In one of its best weeks ever, the Pennsylvania College of Technology baseball team went 6-0 - outscoring its opponents 94-14 - and clinched a postseason Penn State University Athletic Conference playoff berth. Games Tuesday at PSU Brandywine will determine the Wildcats' playoff seed for the tournament scheduled Thursday through Saturday at Pullman Park in Butler.
Baseball
In non-league action Tuesday at Luzerne Community College, Cody Buterbaugh had five hits and five runs batted in as the Wildcats took both games of a twinbill by scores of 8-3 and 15-6. Jarod Bull and Brian Santangelo were the winning pitchers. In the opener, Skylar Gingrich went 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in four runs and Kevin Fink had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. Gingrich smashed a three-run homer in the seventh inning of the second game, during which Buterbaugh had three hits and all of his RBIs.
Returning to Penn State University Athletic Conference action on Thursday, Penn College swept PSU Scranton, 27-0, in four innings and 13-0. Jacob Wrenn had nine strikeouts and Phil Carnevale were the winning pitchers. Gingrich finished with eight RBIs in the two games, including a two-run homer in the first game. Thomas Hughes, Zachary Buterbaugh and Jared Johnson all had three hits in the opener. In the second game, Zachary Weil hit his first home run as a Wildcat.
The Wildcats completed their week with a Saturday sweep of PSU Wilkes-Barre by scores of 15-4 and 16-1, both in five innings, to improve to 22-9 overall and 13-3 in the conference. In the opener, Garrett Hornung hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in eight runs. In the second game, Gingrich had two hits in two at-bats and drove in a pair of runs. Hughes and Weil both drove in three runs. Santangelo was the winning pitcher in the first game and Zachary Yetter was the winner in the second.
During the week it was announced that sophomore Josh Longsderff was named the United States Collegiate Athletic Association and PSUAC Pitcher of the Week for the period ending April 15. In his only start, against PSU Greater Allegheny, Longsderff made history by pitching Penn College's first-ever perfect game. In three appearances after starting the season late while recovering from injury, he is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA with 18 strikeouts and a .115 opponents batting average.
In the most recent USCAA Coaches' Poll, Penn College is ranked No. 8.
Softball
On Tuesday in non-league action at Luzerne County Community College, Penn College fell by scores of 4-1 and 6-5. The Wildcats committed six errors in the two games that allowed seven unearned runs to score.
Closing out their season Thursday against PSU Scranton, Penn College won by scores of 6-4 and 6-2 to finish 6-24 overall and 5-11 in the PSUAC. Pitchers Lacy Lose and Emily Yoder each recorded wins with Lose fanning 12 in the first game. Pacing the team's offense in the first game was Stephanie Keifrider who was 3-for-4 at the plate with one run batted in. Stephanie Koleno, of Moshannon, was 3-for-4 with three RBIa and a run scored in the nightcap as the Wildcats finished seventh in the PSUAC.
Coming into the season with just two returnees, coach Roger Harris knew his team had its work cut out.
"We're playing for next year. We're looking at picking up some good girls to give us a boost," the coach in his 11th season, said.
SCHEDULE, RESULTS
and RECORDS
Archery
May 17-20 U.S. Intercollegiate Archery Championships at Harrisonburg, Va.
Baseball
Overall record: 22-9
PSUAC record: 13-3
Tuesday, April 17 at Luzerne County Community College, W, 8-3; W, 15-6
Thursday, April 19 host PSU Scranton, W, 27-0; W, 13-0
Saturday, April 21 host PSU Wilkes-Barre, W, 15-4; W, 16-1
Tuesday, April 24 at PSU Brandywine (2), 2 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday, April 26-28 PSUAC Championships at Pullman Park, Butler TBA
Softball
Final overall record: 6-24
Final PSUAC record: 5-11
Tuesday, April 17 at Luzerne County Community College, L, 4-1; L, 6-5
Thursday, April 19 host PSU Scranton, W, 6-4; W, 6-2
