Box Score

READING, Pa. - In their 2010 home opener the Lions (0-3) faced off against Neumann University (3-8) in a non-conference contest. The visiting Knights, who scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to retake the lead, went on to take a 5-4 win over Albright Wednesday afternoon at Kelchner Field.

Going into the top of the sixth, the Lions held a slim 4-3 advantage over Neumann on a pair of two run innings of their own. Albright got on the board early in the first, following a two-run triple from Rob Mancinelli, which put the home team out in front.

Neumann would then jump out to a 3-2 lead in the third and would maintain their one run lead through fifth. In the bottom half of the fifth, Albright loaded the bases following a walk to Kevin Butler, then a Mike Nolan hit by pitch, and then a Casey Lawrence bunt down the third-base line.

With the bases juiced, junior shortstop Justin Danser drove in one run on a groundout to the pitcher. Jojo Fischer also picked up an RBI on his groundout to the third baseman. The Lions would then ground out to end the inning but held their second lead of the day.

Unfortunately all that hard work fell short in the very next inning when Neumann's Kevin Flanigan crushed a double into right field to score teammate Gary Mitchell. Flanigan would then give the Knight's the lead on an RBI single by Joe Aramta. 

As a whole, Albright tallied three hits in the contest, but took advantage of Neumann's five errors, especially in the first inning. Albright was charged with just one error in the game, but it was Neumann's 13 hits as a team that proved to be the deciding factor in the end.

For the red and white, Mancinelli's triple was the first of the season for the junior outfielder, while Lawrence's bunt down the third-base line was his first hit of the 2010 season as well.

On the hill, Shane Stein started the contest off and lasted three complete innings. Matt Rehrig toed the rubber in the top of the fourth and went five complete, striking out five. Rehrig was also handed the loss Wednesday afternoon, and it was Butler who closed out the game in the top of the ninth.

Ray Schmoltze gave the Knights a solid afternoon going seven complete innings. The junior righty struck out eight and walked three batters. Sean Quigley closed out the final two innings for Neumann and recorded four K's in the process.

Baseball returns to action on Sunday when they face Anderson University (IN) at 1 p.m. in a doubleheader as part of their spring break trip in Winter Haven, FL.