RUSSELLTON, Pa. – New Kensington baseball dropped its double header Friday to Penn State Mont Alto, 10-0 and 17-3. After facing defeat, the team moves back to 0-8 in conference play and 0-10 overall.

Game 1

Five innings were played and went in Mont Alto's favor.

No scoring occurred for either team until the top of the third when Mont Alto ran in one. The momentum kicked up in the following inning, with the visitors scoring two more. Heading into the bottom of the fourth, Mont Alto was ahead 3-0.

New Kensington struggled to hit during the inning.

Mont Alto used its final time at bat to its advantage and scored six runs before facing its first out in the top of the fifth. It scored one more before the inning was finished and swept New Kensington, 10-0.

For New Kensington, Tallon Auth (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) went 1-for-3 which included a double to left field.

Game 2

Up to the top of the third, Mont Alto began the contest with a 4-0 head start. New Kensington used the bottom of the third to begin a small comeback.

Braden Tristani (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) singled to left field and stole second. Courtesy of an Auth double, Tristani scored. With four innings left to play, Mont Alto remained ahead, 4-1.

Scoring resumed in the bottom of the fifth by New Kensington. Tristani walked and stole second yet again. He was able to advance to third off an Auth single and scored when AJ Collins (Penn Hills, Pa./Penn Hills) flied out to right field. Auth later stole second and ran home off a Reise Matson (Kittanning, Pa./Armstrong) single to left field. The gap was closing, 4-3, but Mont Alto was still on top.

Mont Alto secured its win in the final, and seventh, inning. It ran in 13 which included two homeruns and finished the game 17-3.  

Tristani went 2-for-2 and had two runs. Auth went 2-for-4, doubled, and had an RBI.

New Kensington will make the trip to Mont Alto on Saturday, Apr. 10 for another competition. First pitch is at 2 p.m. while the second game is set to start at 4 p.m.

Written by Janet Surma