LebCo College Baseball Prospect Tracker: February 13, 2024

By Steve Beard, LebCoSports Senior Baseball Contributor

“It’s like déjà vu all over again.”

–Yogi Berra

Here we are again…the Super Bowl has passed, March Madness is on the horizon, Speedweeks are starting at Daytona, and College Baseball Season is FINALLY rolling along. Rain put a damper on the back end of a couple series, but as Lebanon County baseball alumni got the chance to get on the field, there was no lack of highlight material.

Do you have highlights to share for The LebCoSports.com College Baseball Tracker? Reach out to Steve Beard at lebanon.longshots@gmail.com if you don’t use Twitter/X.

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FEATURED PLAYER HIGHLIGHT

Austin Baal, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’19) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

We think Austin Baal may have had some insider information on the weather this past weekend. With Ship getting rained out for two of three games, Baal clearly tried to cram a weekend’s worth of stats into one game, opening the season 3 for 4, with a double, a run and four RBI, adding a walk late in the game. Ship wasted no time in pouncing on the Carson-Newman Eagles, as Baal doubled in a run in early. Ship put up a five-spot in the first and never really looked back. Baal added a two RBI single in the second and another run-scoring single in the sixth as the Raiders cruised, 10-5 (Game Story and Box Score). The lefty senior first baseman and the Shippensburg Raiders roll into Catwaba (Salisbury NC) on President’s Day weekend. Check out two of Baal’s swings on X, here and here.

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OPENING WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

Christian Kreiser, Stevens Institute of Technology (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Senior 1B/OF Christian Kreiser took the second pitch he saw this season and crushed a home run for the Ducks as they shut out the City College of New York Beavers in game one, 6-0. He added a single in the sixth, finishing the opening game 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. In Stevens game two 10-1 win, Kreiser was 1 for 4 with another run and walk (Game Stories and Box Scores). Stevens is scheduled to play at William Paterson University (Wayne, NJ) this coming Saturday.

Gavin Neal, Lock Haven University of PA, (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Fresh off two years at Mercer Community College, JuCo Bandit Gavin Neal wasted no time in helping Lock Haven. Playing second base and batting second, Neal singled in his first NCAA at bat, forced in a run with a base on balls in the second, later scoring on a double. The Eagles defeated Virginia State in game one, 8-1. Neal did not play in the game two 8-2 win by Lock Haven (Game Stories and Box Scores). Sunday was rained out and Lock Haven is home versus Bloomfield on Saturday.

Kasey Shugart, Clarion University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Senior outfielder Kasey Shugart’s clutch two out double in the fifth put the Golden Eagles up on D’Youville Saint Bernards by a score of 2-1. Clarion’s pitching couldn’t hold and their bats could not muster enough offense as Clarion fell 9-5 on opening day. Shugart did not play in 9-1 game two loss.

Mason Kepler, Clarion University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Junior catcher Mason Kepler was 0 for 2 with a walk in game one. He did not play in game two. (Game Stories and Box Scores). Clarion travels to Glenville State (WV) this coming weekend. Check out Shugart and Kepler with the opening day lineup announcement on X.

Dylan Byerly, Virginia Wesleyan University, (Northern Lebanon ’23)  Season Stats Upcoming Schedule

There were some technical difficulties with game scoring, but the freshman catcher ostensibly did not play as Virginia Wesleyan split with William Peace on opening weekend. Only one Box Score is available. Wesleyan travels to Montgomery AL this weekend for three games before heading to VA Beach.

LebCo College Baseball Prospect Tracker: February 7, 2024

PRE-SEASON ROLLS ON

Gage Miller (Alabama University/Palmyra ’21) didn’t need much help, but clearly made a compelling argument to ensure himself as a starter in Rob Vaughn’s lineup, hitting for the cycle on Friday and launching two home runs in intersquad action on Saturday—something ridiculous like 6-7 with three home runs, a triple, a double and eight RBI. We hear rumor that he’s the starting 3B and with swings like this, it should come as no surprise. It will be fun to watch his season unfold as his MLB Draft stock is rising precipitously.

Noah Gonzalez, (Northampton Community College/Cedar Crest ’22) and the Spartans traveled to Montclair State University (NJ) on Saturday and played on a brand new turf surface in Yogi Berra Stadium. The Yankee Hall of Fame catcher hailed from Montclair and the venue is home to the MSU Red Hawks, the NJIT Highlanders (D1), and the Yogi Berra Museum, having been abandoned by the NJ Jackals former Frontier League team.  Gonzalez had a 2 for 4 day, stole a base, and scored a run (Highlight Link). Teammate and fellow Falcon alumni Austin Beard, threw two innings for the Spartans (Highlight Link). Dylan Beard, (Messiah University/Cedar Crest ’21) flashed a little leather in Messiah intersquad action.

LebCo College Baseball Prospect Tracker: 2024 Season Preview

UPCOMING OPENING GAMES

February 16, 2024

3pm Mount Saint Mary’s at Norfolk State Upcoming Schedule

4pm (#20) Alabama at Manhattan College  Upcoming Schedule Look for this game on SEC+ TV

5pm Messiah at Methodist  Upcoming Schedule  Keep an eye out for me to be posting on X this weekend!

February 17, 2024

12pm Bloomsburg at Barton Upcoming Schedule

12pm Clarion at Glenville State Upcoming Schedule

12pm Stevenson at Mary Baldwin Upcoming Schedule

February 18, 2024

11am Chesapeake Community College at Delaware Tech CC Upcoming Schedule

11am  Clarkson at PSU Harrisburg at War Memorial Field, Ephrata PA Upcoming Schedule

12pm Albright at Gallaudet was canceled because Gallaudet folded their baseball program. Albright is supposed to play on 2/25/24 at Gallaudet for the Bison Baseball Classic against Elmira and SUNY Canton. It is not clear if those games will be played.  Upcoming Schedule