Basketball Season Ends, Baseball to Begin for Penn College

While the season ended for the Pennsylvania College of Technology men's basketball team after it finished second in the Penn State University Athletic Conference, the college's baseball team is ready to begin.

ON THE HORIZON On paper, the baseball team is scheduled to open its season at 2 p.m. Wednesday hosting Baptist Bible College. One look out the window tells a different story, however.

"We have our fingers crossed for March 2, but I don't know if that is going to happen. Our start might be March 6 when we play at Washington Adventist University (in Takoma Park, Md.). Either way, we'll be ready," fifth-year coach Chris Howard said.

Penn College has six key players returning from last year's squad that went 12-11 and finished fourth in the PSUAC. They are centerfielder Brett Braker (junior/Northampton), first baseman-pitcher Skylar Gingrich (junior/Lititz), second baseman Garrett Hornung (junior/Emporium), shortstop Tom Hughes (junior/Easton), right fielder Jared Johnson (senior/Wyalusing) and left fielder Ryan Weachock (sophomore/Pottsville).

Looking ahead to the start of conference play in late March, Howard said, "I think we're probably in the middle of the pack right now and as the year goes on and we work harder we can move up to the top. It's going to take a lot of work, but I know it's something that we can do. We have the potential to be right there challenging for the championship.

The Wildcats will play their home games at Loyalsock Township High School's field this season.

(An expanded version of this article is available elsewhere on PCToday.)

FLASHBACK Men's BasketballFacing Penn State Wilkes-Barre for the third time this season, with its season on the line in the PSUAC semifinals Tuesday at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center, the Wildcats advanced to the championship for the second year in a row with a 58-48 victory. Leroy Joiner (Williamsport) topped the offense with 17 points, while Greg Solyak (Lititz) added 15 points and Phil Kaylor (Lebanon) scored 14.

In Wednesday's championship game against top-seeded, two-time defending champ Penn State Beaver, the second-seeded Wildcats fell, 76-73 in overtime, to finish 15-13 overall and 14-4 in the conference. Despite fouling out with three minutes left in regulation, Joiner poured in a team-high 27 points to end his junior season with 1,620 career points. Solyak, a senior, added 17 points and ends his career with a school-record 1,626 points.

"I want it (the championship) so bad for my seniors," coach Gene Bruno said prior to the game, mentioning Solyak, Kaylor, Nico Italiani (Easton) and Jordan McBeth (Biglerville). The Wildcats won nine of their last 11 games, with the only losses to Penn State Beaver.

BowlingCompeting in the Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association state tournament, Penn College's men's team of Paul Bouchard (Montoursville), Travis Rupert (Lock Haven), Ian Hickey (Middleburg), Eric Kennedy (Lewistown), Tyler Weaver (Catawissa) and Aaron Smith (Waynesboro) combined in singles, doubles, team and Baker events to knock down 10,116 pins and claim the overall title by a 343-pin margin.

Bouchard took the men's all events (singles, doubles and team) with a 1,917 and, for the fourth time in five seasons, coach Debbie Vincenzes was named the Coach of the Year.

Also among the other leaders for Penn College were Hickey, who tied for second in men's singles with a 598, and Bouchard and Kennedy, who finished third in men's doubles.

The Penn College women's team of Brianne Burkland (Danville), Rebecca Rudy (Lancaster) and Evelyn Furman (Montoursville) finished third with a 5,846. Rudy was fourth in singles with a 492 and Rudy and Burkland were fourth in doubles with a 915.

(An expanded version of this article is available elsewhere on PCToday.)

Men's Volleyball In a tournament at Kutztown, Penn College placed third in a 10-team field. In pool play, the Wildcats turned back Lehigh Valley and Lebanon Valley and lost to Millersville. Advancing to single-elimination play they beatPenn StateBerks before falling to the host team. Thursday at Messiah, Penn College fell in five games, 16-25, 25-21, 25-17, 21-25, 10-15, as their overall record dropped to 5-6. They are 3-1 in the Middle Atlantic Club Volleyball Conference.

SCHEDULE/RESULTS BaseballWednesday, March 2 host Baptist Bible College (2), 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6 at Washington Adventist College (2), noon Tuesday, March 8 vs. Ulster College at Myrtle Beach, S.C., noon Tuesday, March 8 vs. Catholic University Jayvees at Myrtle Beach, S.C., 6:30 p.m.

Softball Monday, March 7 vs. Bluefield College at Myrtle Beach, S.C., 9 a.m. Monday, March 7 vs. Randolph College at Myrtle Beach, S.C., 11 a.m.

Men's Basketball Overall record: 15-13 PSUAC record: 14-4Tuesday, Feb. 22 vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre in PSUAC semifinal at Bryce Jordan Center, W, 60-46 Wednesday, Feb. 23 vs. Penn State Beaver in PSUAC championship at Bryce Jordan Center, L, 76-73 overtime

Men's Volleyball Overall record: 5-6 MACVC record: 3-1Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 19-20 at Kutztown Tournament, finished third in a 10-team field Thursday, Feb. 24 at Messiah College, L, 16-25, 25-21, 25-17, 21-25, 10-15 Saturday, March 12 host Scranton, 1 p.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.)

Vol. 9, No. 28