April 18, 2008

Box Score

BRIDGEPORT, CT - Josh Vittek led a Mount St. Mary's offensive barrage on Friday afternoon, clubbing three homers and driving in five runs as the Mountaineers blitzed the homestanding Pioneers 23-6 in a Northeast Conference game.

After a scoreless first inning the Mount, 9-21 overall and 5-3 in the NEC, put up three runs in the top of the second. Vittek led off with a homer to make it 1-0. Ryan Murray was the next batter and was struck out by SHU starter Chris Barthel, but the ball got away from the catcher to allow him to reach safely. The second run scored on a Pioneer error, and the third was driving in on a single by Alex Andrews.

SHU, 4-28 and 2-7, got two back in the bottom of the inning on a single by Paul Schmidt that plated Tyler Santos and Ryan Lynch.

The Mount answered with two more in the top of the third and then exploded for sixth in the fourth to open an 11-2 lead.

Schmidt drove home a run for the Pioneers with a triple in the bottom of the fourth and he scored on a grounder by Matt Fitton.

The highlight of the Mountaineer offensive attack came in the fifth when Drew Counselman, Vittek and Murray hit consecutive homers off reliever Chris Zaccherio to open up a 15-4 edge. Vittek now has 11 homers and 36 RBI this season.

Max Brittenham went the first six innings for the Mountaineers and allowed five runs on seven hits, but moved to 2-4 thanks to his offense's support. Barthel took the loss for SHU to drop to 0-5.

The two teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow starting at noon at Harbor Yard.