Perfect Game Helps Penn College Baseball Team to 2-2 Week

Pennsylvania College of Technology's baseball team split in its four games last week, but one of its wins was over previously unbeaten Penn State Greater Allegheny and came on a perfect game. In softball, Penn College was 2-4.

BaseballAfter dropping the first game of a doubleheader Friday at Bowman Field against Greater Allegheny by a 4-2 score, Josh Longsderff, of Columbia, put it all together on the mound with a seven-inning, eight-strikeout perfecto that ended in a 6-0 Penn College win in the nightcap. Skylar Gingrich, of Lititz, supplied the bulk of the offense in the second game with two hits, including a two-run home run in the fourth inning. He finished with three runs batted in and two runs scored in that game and also homered in the first-game loss. On Wednesday, Penn College lost to Penn State Hazleton, 2-1, before rebounding with a 3-2 win. Ten Wildcat players left on base told the story in the first game, but Gingrich came through in the clutch in the nightcap with a one-out, bases-loaded sacrifice fly that scored Zachary Buterbaugh, of Conestoga, with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Buterbaugh finished 3 for 3 at the plate in the game. During the twin bill, Garrett Hornung, of Emporium, was 3 for 6 with one run batted in.

Penn College's baseball team, 16-9 overall and 9-3 in the Penn State University Athletic Conference, moved up another five notches in the Week 3 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Coaches' Poll, going from No. 12 to No. 7 with 239 points. Spalding (Ky.) University leads the way with 272 points. The only PSUAC team ahead of the Wildcats is Penn State Greater Allegheny at No. 6 with 248 points.

SoftballFacing Penn State Hazleton on Wednesday, Penn College dropped the first game, 18-0 in four innings, and the second, 7-5. Dana Ritter, of Walden, N.Y., had the lone hit in the opener, which saw Hazleton pound out 17 hits. In the nightcap, Britni Fennell, of Conyngham, and Casey Davis, of New Albany, both went 2 for 3 at the plate and Fennell drove in two first-inning runs with a triple.

At home Friday against Penn State Greater Allegheny, the Wildcats rebounded in a big way with 5-3 and 8-0 wins behind the pitching of Lacy Lose, of Avis. In recording both mound wins, Lose recorded 12 strikeouts. Supplying a bulk of the offense were Casey Davis, of New Albany, who had three hits, scored one run and drove in another, and Fennell, who had three hits -- one of them a double -- and three RBI. On Sunday at Penn State New Kensington, Penn College lost by scores of 6-3 and 4-3, both in eight innings. Abbey Winn, of Howard, hit a solo home run to send the first game into extra innings. In that contest, both Stephanie Koleno, of Moshannon, and Emily Yoder, of Catawissa, went 2 for 4 with and a single and a double. Cora Bova, of Port Allegheny, had two hits in the second contest as the Wildcats fell to 4-22 overall and 3-11 in the PSUAC. Lose was the losing pitcher in both games, but finished with 14 strikeouts on the day.

ArcheryPenn College's archery team hosts its only event of the season, the Eastern Regional Intercollegiate Championships, next weekend (April 21-22) in its final tune-up before nationals in May.

Competition takes place Saturday and Sunday on campus next to the Field House along College Avenue with more than 70 archers from at least six colleges and universities. Action will begin at noon Saturday with practice rounds immediately followed by ranking rounds. Individual head-to-head eliminations will take place starting at 8 a.m. Sunday. They will be followed by team rounds.

"The season has gone well. I'm happy and pleased with the way the team has been performing, but there always is room for improvement," said Brian Parker, the Wildcats' first-year coach.

"We look to do well (at the Eastern Regionals). We could walk away with quite a few medals," Parker said, "and we should have a number of archers make the All-East team."

Schedule/Results/Records ArcherySaturday-Sunday, April 21-22 host Eastern Regional Intercollegiate Championships, noonBaseball Overall record: 16-9 PSUAC record: 9-3Wednesday, April 11 host Penn State Hazleton, L, 2-1; W, 3-2 Friday, April 13 host Penn State Greater Allegheny, L, 4-2; W, 6-0 Tuesday, April 17 at Luzerne County Community College (2), 2 p.m. Thursday, April 19 host Penn State Scranton at Bowman Field (2), 2 p.m. Saturday, April 21 host Penn State Wilkes-Barre at Bowman Field (2), 1 p.m. Sunday, April 22 at Penn State Brandywine (2), 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 24 at Bloomsburg University (2), 1 p.m. Friday-Sunday, April 27-29 at PSUAC Championships, TBASoftball Overall record: 4-22 PSUAC record: 3-11Wednesday, April 11 host Penn State Hazleton, L, 18-0 infour innings; L, 7-5 Friday, April 13 host Penn State Greater Allegheny, W, 5-3; W, 8-0 Sunday, April 15 at Penn State New Kensington, L, 6-3 ineight innings; L, 4-3 in 8 innings Tuesday, April 17 at Luzerne County Community College (2), 2 p.m. Thursday, April 19 host Penn State Scranton at Elm Park (2), 2 p.m.

Vol. 10, No. 35