Penn College Softball, Baseball Teams Set for Postseason Action

Vol. 8, No. 37 (Through Sunday, April 25)

Penn College Wildcat Tales Pennsylvania College of Technology baseball and softball teams are headed into double-elimination postseason Penn State University Athletic Conference playoff action this weekend.

The baseball team (10-6 in the conference and 12-9 overall) will be seeded either third or fourth, pending the outcome of its game at Penn State Brandywine (10-6, 13-4) at 2 p.m. Wednesday. If seeded third, the Wildcats will face No. 2 Penn State Beaver (14-4, 18-11) at 2 p.m. Saturday. If seeded fourth, the Wildcats will face No. 1 Penn State Greater Allegheny (16-0, 21-8) at 11 a.m. Saturday. All games are being played in Butler. The championship is scheduled for Sunday.

The softball team (10-6 in the PSUAC and 13-10 overall) earned the No. 3 seed and will face the second seed, either Penn State Beaver (15-1, 24-16) or Penn State Hazleton (15-1, 24-8) on Saturday at 4 p.m. All games are being played at Nittany Lion Field in State College. The championship is scheduled for Sunday.

BaseballThe Wildcats kept their playoff hopes alive with a 13-2 and 3-2 sweep of Penn State Hazleton on Tuesday. In the five-inning opener, Garrett Hornung (Emporium) went 4 for 4 with a triple and two runs batted in, Ryan Herrmann (Silverdale) went 2 for 4 with a triple and three RBIs and Ryan Weachock (Pottsville) tripled and drove in two runs. In the nightcap, Herrmann doubled in the game-winning run and Skylar Gingrich (Lititz) went 2 for 3 at the plate. A key doubleheader win Thursday over Penn State Mont Alto by scores of 9-2 and 8-5 lifted the Wildcats into fourth place and into the playoffs. In the first game, Ryan Weachock (Pottsville) went 2 for 4 at the plate with two runs scored and two runs batted in and Brett Braker (Northampton) went 2 for 4 with a triple and one RBI. In the second game, Braker was 2 for 3 with a triple and one RBI and Tom Hughes (Easton) 2 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

In the Week 5 United State Collegiate Athletic Conference Coaches' Poll, Penn College was tied with Penn State Brandywine for 14th place.

Softball Penn College lost to Penn State Hazleton on Tuesday by scores of 5-1 and 9-6. In the second game, Desiree Buffington (Pillow) went 3 for 5 and Samantha Mills (Harrisburg) had two hits. The Wildcats closed out their regular season at 13-11 overall and 10-6 in the PSUAC after splitting with Penn State Mont Alto on Thursday, losing 6-2 and winning 5-0 on a six-hit shutout by Karlee Smith (Mineral Point). Erin Bannon (Williamsport) had two hits in both games.

In the Week 5 USCAA Coaches' Poll, the Wildcats stood alone at No. 11.

Archery Penn College hosted the Eastern Intercollegiate Championships Saturday and Sunday and took four team and four individual firsts. Competing and winning in women's compound were Lindsey Fackler (Halifax), Julie Cain (Bellefonte) and Kjirsten Radencic (Dushore); in men's compound were Dan Wido (Shickshinny), Zachary Plannick (Coraopolis) and Brad Ferguson (Lewistown); in men's recurve were Glen Thomas (Mercer), Tyler Gale (Kennedyville, Md., and James Fanelli (Glastonburg, Conn.), and, in mixed compound, were Plannick and Fackler. Individually, Fackler was first and Radencic third in women's compound; Jarrod Chandler (Gillett) was first, Ferguson second and Plannick third in men's compound; Gale was first and Thomas second in men's recurve; and Kyle Bennett (Bellefonte) was first and Joe Dowdrick (Lebanon) third in bow hunter.

"It went very, very well. Other than the weather Sunday morning, it went well. Very well," Penn College coach Chad Karstetter said. "They showed that they're ready for nationals (May 13-16 at Texas A&M).

(Between now and when the team leaves for nationals) "we have some things we're going to work on. We're going be practicing. Even though it seems like we're ready, if we slack off at the end, it's no good."

Recent Results/Upcoming Games Baseball Overall record: 12-9 PSUAC record: 10-6Tuesday, April 20 host Penn State Hazleton at Bowman Field, W, 13-2 in 5 innings; W, 3-2 Thursday, April 22 at Penn State Mont Alto, W, 9-2; W, 8-5 Sunday, April 25 vs. Penn State Brandywine (2), ppd. to 2 p.m. Wednesday Wednesday, April 28 at Penn State Brandywine (2), 2 p.m. Saturday, May 1 PSUAC Playoffs in Butler, TBA Sunday, May 2 PSUAC Playoffs in Butler, TBA

Softball Overall record: 13-11 PSUAC record: 10-6Tuesday, April 20 host Penn State Hazleton at Elm Park, L, 5-1; L, 9-6 Thursday, April 22 at Penn State Mont Alto, L, 6-2; W, 5-0 Saturday, May 1 at PSUAC Playoffs, TBA Sunday, May 2 at PSUAC Playoffs, TBA

Archery Thursday, May 13, to Sunday, May 16 at USIAC Intercollegiate Championships at Texas A&M

(Complete rosters and season schedules are available on the college's Athletics Web site. For more information on the PSUAC, visit on the Web; more about the USCAA also is available online.)