixth before Martin came on to pitch the seventh.  

In game two, the visitors scored four times in the top of the first off starter Luke Spisak.  SVC came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, as Dylan Kugler singled to lead off then moved to third on a double by Chris Winkler.  Jason Vater grounded out, scoring Kugler, and Winkler scored on a Martin double.

The Bearcats added a run in the second, when Kuny tripled and scored on a wild pitch, making the score 4-3.

Altoona's Roselli hit his second home run of the day a half inning later, a two-run shot that made it 6-3 and chased Spisak.  In the fourth, Matthew Morrone singled and later scored on an RBI single by Parker Janosko that cut the gap to two runs, 6-4.  

Mike Panchik, who had come on in relief of Spisak, kept the game close, facing 8 batters over 2 2/3 innings and retiring all eight.  Meanwhile, in the top of the fifth, the Bearcats came back to take the lead, scoring three runs on three hits.  Vater started the rally with a leadoff double off the base of the fence in right center field, then Martin drew a walk.  Burger moved the runners ahead with a sacrifice bunt, then Morrone singled to left, scoring Vater.  Martin headed for third on the play, and the throw from the outfield to third sailed into the Bearcat dugout, allowing Martin to score to tie the game.  Kuny then put SVC in front, 7-6, with an RBI single.

However, SVC was unable to hold the lead, as Altoona came back with a run in the top of the 6th to tie the game.  Neither team scored in the 7th, sending the game to extra innings.  Altoona tallied two runs on three hits in the top of the 8th off Augustine, and SVC failed to score in the bottom of the inning.

Augustine (0-1) took the loss, while Kyle McCarthy earned the win for Altoona.  Andrew Chobany worked a scoreless 8th for the save.  At the plate, SVC was led by Kuny, who went 4-for-4.  Winkler, Vater and Morrone had two hits each.

Saint Vincent is now 10-6 overall on the season, while Altoona moves to 6-17.  The Bearcats will return to conference play on Saturday (April 2), hosting Bethany College in a doubleheader at Bearcat Ballfield at 1PM.