FREDERICK, Md. – The Albright Lions baseball team was defeated 2-0 by Hood in the 2021 MAC Commonwealth Tournament play-in game on Tuesday afternoon.
 
With the loss, the Lions conclude the 2021 season 2-17 overall. Meanwhile, the Blazers improve to 10-19 overall and will advance to face York in the quarterfinal round for a best-of-three series.
 

Senior outfielder Brandon Daubert kept the top of the first inning alive for the Lions with a single up the middle before a fly out ended the threat. The Blazers advanced runners to second and third with two outs, but Lions senior starting pitcher Shaun O'Reilly forced a groundout to escape the jam. Albright was sent down in order in the top of the second, and O'Reilly worked his way out of another jam to keep the game scoreless into the third inning. Hood once again threatened in the third inning following a leadoff double and hit by pitch. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, O'Reilly battled back with a strikeout and a groundout to get out of the inning. The Lions put runners on first and second with one out following a throwing error and a single from junior first baseman Will Algard. Unfortunately for Albright, a grounder to third ended the inning. In the top of the sixth, the Lions put runners on first and second again after Daubert singled to center and junior Josh Jacavage drew a walk. The Lions then had runners on first and third before a diving catch from the Hood left fielder ended the threat.
 

Hood finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth on a double to left center to take a 1-0 lead after the leadoff hitter singled to open the inning. The Blazers got an insurance run following consecutive singles to go up 2-0. Junior Jeremy Brubaker relieved O'Reilly and got the Lions out of the inning without more damage with a pair of groundouts. With one runner on in the top of the eighth, Algard and sophomore catcher Austin Gromlich tallied back-to-back singles to load the bases with two outs. However, a groundout to second base ended the inning. Brubaker set the Blazers down in order during the bottom of the eighth, but the Lions were retired in order as well to end the game.
 

O'Reilly suffered the tough luck loss after allowing two earned runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings with two strikeouts and one walk. Hood starting pitcher Jordan Patterson earned the win after tossing 7.2 shutout innings, allowing five hits, and striking out four. Algard was the only Lion with multiple hits in the contest as he went 2-of-4 from the plate. Brubaker threw 2.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Sam Wheeler went 2-of-2 with one RBI and a walk for the Blazers