Wildcat Baseball, Softball Teams Finish Third in PSUAC; Women Headed to Nationals

Pennsylvania College of Technology baseball and softball teams each finished third in the Penn State University Athletic Conference Championships over the weekend, and, while the baseball season ends, the softball team was awarded an invitation to this weekend's United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships.

BaseballWith its playoff life on the line, Penn College opened last week by splitting withPenn StateFayette on Wednesday, losing 4-1 and winning 7-0. Josh Longsderff (Columbia) went the distance on the mound in the first game, striking out 12 and allowing only one earned run, but three errors proved costly in the loss. A home run by Thomas Hughes (Easton) accounted for the Wildcats' lone run. In the second game, Skylar Gingrich (Lititz) had a two-run homer to back the pitching of freshman Jarod Bull (Jacobus), who went seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and gave up just one hit. Garrett Hornung (Emporium) had four hits and a run batted in on the day.

On Thursday, a split withPenn StateBeaver, winning 8-0 and losing 5-3, sent the Wildcats into a PSUAC play-in game Friday againstPenn StateMont Alto.

In PSUAC playoff action Friday at Medlar Field in State College, Penn College kept its season alive with a 6-2 victory. Brian Santangelo (Middletown, Conn.) earned the win, allowing just three hits in seven innings. Hughes went 3 for 4 with an RBI and Jared Johnson (Wyalusing) had two hits and scored two runs.

Back in action Friday night against top-seededPenn StateGreater Allegheny, the fourth-seeded Wildcats led 1-0 going into the sixth inning before a 2-1 loss sent them into Saturday's losers' bracket.

Facing elimination on Saturday, Penn College unloaded a season of frustration with a 13-0 win over third-seededPenn StateBeaver. Harrison Myers (Lebanon) tossed a three-hit gem, fanning seven. Scoreless through five innings, the Wildcats erupted for six runs in the sixth and seven in the seventh as Ethan Boyd (Roaring Spring), Ryan Weachock (Pottsville) and Johnson each drove in two runs and Hughes had three hits. That lifted the team into the semifinals against second-seededPenn State Brandywine, where the toll of playing eight games in four days caught up with it in a 10-5 loss to end its season at 22-11 overall and 13-9 in conference games.

"I told the guys, I wouldn't trade this team in for any team I've had in the past. What they had to overcome this whole year. "¦ We started out 1-5 in the conference and then made a run like we did (winning 13 of 17 games, including nine in a row), it's really nothing short of remarkable," said coach Chris Howard.

"The Brandywine game, the pitching, we just ran out of gas. We had nothing left in the tank. I told them there is nothing to hang their heads about. Everybody knows what Penn College did to get where it is. It was a gratifying season, even though we came in third," Howard said.

"I've been lucky here," the coach continued. "Every year, I get not just quality ballplayers, I get quality people, and this team was just the absolute best."

SoftballThe Lady Wildcats solidified a playoff position with a doubleheader sweep ofPenn StateSchuylkill on Tuesday by scores of 9-1 and 8-0. Tiffany Deihm (Mohnton) tossed a no-hitter in the first game and Lacy Lose (Avis) fired a one-hitter, striking out 12, in the second contest.

Wednesday at Penn StateFayette, Penn College split, winning 8-5 and losing 2-1. Deihm pitched both games, fanning 13 in the process.

In PSUAC playoff action Friday in Altoona, the third-seeded Wildcats dropped their opener to second-seeded Penn StateMont Alto, 6-5. Trailing most of the game, the Wildcats took a 5-4 lead going into the sixth, but gave up two runs and dropped into the losers' bracket. Trailing 4-1 in the fourth inning, Sabrina Reynolds (Muncy) and Erin Bannon (Williamsport) each had RBI singles and Trisha Moser (Watsontown) drilled a double to drive in two more runs and give Penn College its lead. In the bottom of the sixth, errors allowed Mont Alto to regain the lead and take the win. Later in the day against top-seeded Penn StateBeaver, the Wildcats posted a 6-1 win to send the No. 1 seed home. A four-run fifth inning, thanks in part to three Beaver errors, helped turn the tide. Lose picked up the win on the mound.

Squaring off Saturday against Penn StateHazleton in the semifinals, the Lady Wildcats fell, 6-2, despite two hits each from Deihm and Bannon, to go to 14-13 overall and finish 10-5 in the PSUAC.

"All-in-all, I'm very happy with the girls. I'm happy with the fact that we beat Mont Alto during the season and they took states. We played good ball and I'm very proud of them," coach Roger Harris said.

Penn College now heads to Akron, Ohio, where, on Friday, it will begin play in the double-elimination USCAA Championships at Firestone Stadium. Other teams and game times will be announced later in the week.

SCHEDULE/RESULTS Baseball Overall record: 22-11 PSUAC record: 13-9 Wednesday, April 27 at Penn State Fayette, L, 4-1; W, 7-0 Thursday, April 28 at Penn State Beaver, W, 8-0; L, 5-3 Friday, April 29 vs. Penn State Mont Alto in PSUAC playoffs, W, 6-2 Friday, April 29 vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny in PSUAC playoffs, L, 2-1 Saturday, April 30 vs. Penn State Beaver in PSUAC playoffs, W, 13-0 Saturday, April 30 vs. Penn State Brandywine in PSUAC semifinals, L, 10-5

Softball Overall record: 14-13 PSUAC record: 10-5 Monday, April 25 host Penn State New Kensington (2), ppd. Tuesday, April 26 at Penn State Schuylkill, W, 8-0; W, 9-1 Wednesday, April 27 at Penn State Fayette, W, 8-5; L, 2-1 Friday, April 29 vs. Penn State Mont Alto in PSUAC playoffs, L, 6-5 Friday, April 29 vs. Penn State Beaver in PSUAC playoffs, W, 6-1 Saturday, April 30 vs. Penn State Hazleton in PSUAC semifinals, L, 6-2 May 6-7-8 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Championships at Firestone Stadium, Akron, Ohio

Archery Thursday-Sunday, May 19-22 U.S. Intercollegiate Archery Championships at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

(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. 37