End-of-the-season North Eastern Athletic Conference championships will be on the line later this week for Pennsylvania College of Technology golfers and tennis players. Tennis action is scheduled Thursday through Saturday at the Birchwood Tennis Center in Clarks Summit and golf action is set for Saturday and Sunday at Foxchase Golf Club in Stevens.
Men's/women's tennis
The Penn College men closed out a 6-4 regular season on Monday with a 5-0 win at Misericordia University. Winning in both singles and doubles for Penn College were Tucker Phillippe-Johansson, of Mattituck, New York, at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles, and Will DeMarco, of Glen Mills, at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles.
Assessing the team’s season so far, interim coach Jessica Bower said, “The men had a really good season. They showed a lot of growth and I think they jelled ... as a team and that’s one of the reasons why they were successful.”
At Misericordia University on Monday, the Penn College women lost, 9-0, and wrapping up their regular season on Wednesday at Susquehanna University they lost again, 9-0, to conclude a 1-9 campaign.
“The women struggled all season long, but they’ve really improved their skill,” Bower said. “We’re in the learning stages and growing stages, for sure, with the women.”
Competing in the conference championships will be the top four individuals and top four doubles teams in each flight.
Barring any seeding changes, representing the Penn College men in singles will be junior Luke Whitenight (2-1 conference record), seeded third at No. 1 singles; freshman Phillippe-Johansson (3-0), seeded second at No. 2 singles; sophomore DeMarco (3-0), seeded first at No. 3 singles; junior Nico Pascual (2-2), of Doylestown, seeded third at No. 4 singles; junior Blake Whitmire (1-1), of Shickshinny, seeded second at No. 5 singles; and sophomore Joey Morrin (2-1), of Morrisville, seeded first at No. 6 singles.
Wildcat men competing in doubles will be Phillipe-Johansson and DeMarco (3-0), seeded first at No. 1; and Helminiak and sophomore Darien Hively (3-1), of Montoursville, seeded second at No. 3.
A year ago, Helminiak, DeMarco and Whitmire earned all-conference honors for finishing among the top three in their respective positions.
Barring any seeding changes, representing the Penn College women will be sophomore Amber Janelli (0-2), of Denver, seeded fourth at No. 2 singles; freshman Alexis Youse (1-2), of Pottsville, seeded fourth at No. 3 singles; sophomore Cassie Shook (1-2), of Westport, seeded third at No. 4 singles; and freshman Marcie Harman (1-2), of Nescopeck, seeded fourth at No. 5 singles.
Wildcats competing in doubles will be Youse-Shook (0-2), seeded fourth at No. 2, and Harman-freshman Deidre Slattery, of Shippensburg, (1-2), seeded fourth at No. 3.
Flight champions will earn NEAC first team honors, runners-up will be accorded second team honors and third-place finishers will be awarded third team all-conference honors.
Only the top two regular-season men’s and women’s team finishers (Lancaster Bible College and Penn State Abington) will vie for the conference team championship.
Men’s final NEAC/NAC West regular-season standings: Lancaster Bible College 4-0, Penn State Abington 3-1, Penn College 2-2, Penn State Berks 1-3, College of St. Elizabeth 0-4.
Women’s final NEAC regular-season standings: Penn State Abington 4-0, Lancaster Bible College 3-1, Penn State Berks 2-2, Penn College 1-3, College of St. Elizabeth 0-4.
Golf
Representing Penn College will be senior Ned Baumbach, of Elizabethtown; senior Tyler Marks, of Beachwood, New Jersey; junior Austin Moscariello, of New Columbia; and sophomore Brian Whelan, of Cresco; with either sophomore Eli Dyer, of Wallingford, Connecticut, or sophomore Sean McNamara, of Lancaster, filling the fifth spot.
In action on Tuesday in the Gettysburg College Spring Invitational at Hanover Country Club, Marks and Moscariello tied for 10th with 79s while Dyer was 30th with an 85, Baumbach was 35th with an 86 and Whelan was 45th with a 92 as the Wildcats totaled 329 to finish fifth in a 10-team field. Gettysburg’s Danny Harcourt medaled with an even-par 71 in a field of 52. Gettysburg took the team title with a 304, followed by Lebanon Valley and Stevens at 317, Penn College, Dickinson 333, Hood 341, Eastern 342, Elizabethtown 345 and Juniata 386.
The Wildcats wrap up their regular season on Tuesday in the Elmira College Spring Invitational at Elmira Country Club.
“The weather is the deciding factor in the mood that (the players) are in, and it kind of sets the tone for each match. We’ve had some good weather and we’ve had some bad weather and they’ve had to persevere through the elements and focus and play their game and try to go out and shoot a (good) score,” coach Matt Haile observed of the season thus far.
“Our biggest hurdle right now is having good weather and really persevering. Overall, I would say they’ve handled it well. There’s still some work to do and over the next week we’ve got to get the reps in and fine-tune their games, especially around the green. That’s one thing you can’t practice indoors (shots around the green); you have to have the outdoor repetitions,” Haile said.
Penn College golfers played at Foxchase during the NEAC Preview last fall and will get a practice round in on Friday before championship play gets underway the next day.
“It’s just a matter of managing their game and staying within themselves – not trying to do too much all in one hole. If they screw up a hole, they’ve got to just forget it, put it in the past and move forward and just grind it out,” Haile said. “They haven’t had their best (showing). They’ve got to go out and keep their heads up.
“When it comes down to it, it’s supposed to be a fun game and they just need to go out there and have fun. For the seniors, it’s going to be their last collegiate round so it’s going to be up to them how they want to go out.
“Hopefully, they don’t put too much pressure on themselves and they go out and enjoy it. And I certainly hope that, as their coach, I’m not putting the pressure on them. I want to see them do well. The biggest thing is, I want them to go out there and have fun, and the end result is, hopefully, they play well.”
Baseball
After leading 5-0 after four innings, it took a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 11th for Penn College to pull out an 8-7 nonconference home win over Mt. Aloysius College on Wednesday. The victory helped avenge two losses to Mt. Aloysius on March 10 during the Wildcats’ trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Penn College used nine pitchers during the game, with the first seven working just over an inning or less. The first four held the visitors scoreless before they broke loose with a five-run fifth. The Wildcats went back ahead with a two-run sixth and Mt. Aloysius sent the contest into extra innings by scoring single runs in the seventh and eighth. Brittan Kittle, of Millville, went 4 for 5 hitting with three runs batted in for Penn College and Alex Flicker, of Topton, also ended with three RBIs. Reliever Andrew Gilbert, of Yardley, pitched the last two innings, earning the win and evening his record at 1-1.
On Thursday at home with Cabrini University, the Wildcats lost, 3-1. Kittle had two hits for Penn College, including a home run and double.
In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week (records through Sunday): At Gallaudet University (9-24 overall, 2-10 NEAC) (2), 1 p.m. Saturday; at Gallaudet University, noon Sunday.
Last meeting vs. Gallaudet University: Won 7-6 and 12-2 on April 22.
NEAC standings through Sunday: Penn State Abington 8-1, Penn State Berks 10-2, Keuka College 8-3, SUNY Cobleskill 7-5, Wells College 6-5, Penn College 4-5, SUNY Poly 4-6, Lancaster Bible College 4-8, Gallaudet University 2-10, Cazenovia College 1-9.
Statistically speaking in the NEAC Top 10: Devon Sanders, of Bloomsburg, is No. 1 with a 1.57 earned run average; Kittle is tied for No. 5 with five home runs, No. 10 with a .385 batting average and No. 10 with 23 RBIs; Jacob Carles, of Bernville, is tied for No. 5 with five home runs; Trevor Dolan, of New Bloomfield, and Gilbert are tied for No. 7 with one save each; Nathan Holt, of Shippensburg, is No. 8 with 35 strikeouts.
Softball
In a NEAC doubleheader moved ahead one day, Penn College downed Gallaudet University at home on Thursday by scores of 10-2 and 10-0, both in five innings. In the first game, Morgan Heritage, of New Castle, Delaware, had her most impressive showing of the season as she tossed a no-hitter, striking out seven and walking two while improving to 4-7 overall. Both of Gallaudet’s runs were unearned. Maddie Wenk, of Biglerville; Shalya Bickel, of Shinglehouse; and Chelsea Gray, of Marysville, all drove in two runs for the Wildcats and Gillian Sinnott, of Sykesville, Maryland, went 3 for 4 hitting with a double and two runs scored. In the second contest, Kassidy Svenson, of Auburn, threw a four-hit shutout, fanning five while improving to 3-1. All of Penn College’s runs came in the fourth inning. Kiana Lukoskie, of Trevorton, had three RBIs and Olivia Hemstock, of Northford, Connecticut, had two RBIs.
In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week (records through Sunday): At Wells College (2-20 overall, 0-6 NEAC) (2), 5 p.m. Monday; host Lancaster Bible College (11-19 overall, 1-5 NEAC) (2), 5 p.m. Tuesday; at Penn State Abington (13-18 overall, 4-0 NEAC) (2), 3 p.m. Friday; at College of St. Elizabeth (24-8 overall, 3-1 NEAC) (2), 1 p.m. Saturday.
Last meeting vs. Lancaster Bible College: First meeting.
Last meeting vs. Wells College: Won 8-0 and 2-1 on April 29.
Last meeting vs. Penn State Abington: Won 1-0 on May 5, 2017.
Last meeting vs. College of St. Elizabeth: Lost 4-3 and 2-1 on April 21.
NEAC South Division standings through Sunday: Penn State Berks 6-0, Penn State Abington 4-0, St. Elizabeth 3-1, Penn College 2-2, Lancaster Bible College 1-5, Gallaudet University 0-8.
NEAC North Division standings through Sunday: Keuka College 5-1, SUNY Cobleskill 3-1, SUNY Poly 2-2, Cazenovia College 1-1, Morrisville State College 1-1, Wells College 0-6.
Statistically speaking in the NEAC Top 10: Taylor Brooks, of Cogan Station, is tied for No. 2 with 25 runs batted in, Morgan Heritage is No. 3 with 73 strikeouts and No. 8 with a 2.96 ERA, Kyla Benner, of Bethlehem, is tied for No. 2 with one save, No. 10 with 44 strikeouts and tied for No. 10 with five wins.
SCHEDULE/RECORDS/RESULTS
Baseball
Overall: 7-18
NEAC: 4-5
Wednesday, April 17 – host Mt. Aloysius at Bowman Field, W, 8-7 in 11 innings
Thursday, April 18 – host Cabrini University at Bowman Field, L, 3-1
Friday, April 19 – host Penn State Abington (NEAC) at Bowman Field, ppd.
Saturday, April 20 – host Penn State Abington (NEAC, 2) at Bowman Field, ppd.
Tuesday, April 23 – at Mansfield University (2), 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 27 – at Gallaudet University (NEAC, 2), 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 28 – at Gallaudet University (NEAC), noon
Tuesday, April 30 – host Juniata College (2) at Bowman Field, 1 p.m.
Friday, May 3 – host SUNY Poly (NEAC) at Bowman Field, 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 4 – host SUNY Poly (NEAC) at Bowman Field, noon
Tuesday, May 7 – NEAC playoffs begin, TBA
Friday, May 10 – NEAC Championship Tournament, TBA
Softball
Overall: 14-12
NEAC: 6-4
Thursday, April 18 – host Gallaudet University (NEAC, 2) at Elm Park, W, 10-2; W, 10-0, both in 5 innings
Saturday, April 20 – host Lancaster Bible College (NEAC, 2) at Elm Park, ppd. to Tuesday
Monday, April 22 – at Wells College (NEAC, 2), 5 p.m.
Tuesday, April 23 – host Lancaster Bible College (NEAC, 2) at Elm Park, 5 p.m.
Friday, April 26 – at Penn State Abington (NEAC, 2), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 27 – at College of St. Elizabeth (NEAC, 2), 1 p.m.
Tuesday, April 30 – NEAC playoffs begin, TBA
Friday, May 3 – NEAC Final Four, TBA
Men’s Tennis
Final overall: 6-4 (1-2 fall)
Final NEAC: 2-2
Monday, April 15 – at Misericordia University, W, 5-0
Thursday-Friday, April 25-26 – NEAC Championships at Birchwood Tennis Center, Clarks Summit
Women’s Tennis
Final overall: 1-9 (0-3 fall)
Final NEAC: 1-3
Monday, April 15 – at Misericordia University, L, 9-0
Wednesday April 17 – at Susquehanna University, L, 9-0
Friday-Saturday, April 26-27 – NEAC Championships at Birchwood Tennis Center, Clarks Summit
Golf
Tuesday, April 16 – Gettysburg College Spring Invitational at Hanover Country Club, finished fifth in a 10-team field
Tuesday, April 23 – Elmira College Spring Invitational at Elmira County Club, 11 a.m.
Saturday-Sunday, April 27-28 – NEAC Championships at Foxchase Golf Club, Stevens
Archery
Thursday-Sunday, May 16-19 – U.S. National Outdoor Collegiate Championships at Darree Fields Park, Dublin, Ohio.
For more about NEAC, visit the conference
website.
For more information, visit the Wildcat Athletics website.
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