ALTOONA, Pa. – March 21, 2022 – The Chatham University baseball team was dealt its first sweep of the season at the hands of Penn State Altoona, losing 9-8 in game one and 26-4 in game two. The Cougars' record drops to 6-3 after Monday's games.
 
The first game was an exciting affair from start to finish. While the Lions scored the first two runs in the second and third innings, Chatham took the lead in the top of the fourth with a three-spot. First-year Tyler Cote singled in the first run, then a SAC bunt by senior Luke Paulson was executed to perfection to tie the game. All of that was followed with a triple by first-year Quinn Burke.
 
Penn State Altoona responded with a pair of home runs in the bottom of the fourth, one of which was a grand slam, putting the hosts up 7-3. Chatham got two back after a wild pitch brought home the fourth run and junior Brandon Griener sacrificed the fifth score.
 
Penn State Altoona held an 8-5 advantage going into a do-or-die seventh. With a man on, senior Caleb Lehman jacked a two-run home run to cut the deficit to one. The next two runners got on base, which was followed with first-year Brady Wingeart grounding out but Griener scoring to tie the game and force it into the bottom of the seventh. The Lions walked it off on a one-out single.
 
Both teams whacked 14 hits in the high scoring affair with Burke and Lehman providing the only extra base hits for Chatham, a triple and a homer, respectively. Sophomore Dominic Costellic started and went three innings striking out two. Senior Mason Akers followed the next 1.1 innings. First-year Kole Mayle took the loss despite a solid two-inning relief performance where he struck out three.
 
Despite the 22-run defeat, Chatham got off to a strong start in game two. Lehman roped a two-RBI single then advanced to second on the throw to score the first two runs. Penn State Altoona then went on to explode for seven in the first, nine in the third and 10 in the fourth innings. Chatham would not score again until the final inning when junior JJ Shibest reached on a fielder's choice which brought around the first of two runs in the frame. Griener's SAC fly was the fourth and final run.
 
Chatham struggled defensively in game two, allowing 26 base hits and committing four errors in the field. Junior Eric Paulin went two innings and despite giving up 10 runs, just three of them were earned. Toeing the rubber for the Cougars were also sophomore Mason Schwartz, junior Cole Couchman, first-year Aidan Callinan, Shibest and sophomore Mitchell Thornton.
 
The Cougars look to bounce back on Wednesday, March 23 at Mount Aloysius with a double header scheduled to start at 1:00.