NEWBURGH, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College baseball team had to settle for Sunday split with Purchase College, completing a 3-1 weekend against Skyline Conference opponents. The Knights (12-12, 8-4 Skyline) won the opener from the Panthers, 5-2, before falling in game two, 9-4. The Mount swept Maritime on Saturday.

Sunday's opener saw the Knights hold on for a 5-2 victory, despite being outhit by Purchase, 12-7. Junior starting pitcher Dan McCrea (Hicksville, N.Y.) turned in a solid performance, this time allowing two earned runs over six innings. McCrea yielded eight hits, walked two, and struck out three to snag his second win of the year

Hitless through three innings, the Mount strung together five hits in the fourth inning that resulted in four runs. Freshman Vinnie Carminati (Huntington, N.Y.) led off the frame with a double down the left field line and moved to third when junior Josh Depew (Montgomery, N.Y.) reached on a bunt single. Sophomore Michael Morelli (Washingtonville, N.Y.) reached on an infield single, loading the bases for junior John Conroy (Middletown, N.Y.). Conroy's line drive single to left-center drove in two runs and gave the Mount their first lead of the afternoon. With two outs, senior Louis Peisel (Brewster, N.Y.) roped a two-run double to left-center, finishing off a big inning for the home squad.

Purchase responded with a run in the top of the fifth, but Carminati single-handedly scratched out another Mount run in the bottom of the inning. He stole second after reaching with a walk and then moved to third on a groundout by Depew. A wild pitch allowed Carminati to cross easily with the Mount's fifth run of the day.

Freshman pitcher Russ Pagano (Cedar Grove, N.J.) was impressive in relief, pitching a scoreless seventh and eighth before turning it over to senior Justin Murphy (Wallkill, N.Y.). After allowing a single and hitting the next batter, Murphy got some help from the defense as junior Max Tecce (Glen Cove, N.Y.) started up a sharp, 6-4-3 double play. Following another hit batsmen, the final batter lined out to second base, sealing the victory for the Knights.

Carminati finished 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored, while Conroy was 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Peisel wound up 1-for-3 with the two runs batted in.

In game two, Mount Saint Mary jumped all over the Purchase starting pitcher, recording three hits and two runs in the first inning. Junior Joe Clarke (Maybrook, N.Y.) singled to right-center and scored all the way from first when a double from sophomore Michael Morelli (Washingtonville, N.Y.) rolled to the wall in left-center. Morelli scored from second as junior Max Tecce (Glen Cove, N.Y.) singled back through the middle.

The starting pitcher, Depew, carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but his afternoon was rudely interrupted by three straight Purchase base hits. A pinch-hit single from junior Will Bernstein (Staten Island, N.Y.) drove in a pair of runs and tied the game at 3-3.

The Panthers added another run in the sixth when sophomore Sean Lafaye (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) scored on a sac fly from junior Mark Donahue (Brookhaven, N.Y.). The Knights would load the bases with nobody out in the bottom half of the inning against a pair of Purchase relievers before the visitors turned to junior relief pitcher Kevin McQuade (Mamaroneck, N.Y.). McQuade nabbed a weak liner and fired to first for a crucial double play. The junior then struck out Mount senior Billy Casey (Marlboro, N.Y.) to end the threat.

Purchase would blow open the game with five runs in the top of the seventh. Donahue delivered the knockout punch with a bases-clearing triple down the right field line that made the score, 9-3. The Knights would find one run in the bottom of the seventh against McQuade, but a groundball to third ended any hopes of a miracle comeback.

Tecce was only Mount player to record multiple hits in the game, finishing 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

On Saturday against Maritime, the Mount belted out 17 hits in game one on their way to 15 runs and a 15-5 victory. Freshman starting pitcher Dean White (Bethel, Conn.) was the beneficiary of all the run support and worked five innings to claim the win. He allowed just four hits and one earned run, despite walking six.

A seven-run fifth highlighted the action, a frame that saw the Knights rap out four doubles and a home run. Sophomore Michael Morelli (Washingtonville, N.Y.) led off the inning with a double and scored on a single from junior Max Tecce (Glen Cove, N.Y.). Junior Brian McNoble (Lynbrook, N.Y.) and senior Billy Casey (Marlboro, N.Y.) put together back-to-back doubles, McNoble's driving home a pair of runs and Casey's one to make it 7-0 Mount. Freshman Vinnie Carminati (Huntington, N.Y.) followed with a run-scoring double to right and then scored when junior Josh Depew (Montgomery, N.Y.) launched a two-run homer.

Casey was the offensive star of game one, finishing 3-for-5 with a run scored and four RBIs. Carminati was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, while Tecce posted the identical line. Junior John Conroy (Middletown, N.Y.) came off the bench to post a pair of doubles and wound up 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. Sophomore Thomas McNoble (Breezy Point, N.Y.) also came up with a pair of hits in the later innings and his double in the eighth plated a pair of Mount runs.

In game two, the Knights trailed 1-0 into the seventh and final inning. With two outs and runners at second and third, Peisel singled through the right side to drive home sophomore Mike Moosbrugger (Sound Beach, N.Y.) with the tying run.

In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore relief pitcher Joe CoFrancesco (Hamden, Conn.) induced an inning-ending double play to keep the Knights in the game. Sophomore Marc Soevyn (Elmont, N.Y.) escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth, preserving the tie for another inning.

Finally, the Mount bats woke up in the ninth. The Knights churned out eight runs in the inning with freshman Zach Kenny (Hicksville, N.Y.) and Conroy each hitting a home run. Kenny's solo shot made it 2-1 and Conroy's three-run blast pushed the Mount lead to 7-1.

Soevyn, the eventual winning pitcher, worked around a walk and a single in the bottom of the ninth to close the door on an impressive Mount win. Senior starting pitcher Matt Paci (Goshen, N.Y.), who allowed just three hits and zero earned runs in an impressive six-inning start, came away with a no-decision.

Kenny finished 2-for-2 with a run scored and a pair of RBIs. Depew also tallied multiple hits in a 2-for-3 effort.

The Knights will host Ramapo College on Tuesday in a 5:00 p.m. start at Dutchess Stadium.