Penn College softball mark smashed; golfers third in UE

Published 04.24.2022

News
Athletics
Wildcat Weekly

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s women’s softball team shattered the program’s consecutive win streak record last week, while a consistent second-day effort on Sunday lifted the men’s golf team to a third-place finish at the United East Conference Championships.



Golf
Going into the weekend’s championship, first-year coach Rob Lytle said there was no quit in his team, and they proved it on Sunday.

After Saturday’s first-round 337, the Wildcats were sixth in the eight-team field behind everyone except Lancaster Bible College and Wilson College. On Sunday, however, while scores soared for several other teams, Penn College remained consistent with a second 337 total to overtake Penn State Berks, Penn State Abington and Rutgers-Camden.

“We had a long discussion at dinner Saturday night and the team was pretty focused. They weren’t satisfied and they were going to give it everything they had,” Lytle said.

“The golf course had some unique qualities to it that challenged everybody and we just hung tough Sunday and got it done,” Lytle said. “We were consistent and it worked out well for us.”

Leading the way was freshman Gavin Bair, of Bainbridge, whose 76 on Sunday – following an 83 on Saturday – gave him a two-day 159 total and sixth place in a 40-player field. It also earned him second-team all-conference and Rookie of the Year honors.

“He (Baer) has been outstanding all season. He’s got a lot of determination and has been working hard on his game. He wasn’t satisfied with how he played Saturday. I was really proud of him,” Lytle said.

Also for Penn College, freshman Will Orwig, of Mifflintown, finished with a 168 (86-82) and tied for 12th; junior Alex Acree, of Brookville, shot a 169 (80-89) to finish 16th; sophomore Karson Felty, of Pine Grove, shot a 178 (88-90) to tie for 26th; and senior Sean McNamara, of Lancaster, shot a 183 (93-90) and ended 29th. Only the top four scores counted toward the team score.

Rosemont College won the team title and earned an automatic trip to the NCAA Division III Championship after rounds of 313-325–638 on the par-71, 6,602-yard Rancocas Golf Club course in Willingboro, New Jersey. Behind Rosemont were Penn State Harrisburg (325-320–645), Penn College (674), Rutgers-Camden (336-339–675), Penn State Berks (324-353–677), Penn State Abington (333-358–691), Lancaster Bible (356-360–716) and Wilson (407-396–803).

Rosemont’s Samuel Reynolds took medalist honors with rounds of 74-79–153.

Acree, McNamara and Felty now have wrapped up their careers at Penn College, and Lytle said, “I enjoyed my (graduating players) this year. They made my first spring season enjoyable and an easy transition.”

Looking ahead, the coach added, “The kids I have on the team that are moving to the fall season are going to work hard over the summer in some tournaments and they’re looking forward to the fall.

“I can’t comment on who we’ve got coming in, but I believe we’ve got some decent prospective players looking at the fall that could make this really exciting.”

Softball
With a pair of 1-0 wins over UE foe Penn State Abington on Wednesday, Penn College extended its modern record win streak to a program-tying 13. In the first game, pitcher Kyla Benner, of Bethlehem, struck out a career-high 17 batters while walking one in a two-hit shutout. A two-out single by Maddie Hurst, of Mechanicsburg, plated Jaylynn Cochran, of Cogan Station, with the winning run. In the second game, the Wildcats’ pitching again was stellar as MacKenzie Weaver, of Williamsport, threw a one-hitter, fanning a career-high 14 and walking one. Madison Shaffer, of Trout Run, scored the winning run on a sixth-inning sacrifice fly to right field by Margaret Mangene, of Boalsburg.

A home Friday UE doubleheader sweep with SUNY Morrisville by scores of 8-0 and 10-0, both in five innings, and hiked the program’s all-time win streak to 15, shattering the previous mark of 13 set in 2014 before the college joined the NCAA. Penn College is 19-1 in the conference and 23-6 overall, having won 19 of its last 20. In the opener, Benner improved to 12-3 on the season with her second perfect game of the season – and the third of her career – as she fanned 13 without issuing a walk. On offense, Olivia Hemstock, of Northford, Connecticut, and Ivvy Morder, of Mechanicsburg, both had doubles and drove in two runs. In the nightcap, Weaver fired a two-hitter, striking out 10 with no walks, and improved to 11-2. Jordan Specht, of Frederick, Maryland, paced the offense with a three-run double in the third inning.

The Wildcats have key games this week against Penn State Harrisburg, Penn State Abington and Penn State Berks that will determine seedings for the United East playoffs May 6-7-8.

Also last week, Benner was named UE Pitcher of the Week for April 11-17 as she went 3-0, highlighted by her second perfect game. Over 16 innings, the junior struck out 31 batters, matching a then season-high 12 against Lancaster Bible. Over that span, she allowed three singles, while walking one, and finished the week without giving up a run. It was Benner's second such honor this year.

United East standings: Penn College, 19-1; Penn State Berks, 19-3; Penn State Harrisburg, 17-3; Penn State Abington, 14-6; Lancaster Bible College, 9-15; Morrisville, 3-17; Gallaudet University, 3-21; SUNY Wells College, 0-18.

Baseball
The Wildcats snapped a three-game loss string on Friday with a 13-4 win at St. Mary’s (Md.) College in the first of a three-game weekend series. Nate Gustkey, of Philipsburg, had two of the team’s 18 hits and drove in two runs while Brian Robison, of Quakertown, and Tyler Rudolph, of Hemlock, New York, each had three hits and drove in one run. Starting pitcher Sam Zeigler, of Palmyra, improved to 5-1 after striking out seven and walking one in 6 2/3 innings.

On Saturday in extra-inning games at St. Mary’s, Penn College lost the first game, 6-5 in eight, and won the second, 10-6 in 11, to go to 11-7 in the UE and 17-14 overall. In the opener, the Wildcats led 4-0 after the top of the third inning but surrendered three runs in the bottom of the frame and another in the fourth. Each team scored again in the sixth before St. Mary’s won in the last of the eighth on a passed ball. Tristan Current, of Reinholds, led Penn College with two hits. Zac Weaver, of Pottstown, took the mound loss in relief. In the second game, it was the Wildcats who came back for the “W” by snapping a six-all tie with a four-run 11th. Robison, Jake Wagner, of Palmyra, and Anthony Barbella, of Livingston, New Jersey, each had two hits for Penn College while Jacob Carles, of Bernville, and Cameron Dick, of Dillsburg, each drove in two runs. Greg Reptsik, of Pennsburg, got the mound win with two innings of scoreless relief.

A three-game home series with Penn State Berks this Friday and Saturday will factor into the Wildcats’ postseason UE play.

United East standings: Penn State Harrisburg, 16-2; Penn State Abington, 14-4; Penn College, 11-7; Lancaster Bible College, 10-8; St. Mary’s (Md.), 8-9; Penn State Berks, 8-10; Wells College, 3-14; Gallaudet University, 1-17.

Men’s lacrosse
Hosting St. Mary’s (Md.) College on Tuesday, the Wildcats fell, 13-8. James Thatcher scored three goals and had three assists to lead Penn College while Trevor Soli had two goals and three assists. St. Mary’s led in shots, 50-25, and in shots on goal, 27-14.

An 11-0 first-quarter outburst propelled Penn College to the most lopsided win in the program’s two-year history, 23-1, at home against UE foe Medaille College on Saturday. James Conway, of Derwood, Maryland, led the offense with five goals and one assist, while Graham Purdy, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, scored four goals and C.J. Jones, of Glenolden, added three goals. Andrew Osterman, of Laurel, Maryland, finished with six assists for the Wildcats and James Thatcher, of Bala Cynwyd, had five assists and one goal. Dylan Klemas, of Narvon, had 17 ground balls and won 19 of 20 faceoffs. James Cella, of Cape May, New Jersey, and Chad Szatkowski, of Jackson, New Jersey, split time in the goal, with Cella making one save and Szatkowski four saves. Penn College led in shots, 61-11, and in shots on goal, 39-6, as it improved to 3-2 in the conference and 8-7 overall.

United East standings: SUNY Morrisville, 5-0; St. Mary’s (Md.), 3-1; Penn College, 3-2; Hilbert College, 2-3; Wells College, 2-3; Medaille College, 1-3; La Roche University, 0-4.

Tennis,
Penn College teams split in nonconference action at Juniata College on Monday with the men losing, 6-3, and the women winning, 5-2. Winning for the Wildcat men were Paul Langbein, of Carnegie, at No. 2 singles, 6-3, 6-7 (0-6 tiebreaker), 10-8; Jesse Kight, of Williamsport, at No. 3 singles, 6-3, 4-6, 10-5; and the No. 1 doubles team of Tucker Phillippe-Johansson (Mattituck, New York)/Langbein, 8-1. Penn College women’s winners included Mary Kathryn Hillman, of Nescopeck, at No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-1; Sostika Rai, of Harrisburg, at No. 5 singles, 6-0, 6-0; Kelly Williams, of Marion, New York, at No. 6 singles, 6-2, 6-4; Delaney Bouton (Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey)/Hillman at No. 1 doubles, 8-4; and Georgia Macensky (Wellsboro)/Alexis Youse (Pottstown) at No. 2 doubles, 8-4.

Wrapping up their regular season, Penn College teams both lost in UE play at Lancaster Bible College on Saturday, the men by 6-3 and the women by 7-2. Penn College’s men finish 6-7 overall and its women 3-11 overall. Both teams ended 1-4 in conference matches. Winning for the men were Phillippe-Johansson at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 6-2; Langbein at No. 2 singles, 6-0, 4-6, 6-4; and Phillippe-Johansson/Langbein at No. 1 doubles, 8-2. Penn College women’s winners were Youse at No. 4 singles, 6-2, 1-6, 7-5, and Macensky/Youse at No. 2 doubles, 8-2.

Also last week, Phillippe-Johansson was named United East Tennis Player of the Week, after going 2-0 at No. 1 singles and 2-0 in No. 1 doubles from April 11-17. He picked up straight-set wins against Penn State Berks and Penn State-Abington and teamed with Langbein to earn victories in doubles.

United East men’s final standings: St. Mary’s (Md.) College, 5-0; Penn State Harrisburg, 4-1; Lancaster Bible College, 3-2; Penn State Abington, 2-3; Penn College, 1-4; Penn State Berks, 0-5.

United East women’s final standings: St. Mary’s (Md.) College, 5-0; Penn State Harrisburg, 4-1; Lancaster Bible College, 3-2; Penn State Abington, 1-4; Penn College, 1-4; Penn State Berks, 1-4.

SCHEDULES/RECORDS/RESULTS
Softball
Overall: 23-6
UE: 19-1
Tuesday, April 19 – host Penn State Abington (UE, 2), ppd.
Wednesday, April 20 – host Penn State Abington (UE, 2), W, 1-0; W, 1-0
Thursday, April 21 – host Wells College (UE, 2), ppd.
Friday, April 22 – host SUNY Morrisville (UE, 2), W, 8-0; W, 10-0
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.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, May 6-7-8 – United East Tournament, TBA

Baseball
Overall: 17-14
UE: 11-7
Friday, April 22 – at St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), W, 13-4
Saturday, April 23 – at St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE, 2), L, 6-5 (8 innings); W, 10-6 (11 innings)
Monday, April 25 – host Penn State Altoona (2), 1 p.m.
Wednesday, April 27 – at Mt. Aloysius College (2), 4 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.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, May 6-7-8 – United East Tournament, TBA

Men’s lacrosse
Overall: 8-7
UE: 3-2
Tuesday, April 19 – host St. Mary’s (Md.) College (UE), L, 13-8
Saturday, April 23 – host Medaille College (UE), W, 23-1
Saturday, April 30 – at La Roche University (UE), noon
Wednesday, May 4 – United East semifinals, TBA
Saturday, May 7 – United East Championship, TBA

Men’s tennis
Final overall: 6-7 (5-1 fall)
Final UE: 1-4
Monday, April 18 – at Juniata College, L, 6-3
Saturday, April 23 – at Lancaster Bible College (UE), L, 6-3

Women’s tennis
Final overall: 3-11 (1-6 fall)
Final UE: 1-4
Monday, April 18 – at Juniata College, W, 5-2
Saturday, April 23 – at Lancaster Bible College (UE), L, 7-2

Golf
Tuesday, April 19 – vs. Lycoming College at Williamsport Country Club, canceled
Saturday-Sunday, April 23-24 – United East Championships at Rancocas Golf Club, Willingboro, New Jersey, finished 3rd in an eight-team field. Gavin Baer finished sixth in a 40-player field, earning second-team all-conference and Rookie of Year honors.

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

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

For additional information, visit the Wildcat Athletics website.

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