Penn College softball, baseball teams post key wins

Pennsylvania College of Technology baseball and softball teams each handed rival Penn State Harrisburg its first United East losses of the season last week, while the Wildcats softball team extended its win streak to eight.

FLASHBACK
Baseball
On the road Monday at Pitt-Greensburg, the Wildcats fell behind 7-0 after two innings in the first game and wound up on the short end of an 11-4 nonconference loss that snapped the team’s five-game win streak. In the second game, Penn College led 2-0 early, saw the scored tied at 6-all after five innings and lost 7-6 when Greensburg scored in the bottom of the seventh, dropping the Wildcats to 15-11 overall.

In the opener, Nate Gustkey, of Philipsburg, provided the bulk of the Penn College offense with a three-run home run in the third inning. Starting pitcher Jonas McGrath, of Ashland, took the loss.

A double by Tristan Current, of Reinholds, plated two Wildcat runs in the first inning of the second contest and he added another RBI in the fifth. Chase Hoffman, of Milton, the fourth Penn College pitcher, took the loss.

On Friday, Penn College split in the first two games of a three-game series against United East-leading Penn State Harrisburg, losing the first, 10-0, and winning the second, 8-6, to hand the Lions their first conference loss of the season and snap their 16-game winning streak as the Wildcats went to 11-2 in the UE and 16-12 overall.

Two Harrisburg pitchers limited Penn College to three hits in recording the first-game shutout. Wildcats’ starting pitcher Justin Porter, of Fairless Hills, took the loss and dropped to 2-1 on the season.

In the nightcap, Cameron Dick, of Dillsburg, homered in the second inning, Current plated two runs with a single in the sixth and Shane Price, of Kersey, homered in the ninth while starting pitcher Chance Webb, of Hughesville, who held the Lions without a hit through three innings, went six innings, allowing three hits and one earned run, to hike his record to 4-2.

In Sunday’s rubber game of the series, PS Harrisburg rebounded with a 23-9 victory as the Wildcats went to 11-3 in the conference and 16-13 overall.

Trailing 9-0, Jacob Carles, of Bernville, put Penn College on the scoreboard in the third inning with a two-run homer. Price had a solo home run in the fourth, Tyler Rudolph, of Hemlock, New York, did the same in the sixth inning and Rudolph ended the Wildcats’ scoring in a five-run seventh with a two-run double. Ben Bretzman, of Bendersville, the first of seven Penn College pitchers, took the loss and saw his record evened at 3-3 as Harrisburg hiked its series lead since 2015 against the Wildcats to 11-3.

United East standings through Sunday: Penn State Harrisburg, 14-1; Penn College, 11-3;, Penn State Abington, 9-6; Penn State Berks, 7-7; Lancaster Bible College, 7-7; St. Mary’s (Md.) College, 5-9; Wells College, 4-11; Gallaudet University, 1-14.

Softball
The Wildcats had statement wins on Tuesday by knocking off conference-unbeaten Penn State Harrisburg, 1-0 and 3-2, to move into first place with their sixth straight victory.

In the opener, pitcher Mackenzie Weaver, of Montoursville, improved to 9-3 with a two-hit, six-strikeout shutout and Maddie Hurst, of Mechanicsburg, delivered the game-winning hit with a fifth-inning home run.

Penn College scored all of its second-game runs in the third inning with an RBI double by Hailey DeBrody, of Cogan Station, an RBI single by Madison Herriman, of Danville, and Hurst got the third RBI when she reached base on an error. Starting pitcher Kyla Benner, of Bethlehem, went four innings in improving to 4-2, and Weaver picked up her first save with three innings of one-hit relief.

At winless Wells College on Friday, Weaver (10-3 on the season) tossed a perfect game, fanning nine with no hits or walks, in a 9-0 opening win, while Johanna Devore, of Montoursville, fired a one-hitter, striking out four, in a 24-0 second-game victory. Both contests went just five innings as the Wildcats improved to 11-1 in the United East and 19-5 overall and hiking their win streak to eight.

In the first game, Ivvy Morder, of Mechanicsburg, went 2 for 2 at the plate, including a double, and drove in three runs, while Weaver helped her cause by going 3 for 4 with two doubles, one RBI and one run scored.

A 14-run Penn College second inning told the offensive story in the second game as Weaver finished that contest by going 2 for 3 with five RBIs, Hurst was 3 for 4 with three RBIs and four runs scored, and Skyelar Splain, of Liverpool, plated three runs.

Also, Hurst was named United East Player of the Week for April 3-9, picking up a hit in all six contests as Penn College finished the week with a record of 5-1. The shortstop finished the week batting .455 (10 for 22) while notching three doubles, two triples and a home run. She also drove in four runs while scoring nine times and stealing four bases.

United East standings through Sunday: Penn College, 11-1; Penn State Berks, 12-2; Penn State Harrisburg, 10-2; Penn State Abington, 7-5; Gallaudet University, 5-11; Lancaster Bible College, 3-11; Wells College, 0-16.

Men’s lacrosse
Saturday’s scheduled UE match at Hilbert College was postponed.

UE standings through Sunday: St. Mary’s (Md.) College, 3-0; Hilbert College, 2-1; SUNY Morrisville, 1-1; Wells College, 1-1; Penn College, 1-2; La Roche University, 0-3.

Men’s/women’s tennis
Penn College teams both lost their UE matches against Lancaster Bible College on Tuesday, the men 5-4 and the women 9-0 as the men went to 1-2 UE, 2-4 overall and the women to 0-2 UE, 2-5 overall.

Winning for the men were Paul Langbein, of Carnegie, at No. 1 singles; Kyle Shuler, of Williamsport, at No. 2 singles; and Alex Norris, of Williamsport, at No. 3 singles, and the No. 2 doubles team of Langbein-Jesse Kight, of Williamsport.

On Saturday, Penn College teams both lost in conference play at St. Mary’s (Md.) College, the men by a 5-0 score and the women, 6-0. Penn College’s men now are 1-3 in the UE and 2-4 overall, while its women are 0-3 UE, 2-6 overall.

Men’s United East standings through Sunday: St. Mary’s (Md.) College, 4-0; Penn State Harrisburg, 2-0; Lancaster Bible College, 3-1; Penn State Abington, 2-2; Penn State Berks, 1-2; Penn College, 1-3; Clarks Summit University, 0-5.

Women’s United East standings through Sunday: St. Mary’s (Md.) College, 3-0; Penn State Abington, 2-1; Lancaster Bible College, 2-1; Penn State Harrisburg, 0-0; Penn State Berks, 0-2; Penn College, 0-3.

ON THE HORIZON
Archery
The college’s archery team opens its abbreviated two-event season Saturday and Sunday at the Eastern Regional Outdoor Championship in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Its season will wrap up at the USA Archery Collegiate Target Nationals in Statesboro, Georgia, May 19-21.

At nationals a year ago, the men’s compound and fixed pins teams both reached the quarterfinals, while individually, Dyson Renn, of Hellam, reached the final 16 in men’s fixed pins.

Overall, the Wildcats placed 16th in a field of 23.

SCHEDULES/RECORDS
Baseball
Overall: 16-13
UE: 11-3
(Home games at Bowman Field)
Monday, April 10 – at Pitt-Greensburg, L, 11-4; L, 7-6
Friday, April 14 – at Penn State Harrisburg (UE, 2), L, 10-0; W, 8-6
Sunday, April 16 – at Penn State Harrisburg (UE), L, 23-9
Tuesday, April 18 – host Juniata College, 3:30 p.m.
Friday, April 21 – host Lancaster Bible College (UE), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 – host Lancaster Bible College (UE, 2), noon
Tuesday, April 25 – at Penn State Altoona (2), 1 p.m.
Friday, April 28 – at Penn State Berks (UE), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 29 – at Penn State Berks (UE, 2), noon

Softball
Overall: 19-5
UE: 11-1
(Home games at Elm Park)
Tuesday, April 11 – at Penn State Harrisburg (UE, 2), W, 1-0; W, 3-2
Friday, April 14 – at Wells College (UE, 2), W, 9-0 in 5 innings; W, 24-0 in 5 innings
Tuesday, April 18 – at Penn State Abington (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Friday, April 21 – at Lancaster Bible College (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 – at Gallaudet University (UE, 2), 1 p.m.
Tuesday, April 25 – host Penn State Harrisburg (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Friday, April 28 – host Penn State Abington (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 29 – host Penn State Berks (UE), 1 p.m.

Men’s lacrosse
Overall: 9-4
UE: 1-2
Saturday, April 15 – host Hilbert College (UE), ppd.
Saturday, April 22 – at Montclair State University, noon
Friday, April 28 – host Westminster College, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 29 – host Wells College, 1 p.m.

Men’s tennis
Overall: 2-5
UE: 1-3
(All home matches at Central PA Tennis Center)
Tuesday, April 11 – host Lancaster Bible College (UE), L, 5-4
Saturday, April 15 – at St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), L, 5-0
Monday, April 17 – at Penn State Berks (UE), 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 – host Penn State Harrisburg (UE), 1 p.m.

Women’s tennis
Overall: 2-6
UE: 0-3
(All home matches at Central PA Tennis Center)
Tuesday, April 11 – host Lancaster Bible College (UE), L, 9-0
Saturday, April 15 – at St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), L, 6-0
Monday, April 17 – at Penn State Berks (UE), 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 – host Penn State Harrisburg (UE), 1 p.m.

Golf
Monday, April 17 – Penn State Abington Open at Five Ponds Golf Course in Warminster, 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, April 20 – Penn State Altoona Spring Invitational at Sinking Valley Country Club, 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 – Gettysburg College Spring Shootout at Penn National Golf Club, TBA
Sunday, April 23 – Gettysburg College Spring Shootout at Penn National Golf Club, TBA
Saturday, April 29-Sunday, April 30 – host United East Championship at Clinton Country Club

Archery
Saturday-Sunday, April 22-23 – Eastern Regional Outdoor Championship at Harrisonburg, Va.
Friday-Sunday, May 19-21 – USA Archery Collegiate Target Nationals at Statesboro, Ga.

Esports
(All events at Wildcat Den)
iRacing
Monday, April 10 – CIL Cup Series-Michigan, 35 and 36 of 38
Wednesday, April 12 – CIL Short Track Showdown-Nashville Fairgrounds, 3 of 18
Monday, April 17 – CIL Cup Series-Bristol, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, April 18 – CIL Formula College World Championship-Interlagos, 8 p.m.
Monday, April 24 – CIL Cup Series-Homestead, Miami, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, April 26 – CIL Short Track Showdown-Five Flags Speedway, 8 p.m.

For more about the United East, visit the conference website .
For additional information, visit the Wildcats Athletics website .

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