Penn College baseball, softball teams have perfect week

Published 04.10.2022

News
Athletics
Wildcat Weekly

Pennsylvania College of Technology baseball and softball teams each went 4-0 in games last week and improved their positions in the United East standings. The UE-leading softball team has won five in a row and nine of its last 10.



Baseball
When the Wildcats edged Penn State Harrisburg on April 2, it marked their first win in seven tries against the Lions. And last Monday, they added an exclamation mark in the finale of a three-game series with a 15-2 victory. While Penn College starting pitcher Chance Webb, of Hughesville, held Harrisburg in check through 5⅔ innings, allowing three hits while striking out eight and walking two, the Wildcats’ offense came through big, too, pounding out 19 hits, including two home runs by Cameron Dick, of Dillsburg, who finished with seven RBIs. Dick went 4 for 5 with three runs scored while teammate Jake Wagner, of Palmyra, went 4 for 4 with four runs scored. Zac Weaver, of Pottstown, finished up on the mound with 3⅓ innings of one-hit, four-strikeout relief.

Penn College opened a three-game weekend United East baseball series at Wells College on Saturday with a 13-0 win. Dick hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, Brian Robison, of Quakertown, had a two-run double in the second inning, and Tyler Rudolph, of Hemlock, New York, had a two-run homer in the third and a two-run double to left in the eighth to highlight an 18-hit Wildcat attack. On the mound for Penn College, starter Weaver allowed three hits in seven shutout innings of work. Rudolph finished 4 for 5 at the plate with five RBIs and three runs scored, while Shane Price, of Kersey, was 4 for 5 with three doubles and four runs scored.

Wrapping up its series at Wells College on Sunday, the Wildcats won, 11-2 and 10-3, to improve to 8-3 in the UE and 14-10 overall. In the first game, Nathan Gustkey, of Philipsburg, and Jacob Carles, of Bernville, both went 4 for 5 while Robison homered and ended with three RBIs and Price added two RBIs. Ben Bretzman, of Bendersville, went six innings on the rubber, fanning 10 and walking one, in improving to 2-3, and Joel Verrico, of Montoursville, finished up with one inning of one-hit relief. In the nightcap, Wagner led with three hits, including two doubles, while Dick, Price, Carles and Matt Bailor, of Clearfield, all ended with two RBIs. On the mound, Webb went 5⅓ innings to go to 3-1 on the season. He struck out 11 and walked three.

United East standings: Penn State Harrisburg, 8-2; Penn College, 8-3; Lancaster Bible College, 8-4; Penn State Abington, 8-4; St. Mary’s (Md.), 6-5; Penn State Berks, 3-7; Wells College, 2-9. Gallaudet University, 1-10.

Softball
With stellar pitching and timely hitting, the Wildcats had back-to-back UE statement wins on Tuesday over previous conference unbeaten Penn State Harrisburg, 10-0 in five innings and 2-1 in nine innings. In the opener, Kyla Benner, of Bethlehem, tossed a two-hit gem, striking out eight and walking none. On offense, Olivia Hemstock, of Northford, Connecticut, went 3 for 3 with a triple, double, three RBIs and three runs scored, while Jordan Specht, of Frederick, Maryland, went 3 for 3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. After eight scoreless innings for each team in the second game, Harrisburg took a 1-0 lead in the top of the ninth before Penn College rallied in the last half of the frame with RBI singles by Madison Shaffer, of Trout Run, and a walk-off by Maddie Hurst, of Mechanicsburg, to make a winner of starting pitcher Mackenzie Weaver, of Williamsport. In allowing just four hits, Weaver struck out 10 and walked three.

Facing winless Wells College in UE play on Friday, Penn College pitchers fired one-hit shutouts in blowout 29-0 and 20-0 wins. In the first game, Benner didn’t allow any hits through three innings and Taylor Cashner, of Danville, finished on the mound, giving up one hit in two innings. Both struck out four and walked one. Leading the offense were Hemstock (4 for 6 with six RBIs and three runs scored), Hurst (3 for 3 with four RBIs and six runs scored) and Margaret Mangene, of Boalsburg (3 for 4 with three RBIs). In the second game, Weaver fanned seven in three hitless innings for the “W” while Alyssa Rusnock, of Ovid, New York, and Hailey DeBrody, of Cogan Station, mopped up. DeBrody led the offense, going 4 for 5 with three doubles, six RBIs and three runs scored, Benner was 4 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Specht was 3 for 4 with four runs scored.

United East standings: Penn College 9-1; Penn State Berks, 10-2; Penn State Harrisburg, 6-2; Penn State Abington, 7-3; Lancaster Bible College, 6-8; Gallaudet University, 3-9; SUNY Morrisville, 1-7; Wells College, 0-10.

Men’s lacrosse
In nonconference action at Rosemont College on Wednesday, James Thatcher, of Bala Cynwyd, scored four goals and had two assists in leading the Wildcats to a 15-9 win that upped their overall record to 6-5. Also for Penn College, Quinn Caviola, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, and Brendan Kuczma, of New Fairfield, Connecticut, each scored three goals, while James Cella, of Cape May, New Jersey, made 13 saves in the goal.

Also last week, Michael Stank, of York Haven, was named to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association/Dynamic Team of the Week for the week ending on April 3.

Stank dominated from the faceoff 'X' as he helped the Wildcats take down conference rival Hilbert, 16-10. He was successful on 16 of 17 faceoffs and collected a career-high 10 ground balls.

United East standings: SUNY Morrisville, 4-0; St. Mary’s (Md.), 2-1; Wells College, 2-2; Penn College, 1-1; Hilbert College, 1-2; Medaille College, 0-2; La Roche University, 0-2.

Tennis
The men’s and women’s tennis teams lost their United East openers on Tuesday at Penn State Harrisburg, both by 9-0 scores. Tucker Phillippe-Johansson, of Mattituck, New York, at No. 1 singles, and Paul Langbein, of Carnegie, at No. 2 singles, had the most competitive individual matches for the Wildcats as Phillippe-Johansson lost, 6-2, 6-4, and Langbein fell, 6-4, 6-2. They also had the most competitive doubles match as they teamed at No. 1 in an 8-4 loss.

On Saturday, Penn College men and women dropped both of their UE matches against St. Mary’s (Md.) College, the men by a 9-0 score and the women, 8-1. The Penn College men now are 0-2 in the conference and 5-4 overall and the women are 0-2 in the UE and 1-9 overall. Alexis Youse, of Pottstown, was the lone Penn College victor, picking up her win in the No. 5 women’s singles position, 1-6, 6-4, 11-9 tiebreaker.

United East men’s standings: Penn State Abington, 2-0, St. Mary’s (Md.) College, 1-0, Penn State Harrisburg, 1-1, Lancaster Bible College, 0-0, Penn State Berks, 0-1, Penn College, 0-2.

United East women’s standings: St. Mary’s (Md.) College, 1-0; Penn State Berks, 1-0; Penn State Harrisburg, 1-1; Penn State Abington, 1-1; Lancaster Bible College, 0-0; Penn College, 0-2.

Wrestling
Also last week, it was announced that Penn College will begin competing in Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference starting next season, marking the first time it has had a conference affiliation since 2015-16.

The Wildcats are the 10th team in the conference – joining Pitt-Bradford, Penn State Behrend, Rochester Institute of Technology, Alfred State College, Ithaca College, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Oneonta and SUNY Oswego – eight of which also compete in the NCAA Division III Mideast Regionals. Last season, the ECWC had six wrestlers earn Division III All-America honors and saw 10 wrestlers qualify for the national tournament.

Ithaca College has won the last seven conference championships.

“This is an exciting opportunity for our wrestling program,” Penn College Interim Director of Athletics Matt Blymier said. “It will give our wrestlers the opportunity to compete for conference championships against wrestlers in our region, as well as the ability to earn all-conference and all-academic honors.

“I would also like to thank our former head wrestling coach, Jamie Miller, for his tireless efforts in finding this program a conference, and ECWC Commissioner Eric Summers for accepting Penn College as the newest member to the ECWC.”

Miller has accepted a position at SUNY Morrisville.

SCHEDULES/RECORDS/RESULTS
Baseball
Overall: 14-10
UE: 8-3
Monday, April 4 – host Penn State Harrisburg (UE), W, 15-2 (9 innings)
Wednesday, April 6 – at Juniata College (2), ppd.
Saturday, April 9 – at Wells College (UE), W, 13-0 (9 innings)
Sunday, April 10 – at Wells College (UE, 2), W, 11-2 (7 innings); W, 10-3 (9 innings)
Friday, April 15 – host Penn State Abington (UE), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 16 – host Penn State Abington (UE, 2), 1 p.m.
Friday, April 22 – at St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 23 – at St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE, 2), 1 p.m.
Friday, April 29 – host Penn State Berks (UE), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 30 – host Penn State Berks (UE, 2), 1 p.m.

Softball
Overall: 13-6
UE: 9-1
Tuesday, April 5 – host Penn State Harrisburg (UE, 2), W, 10-0 (5 innings); W, 2-1 (9 innings)
Wednesday, April 6 – at Lycoming College (2), ppd.
Friday, April 8 – at Wells College (UE, 2), W, 29-0 (5 innings); W, 20-0 (5 innings)
Saturday, April 9 – at SUNY Morrisville (UE, 2), ppd.
Monday, April 11 – at SUNY Morrisville (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Friday, April 15 – host Gallaudet University (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 16 – host Lancaster Bible College (UE, 2), 1 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19 – host Penn State Abington (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Thursday, April 21 – host Wells College (UE, 2), 4 p.m.
Friday, April 22 – host SUNY Morrisville (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Tuesday, April 26 – at Penn State Harrisburg (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Friday, April 29 – at Penn State Abington (UE, 2), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 30 – at Penn State Berks (UE, 2), 1 p.m.

Men’s lacrosse
Overall: 6-5
UE: 1-1
Wednesday, April 6 – at Rosemont College, W, 15-9
Tuesday, April 12 – host Bryn Athyn College, canceled
Saturday, April 16 – at Wells College (UE), noon
Tuesday, April 19 – host St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), 4 p.m.
Saturday, April 23 – host Medaille College (UE), 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 30 – at La Roche University (UE), noon

Men’s tennis
Overall: 5-4 (5-1 fall)
UE: 0-2
Tuesday, April 5 – at Penn State Harrisburg (UE), L, 9-0
Saturday, April 9 – host St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), L, 9-0
Tuesday, April 12 – host Penn State Berks (UE), 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 16 – at Penn State Abington (UE), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 23 – at Lancaster Bible College (UE), noon
Thursday-Saturday, April 28-30 – United East Playoffs, TBA

Women’s tennis
Overall: 1-9 (1-6 fall)
UE: 0-2
Tuesday, April 5 – at Penn State Harrisburg (UE), L, 9-0
Saturday, April 9 – host St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), L, 8-1
Tuesday, April 12 – host Penn State Berks (UE), 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 16 – at Penn State Abington (UE), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 23 – at Lancaster Bible College (UE), noon
Thursday-Saturday, April 28-30 – United East Playoffs, TBA

Golf
Thursday, April 7 – Elizabethtown College Spring Invitational at Hershey Country Club, ppd.
Monday, April 11 – Wilson College Invitational at Chambersburg Country Club, 11 a.m.
Thursday, April 14 – Bloomsburg Husky Invitational at Frosty Valley Golf Club, noon
Tuesday, April 19 – vs. Lycoming College at Williamsport Country Club, noon

Archery
Saturday-Sunday, April 23-24 – USA Eastern Regional Collegiate Championships at Harrisonburg, Va.

Esports
iRacing
Tuesday, April 5 – CIL ROAD – Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, April 12 – CIL NASCAR – Phoenix Raceway, 8 p.m.

For more about the United East, visit the conference website.

For additional information, visit the Wildcat Athletics website.

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