FISHKILL, N.Y. – Up against Skyline Conference leader, St. Joseph's College, the Mount Saint Mary College baseball team dropped both ends of a double-header on a cold and rainy day in Fishkill. The Knights (13-14, 8-6 Skyline) lost the opener, 8-0, and a rain-shortened second game, 6-4.

In game one, it was St. Joseph's senior pitcher Joe Benkert (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) who went the distance for a complete game shutout. He limited the Mount to seven hits while striking out seven.

The Golden Eagles led 2-0 after five and did the bulk of their offensive damage in the sixth inning. They sent ten men to the plate in the inning and on the strength of two walks, a hit batsmen, and five singles, St. Joseph's plated five runs. Sophomore Kenny Willms (Centereach, N.Y.) drove home a pair of runs with a single to center field.

The visitors would tack on a final run in the ninth as junior Dennis Nover (Fresh Meadows, N.Y.) knocked in senior Bryan Benisvy (Atlantic Beach, N.Y.) with a single.

Junior Max Tecce (Glen Cove, N.Y.) recorded three of the Mount's seven hits in a 3-for-3 effort. Junior starting pitcher Dan McCrea (Hicksville, N.Y.) took the loss for the Knights.

In game two, the Golden Eagles jumped out to another big lead, this time with five runs in the third inning. A two-out, bases-loaded double from senior Nick Rizzo (Massapequa, N.Y.) cleared the bases and sent St. Joseph's to a 6-0 advantage.

The Knights would attempt a comeback with three runs in the bottom half of the third. After freshman Vinnie Carminati (Huntington, N.Y.) and junior Joe Clarke (Maybrook, N.Y.) both reached with singles, junior John Conroy (Middletown, N.Y.) poked a double over the left fielder's head, driving home both runners. Tecce followed with a single to plate Conroy, cutting the deficit to 6-3.

Mount Saint Mary would edge closer in the fourth when senior Billy Casey (Marlboro, N.Y.) scored on a two-out error by the St. Joe's second baseman.

Unfortunately for the Knights, the poor weather continued to worsen and the game was called after a scoreless fifth inning. Mount Saint Mary went down in order in the fifth, allowing St. Joseph's to claim a 6-4 victory.

Conroy finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and the two RBIs. Carminati and Clarke were both 1-for-3 with a run, Casey was 1-for-2 with a run, and Tecce finished 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Freshman pitcher Dean White (Bethel, Conn.) took the loss for the Mount. Sophomore Joe CoFrancesco (Hamden, Conn.) worked two scoreless innings in relief, striking out the side in the fifth inning.

Up next for the Mount is a trip to NYU-Poly. Needing a pair of wins to solidify their playoff standing, the Knights are scheduled for a noon start on Sunday.