Despite being eliminated after pushing the Penn State University Athletic Conference baseball championships to an "if" game on Saturday, the Pennsylvania College of Technology baseball team had its season extended as it has received an at-large bid to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Small College World Series.
USCAA action begins next Monday at Pullman Park in Butler. Seeds for the 10-team tournament will be announced Tuesday.
BASEBALL
Zachary Buterbaugh, of Conestoga, hit a walk-off run-scoring single to lead Penn College to a 3-2, eight-inning win over No. 3 Penn State Brandywine in the first round of the PSUAC championships on Thursday. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Buterbaugh hit his second single of the day up the middle to score Rantz Mahaffey, of Linden. Joshua Longsderff, of Columbia, recorded the pitching win, going the distance with six strikeouts. In the second inning, Craig Watson, of McEwensville, had a bases-loaded single that plated two runs.
On Friday, after losing to Greater Allegheny, 6-2, in its first game of the day, the Wildcats bounced back to eliminate No. 3 Penn State Brandywine, 5-2. Pitcher Matt Demilio, of Greensburg, recorded the win, allowing six hits in seven innings. Against Greater Allegheny, Travis Hendershot, of Muncy, had the lone Penn College hit. In a must-win game against Brandywine, the Wildcats took the lead in the bottom of the first inning as Cody Buterbaugh, of Conestoga, and Hendershot each recorded RBIs. Hendershot also drove in a run in the fourth inning.
Playing out of the losers' bracket on Saturday, Watson and his Wildcat teammates blanked top-seeded Penn State Greater Allegheny, 3-0, in a noon contest to force the "if" game against Greater Allegheny. They lost that one, 10-1, after giving up six runs in the third inning and four more in the seventh. Backing Watson in the first game, Zach Weil, of Kutztown, was 2 for 3 at the plate with a double and one RBI while Zach Buterbaugh was 1 for 4 with a run batted in. All three Penn College runs were scored in the fifth inning. In the championship contest, Zach Buterbaugh finished 2 for 4 with a double.
Penn College now is 22-15 overall and ends its PSUAC season with a 19-4 mark. Against Greater Allegheny, which was given an automatic berth to the USCAA Series as it is hosting this year's event, the Wildcats were 2-3 this season.
Also last week, two Wildcats received special honors: Zach Buterbaugh was named the USCAA and PSUAC Player of the Week for the period ending April 21, and Craig Watson was named the PSUAC Pitcher of the Week for the period ending April 21. He recorded two wins, pitching a total of seven innings with only four hits and no runs allowed. In addition, he notched seven strikeouts.
SOFTBALL
Karey Wolfe, of Milton, was 6 for 8 at the plate with seven runs batted in, leading the Wildcats to a split with Penn State Schuylkill on Wednesday. Penn College lost the first game, 11-9, and won the second, 6-2 behind the two-hit, seven-strikeout pitching of Kim Walter, of Beavertown. In the opener, Wolfe drilled a three-run home run in the first inning and finished the game with three hits and six runs batted in. She went 3 for 4 in the second game while Rachael Shaeffer, of Hampstead, Md., was 2 for 4 with two doubles, and Stephanie Keifrieder, of Douglassville, was 2 for 3.
On Saturday at Penn State Greater Allegheny, Penn College won by scores of 12-11 in eight innings and 6-2 to go to 11-19 overall and 9-7 in the PSUAC. Wolfe had six hits and four RBIs on the day, including 4 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs in the first game. Delaney Blubaugh, of Waynesboro, hit a two-run homer, also in the first game.
The Wildcats end their season with a nonconference doubleheader at Alfred (N.Y.) State University on Thursday.
ARCHERY
Hosting the Eastern Regional Intercollegiate Archery Championships last weekend (April 20-21), Pennsylvania College of Technology finished second to James Madison University in the team competition and placed 14 archers on the All-East Team.
“We did very well. The weather wasn’t in anybody’s favor on Saturday with the wind and (cool) temperatures, but the team did very well overall and I’m pleased with their performance,” second-year Penn College coach Brian Parker said.
As his squad prepares for its final competition of the year, the United States Intercollegiate Archery Championships at Cedar City, Utah, May 17-19, Parker said the focus will be on the mental aspect of the sport.
“Archery is a lot of mental rather than the physical,” he said.
SCHEDULES/RESULTS
Baseball
Overall record: 22-15
PSUAC record: 19-4 (16-2 regular season)
Wednesday, April 24 – host Marywood University, canceled
Thursday, April 25 – vs. Penn State Brandywine in PSUAC Championships, W, 3-2 in 8 innings
Friday, April 26 – vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny in PSUAC Championships, L, 6-2
Friday, April 26 – vs. Penn State Brandywine in PSUAC Championships, W, 5-2
Saturday, April 27 – vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny in PSUAC Championships, W, 3-0
Saturday, April 27 – vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny in PSUAC finale, L, 10-1
Monday-Thursday, May 6-9 – United States Collegiate Athletic Association Small College World Series at Butler, TBA
Softball
Overall record: 11-19
PSUAC record: 9-7
Wednesday, April 24 – at Penn State Schuylkill, L, 11-9; W, 6-2
Saturday, April 27 – at Penn State Greater Allegheny, W, 12-11 in 8 innings; W, 6-2
Thursday, May 2 – at Alfred (N.Y.) State University (2), 3 p.m.
USCAA action begins next Monday at Pullman Park in Butler. Seeds for the 10-team tournament will be announced Tuesday.
BASEBALL
Zachary Buterbaugh, of Conestoga, hit a walk-off run-scoring single to lead Penn College to a 3-2, eight-inning win over No. 3 Penn State Brandywine in the first round of the PSUAC championships on Thursday. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Buterbaugh hit his second single of the day up the middle to score Rantz Mahaffey, of Linden. Joshua Longsderff, of Columbia, recorded the pitching win, going the distance with six strikeouts. In the second inning, Craig Watson, of McEwensville, had a bases-loaded single that plated two runs.
On Friday, after losing to Greater Allegheny, 6-2, in its first game of the day, the Wildcats bounced back to eliminate No. 3 Penn State Brandywine, 5-2. Pitcher Matt Demilio, of Greensburg, recorded the win, allowing six hits in seven innings. Against Greater Allegheny, Travis Hendershot, of Muncy, had the lone Penn College hit. In a must-win game against Brandywine, the Wildcats took the lead in the bottom of the first inning as Cody Buterbaugh, of Conestoga, and Hendershot each recorded RBIs. Hendershot also drove in a run in the fourth inning.
Playing out of the losers' bracket on Saturday, Watson and his Wildcat teammates blanked top-seeded Penn State Greater Allegheny, 3-0, in a noon contest to force the "if" game against Greater Allegheny. They lost that one, 10-1, after giving up six runs in the third inning and four more in the seventh. Backing Watson in the first game, Zach Weil, of Kutztown, was 2 for 3 at the plate with a double and one RBI while Zach Buterbaugh was 1 for 4 with a run batted in. All three Penn College runs were scored in the fifth inning. In the championship contest, Zach Buterbaugh finished 2 for 4 with a double.
Penn College now is 22-15 overall and ends its PSUAC season with a 19-4 mark. Against Greater Allegheny, which was given an automatic berth to the USCAA Series as it is hosting this year's event, the Wildcats were 2-3 this season.
Also last week, two Wildcats received special honors: Zach Buterbaugh was named the USCAA and PSUAC Player of the Week for the period ending April 21, and Craig Watson was named the PSUAC Pitcher of the Week for the period ending April 21. He recorded two wins, pitching a total of seven innings with only four hits and no runs allowed. In addition, he notched seven strikeouts.
SOFTBALL
Karey Wolfe, of Milton, was 6 for 8 at the plate with seven runs batted in, leading the Wildcats to a split with Penn State Schuylkill on Wednesday. Penn College lost the first game, 11-9, and won the second, 6-2 behind the two-hit, seven-strikeout pitching of Kim Walter, of Beavertown. In the opener, Wolfe drilled a three-run home run in the first inning and finished the game with three hits and six runs batted in. She went 3 for 4 in the second game while Rachael Shaeffer, of Hampstead, Md., was 2 for 4 with two doubles, and Stephanie Keifrieder, of Douglassville, was 2 for 3.
On Saturday at Penn State Greater Allegheny, Penn College won by scores of 12-11 in eight innings and 6-2 to go to 11-19 overall and 9-7 in the PSUAC. Wolfe had six hits and four RBIs on the day, including 4 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs in the first game. Delaney Blubaugh, of Waynesboro, hit a two-run homer, also in the first game.
The Wildcats end their season with a nonconference doubleheader at Alfred (N.Y.) State University on Thursday.
ARCHERY
Hosting the Eastern Regional Intercollegiate Archery Championships last weekend (April 20-21), Pennsylvania College of Technology finished second to James Madison University in the team competition and placed 14 archers on the All-East Team.
“We did very well. The weather wasn’t in anybody’s favor on Saturday with the wind and (cool) temperatures, but the team did very well overall and I’m pleased with their performance,” second-year Penn College coach Brian Parker said.
As his squad prepares for its final competition of the year, the United States Intercollegiate Archery Championships at Cedar City, Utah, May 17-19, Parker said the focus will be on the mental aspect of the sport.
“Archery is a lot of mental rather than the physical,” he said.
SCHEDULES/RESULTS
Baseball
Overall record: 22-15
PSUAC record: 19-4 (16-2 regular season)
Wednesday, April 24 – host Marywood University, canceled
Thursday, April 25 – vs. Penn State Brandywine in PSUAC Championships, W, 3-2 in 8 innings
Friday, April 26 – vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny in PSUAC Championships, L, 6-2
Friday, April 26 – vs. Penn State Brandywine in PSUAC Championships, W, 5-2
Saturday, April 27 – vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny in PSUAC Championships, W, 3-0
Saturday, April 27 – vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny in PSUAC finale, L, 10-1
Monday-Thursday, May 6-9 – United States Collegiate Athletic Association Small College World Series at Butler, TBA
Softball
Overall record: 11-19
PSUAC record: 9-7
Wednesday, April 24 – at Penn State Schuylkill, L, 11-9; W, 6-2
Saturday, April 27 – at Penn State Greater Allegheny, W, 12-11 in 8 innings; W, 6-2
Thursday, May 2 – at Alfred (N.Y.) State University (2), 3 p.m.
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