Penn College Baseball Team No. 2 Seed for Playoffs

A Sunday doubleheader split with Penn State Brandywine cost the Pennsylvania College of Technology baseball team the top seed in the Penn State University Athletic Conference playoffs, which are scheduled Thursday through Saturday. The split completed a 5-3 week for the Wildcats, who now will enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed.

BASEBALL
The Wildcats started out the week with a doubleheader loss to NCAA Division III Penn State Harrisburg, falling by scores of 3-0 on a no-hitter and 4-3 on Tuesday. In the second game, Cody Buterbaugh, of Conestoga, had three hits while Travis Hendershot, of Muncy, and James Simasek, of Landenberg, each had two.

Returning to conference action Thursday at Penn State Scranton, Penn College rebounded with a pair of wins – 11-1 and 19-5. Craig Watson, of McEwensville, and Joshua Longsderff, of Columbia, each recorded a win on the mound. Backing Watson in the first game, Cody Buterbaugh had a two-run single in the first inning while Zachary Weil, of Kutztown, added a three-run double in the fifth. Longsderff went 3 for 4 at the plate. In the second game, Kyle Eck, of South Williamsport, had two hits and two RBIs while Hendershot had three doubles and three RBIs and Watson added two hits and drove in three runs.

On Saturday in conference action at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Penn College won by scores of 16-0 and 11-0, both in five innings. Matthew Demilio, of Greensburg, threw a complete-game shutout in game one and  Watson and Luke Zamiskie, of Latrobe, combining for the shutout in game two. Brothers Zachary and Cody Buterbaugh, of Conestoga, each ended the first game 3 for 4 with two doubles. Zachary Buterbaugh homered in the second game and Hendershot added a two-run homer.

Penn College won Sunday’s first game against Brandywine, 13-7, but dropped the second, 7-1, to go to 16-2 in the conference and 19-13 overall. In the opener, a Brandywine error and bases-loaded single by Cody Buterbaugh helped the Wildcats score seven runs in the third inning and take a commanding lead. Buterbaugh ended the game 2 for 4 at the plate and scored three runs. Zachary Buterbaugh went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and three RBIs while Weil drilled a two-run homer in the fifth inning and finished with three hits and three RBIs. Penn College managed just five hits in the second game, with Cody Buterbaugh going 2 for 4, but left nine players on base.

Times and sites for the PSUAC playoffs will be announced early this week pending the results of some conference regular-season games yet to be played. In the Week 5 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Coaches’ Poll, Penn College was ranked No.  13.

SOFTBALL
In their only games of the week, the Lady Wildcats breezed past Penn State Scranton, 15-2 and 21-2 on Thursday. The 36 runs were the most ever scored in a doubleheader by Penn College, and Katie Kratzer, of Selinsgrove, was a big reason why as she went 8 for 8 with seven runs batted in and seven runs scored. Lacy Lose, of Avis, and Christina Mignot, of Hughesville, picked up the pitching wins as the team went to 6-6 in the PSUAC and 8-18 overall. In the first game, Rachael Shaeffer, of Hampstead, Md., had three hits, scored three runs and drove in five others. Krazter was 4 for 4 with three RBIs and four runs. Mignot, pitching in relief of Lose in the second game, recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts. Offensively in that game, Britni Fennell, of Conyngham, had three doubles among her four hits and had three RBIs; Samantha Hill, of Montgomery, had a team-high seven RBIs on two hits; Alexandrea  Brennan, of St. Clair,  was 4 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI; and Nicole Lo Furno, of Glen Mills, had three RBIs on three hits.

In the Week 5 USCAA Coaches’ Poll, Penn College was ranked No. 19.

ATHLETES OF YEAR
In other news, senior archer Joseph Dowdrick III, of Lebanon, and first-year women's soccer player Reda Vermilya, of Turbotville, were named the 2012-13 Male and Female Athletes of the Year.

SCHEDULES/RESULTS
Baseball
Overall record: 19-13
PSUAC record: 16-2
Tuesday, April 16 – at Penn State Harrisburg, L, 3-0; L, 4-3
Thursday, April 18 – at Penn State Scranton, W, 11-1; W, 19-5
Saturday, April 20 – at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, W, 16-0; W, 11-0
Sunday, April 21 – host Penn State Brandywine, W, 13-7; L, 7-1
Wednesday, April 24 – host Marywood University at Logue Field, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday, April 25-27 – at PSUAC Championships, TBA

Softball
Overall record: 8-18
PSUAC record: 6-6
Thursday, April 18 – at Penn State Scranton, W, 15-2; W, 21-2
Wednesday, April 24 – at Penn State Schuylkill (2), 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 27 – at Penn State Greater Allegheny (2), 2 p.m.
Thursday, May 2 – at Alfred (N.Y.) State University (2), 2 p.m.

No. 36