Penn College Baseball, Softball Teams Combine for 9-1 Week

All Pennsylvania College of Technology baseball coach Chris Howard and softball coach Roger Harris asked for was an opportunity for their teams to be able to practice and play. Although both still had to dodge raindrops last week, they managed to win a combined nine games while losing only one and are on track to reach the Penn State University Athletic Conference playoffs.

BaseballReturning to action Wednesday after Tuesday's game was postponed due to rain, Penn College swept Penn State Hazleton, 1-0 and 6-2. Ethan Boyd (Roaring Spring) had three hits and five runs batted in. Brian Santangelo (Middletown, Conn.) went the distance in the first-game shutout and Phillip Carnevale (Carteret, N.J.) got the victory in the second game.

Thursday at home with Penn State Wilkes-Barre, the Wildcats won, 12-2 and 14-1 in five innings each. In the first game, James Funk (Washington Boro) went 3 for 4 at the plate with four RBI and Ryan Weachock (Pottsville) went 2 for 4 with three RBI. They each also scored two runs. In the second game, Weachock went 2 for 4 with two RBI and Garrett Hornung (Emporium) 3 for 3, including a home run, with three runs scored and five RBI.

On Friday at Penn State Scranton, Penn College closed out the week with two more five-inning wins, by scores of 16-1 and 23-1. Tom Hughes (Easton) had six hits and three RBI as the team posted its ninth consecutive win while improving to 18-7 overall and 9-5 in the PSUAC. In the opener, Josh Longsderff (Columbia) went 3 for 4 with an RBI and three runs scored and Matt King (Southampton) went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBI. In the second contest, Hughes went 4 for 5 with a homer, two RBI and five runs scored while Boyd hit a two-run home run and Funk followed with a three-run shot. Tyler Rice (Trumbull, Conn.) had three hits with a double and four RBI as the Wildcats moved into fourth place in the PSUAC.

In the most recent United State Collegiate Athletic Association Coaches' Poll, Penn College is No. 15.

Baseball Honoree Hornung, a junior, was named the Week Six PSUAC Player of the Week for the period ending April 17. During the week, he went 7 for 11 at the plate (.636) with three doubles, five runs batted in and 10 runs scored as the Wildcats went 3-1.

SoftballIn the Wednesday makeup of a Tuesday postponement, Sabrina Reynolds (Muncy) had two home runs and three runs batted in as the Wildcats split with Penn State Hazleton, losing the opener 6-5 and winning the nightcap 9-4. Lacy Lose (Jersey Shore) earned the win with a season-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings.

Friday against Penn State Scranton, Penn College won by scores of 11-1 and 20-8 to improve to 10-10 overall and 6-2 in the conference. In the first game, Reynolds had two hits and two RBI, while sophomore Desiree Buffington (Pillow) went 3 for 3 with two RBI and Michelle Goodling (Renovo) added two hits and three RBI. In the second contest, Amber Eck (Williamsport) went 3 for 5 with three RBI, Trisha Moser (Watsontown) had three hits and three RBI, and Holly Raybuck (Bellefonte) had two hits and three RBI as the team moved into third place in the PSUAC.

In the most recent USCAA Coaches' Poll, Penn College is tied for No. 10.

ArcheryIn their final tune-up before next month's national championships, Penn College archers not only excelled as they hosted the Eastern Regional Championships April 16-17, but 11 Wildcats were named to the All-East Team. They included Danny Wido, of Shickshinny; Zack Plannick, of Coraopolis; Aaron Lapinski, of Bloomsburg; Zack Bixby, of Gillett; Clint Hinton, of Lock Haven; Glen Thomas, of Mercer; Tyler Gale, of Kennedyville, Md.; Brandon Allison, of Roaring Spring; Ashley Baker, of Coudersport; Julie Cain, of Bellefonte; and Kjirsten Radencic, of Liberty.

In individual competition, Allison, Kelvin Dewalt, of Easton, and Plannick won in men's recurve, bow hunter and men's compound divisions, respectively. In team action, Baker, Cain and Radencic won the women's compound and Plannick, Wido and Lapinski captured the men's compound title.Also, Gale was third in men's recurve, Baker and Wido took second in women's and men's recurve, respectively, and Joe Dowdrick, of Lebanon, was third in bow hunter.

At the New England Intercollegiate Archery Championships in Storrs, Conn., April 2-3, Penn College again stood tall as Thomas won in male recurve, Baker won in female compound and Dewalt won in bow hunter. Also for the Wildcats, Wido was second in male compound and Bixby was third. Gale was second in male recurve and Dowdrick was second in bow hunter.

Penn College will travel to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., May 19-22 for the U.S. Intercollegiate Archery Championships.On the RunThree runners with ties to the Penn College cross-country team competed last Monday in the Boston Marathon. Travis Cain (Bloomsburg) finished the race in 3 hours, 1 minute and 21 seconds, while assistant coach Jeff Faherty turned in a time of 3:16 and former Wildcat Mike Womelsdorf posted a time of 3:13.7, according to coach Mike Paulhamus.

SCHEDULE/RESULTS Baseball Overall record: 18-7 PSUAC record: 9-5 Tuesday, April 19 at Penn State Hazleton (2), ppd. Wednesday, April 20 at Penn State Hazleton, W, 1-0; W, 6-2 Thursday, April 21 host Penn State Wilkes-Barre, W, 12-2 in 5 innings; W, 14-1 in 5 innings Friday, April 22 at Penn State Scranton, W, 16-1; W, 23-1 Saturday, April 23 - at Penn State Beaver (2), ppd. Wednesday, April 27 at Penn State Fayette (2), TBA Friday-Saturday, April 29-30 PSUAC playoffs, TBA

Softball Overall record: 10-10 PSUAC record: 6-2 Tuesday, April 19 at Penn State Hazleton (2), ppd. Wednesday, April 20 at Penn State Hazleton, L, 6-5; W, 9-4 Friday, April 22 at Penn State Scranton, W, 11-1; W, 20-8, both in 5 innings Saturday, April 23 at Penn State Beaver (2), ppd. Monday, April 25 host Penn State New Kensington (2), 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 26 at Penn State Schuylkill (2), 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 27 at Penn State Fayette (2), TBA Friday-Saturday, April 29-30 PSUAC playoffs, TBA

(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. 36