LebCo College Baseball Prospect Tracker: February 27, 2024

By Steve Beard, LebCoSports Senior Baseball Contributor

“There are only two seasons—winter and Baseball.”

–Bill Veeck

Mixed in with some trips to warmer locales were plenty of games up here in the northeast with some games being played with temps in the high 20s or low 30s. The early season of college baseball is in full swing and we saw one guy, Gage Miller, with an absolutely ridiculous week of numbers close to a video game, garnering national attention at d1baseball.com. Dalton Reinhart had a magical moment—after two years as a JuCo PO—hit his first collegiate HR in his first collegiate plate appearance. Kasey Shugart and Tyler Long, “wily old veterans” that they are, showed that the season is a marathon not a sprint as they moved to the top of the offensive charts for their teams. LVC went south, and as good as they are (which is to say, “very good”), were man handled by one of the best teams in the nation.

We will continue a Featured Player Highlight each week. Sometimes we might feature one position player and one pitcher. It might not always be the most eye popping statistics that determine who is chosen…the numbers will always speak for themselves. The featured players will be rotated so we can expose our readers to as many of the players as we can.

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FEATURED PLAYER HIGHLIGHT

Dalton Reinhart, Stevenson University, (Cedar Crest ’21) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Snow forced Stevenson to move a Sunday game to Wednesday as they traveled to Staunton VA to face Mary Baldwin University Fighting Squirrels (USA South Conference). After a two-year stint as a PO (Pitcher Only) at Mercer Community College, the Cedar Crest product is billed as a “two way,” LHP/OF for the Mustangs. Reinhart saw his first collegiate plate appearance in the seventh and proceeded to launch a two run home run to left to put Stevenson up 12-3. He walked later in the game in what turned out to be a wild ending, but clearly made his presence felt for Stevenson who won 13-11 (Game Story and Box Score). Reinhart was 1 for 3 with an RBI on Sunday against the Lesley University Lynx (North Atlantic Conference) and also tossed a scoreless seventh with one walk and a strikeout in a 9-5 loss (Game Story and Box Score).

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AROUND THE HORN

Gage Miller, Alabama University (Palmyra ’21)  Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

The #17 Crimson Tide had a quick turnaround after a 3 win weekend, playing on Tuesday at home against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (Conference USA) and Wednesday against the Alabama State Hornets (Southwestern Athletic Conference). On Tuesday, Miller started a little slow, but joined a late Alabama offensive outback, launching his second home run of the season (Video), going back-to-back from the leadoff spot. Alabama won 6-1 (Game Story and Box Score). On Wednesday, Miller led off with a walk against Alabama State and contributed a bases loaded RBI single in the fourth, scoring on a subsequent next batter grand slam. Miller was hit by a pitch as Alabama poured it on, with Miller ending up 1 for 2 with two runs, an RBI, a walk and another HBP as Alabama cruised, 12-0 (Game Story and Box Score).  ‘Bama then hosted the Missouri Valley Conference Valparaiso Beacons for a weekend three game set. In game one on Friday, the junior 3B launched a three run home run to put Alabama up 6-0 (Video). He added a two RBI double in the fourth, finishing the game 2 for 4 with 5RBI and two runs as Alabama dimmed the Beacons, 14-2 (Game Story and Box Score). Game two wasn’t much different as Miller hit an 0-2 fastball for a lead off home run (Video). He added an RBI single later in the first and another in the third as the Crimson Tide rolled 13-3 (Game Story and Box Score). In the weekend finale, Miller did nothing to diminish his case for SEC Player of the Week, with his fifth HR (Video) of the young season, scoring three runs and driving in two. (Game Story and Box Score). Miller’s .433 average is good for second on the ‘Bama juggernaut offense. Alabama moved up one spot to #16 this week (Link).

Tyler Long, Mount Saint Mary’s University, (Annville-Cleona ’20) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

The Mount took on a mid-week matchup on Tuesday with University of Maryland (Big Ten). The Terps jumped all over the Mountaineers, plating six in the first and never really looking back. Long continued a run of bad luck, having a gapper run down by the CF and hitting an “at ‘em ball” on the nose to center. He was able to salvage his day at the plate, hitting singles in the sixth and the seventh, but the Mounts lost 13-4 (Game Story and Box Score). MSM then headed south to face the Richmond Spiders of the A10 with rain forcing games to a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday. Despite a 3 for 5 effort in game one, MSM fell to Richmond, 8-2. Long added another 3 for 5 game in game two, scoring twice and knocking in two, but the Mount’s lack of pitching was too much to overcome as the lost 7-6 (Game Stories and Box Score). Despite a hitless day in the finale 9-8 Mount loss (Game Story and Box Score), Long’s resurgence at the plate—predicted in this very column last week—has raised his average to a team leading .323.

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

Shippensburg’s relatively new turf field allows them to host games that other PA teams might not be able to, opening at home with a three game set this past weekend against PSAC West opponent Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats with a split Friday/Sunday schedule.  In game one, Baal walked twice as Ship needed eleven innings to secure the win, 8-7 (Game Story and Box Score). On Sunday, Baal put up a 1 for 2 game with a walk in game one. He was also 1 for 2 in game two, but added a sac fly and was hit by a pitch in an 8-4 Shippensburg win to complete the series sweep (Game Stories and Box Scores). Ship plays Holy Family University during the first weekend in March.

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

The Clarion Golden Eagles headed south again for a Friday doubleheader with Kutztown, which rain pushed to a 6pm single game start. The senior outfielder was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI, but Kutztown pounded Clarion, 14-4 (Game Story and Box Score).  Shugart was 1 for 5 with a walk in a 6-5 ten inning loss to Frostburg State (Mountain East Conference) (Box Score). and Goldey-Beacom (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference). Shugart had a hit in each game against Goldey-Beacom, as Clarion fell 9-1 in game one (Box Score) and 9-0 in game 2 (Box Score). Shugart leads the Golden Eagles in batting average at .304 and is second on the team in OBP at .407.

Amani Jones, Millersville University of PA (Cedar Crest ’20) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

By virtue of Molloy defeating Millersville on February 17, Millersville dropped from 6 to 7 and Molloy went from unranked to 15 in the newest National College Baseball Writer’s Association Poll (NCWBA D2 Poll). The Marauders headed to Glenville WV to face the Glenville State Pioneers (Mountain East Conference ), the D’Youville Saints (East Coast Conference), the University of Charleston Golden Eagles (Mountain East Conference). In Friday’s late morning match up, Jones notched an RBI single in the second and a stolen base as the Marauders defeated D’Youville, 5-3 (Game Story and Box Score). In a Saturday matinee complete with a snow delay, Jones smoked two doubles with two RBI as the Marauders crushed the host Pioneers, 18-1 (Game Story and Box Score). On Sunday, Jones was 1 for 4 with a stolen base, two walks, and a run as “The ‘Ville” defeated Charleston, 9-8 (Game Story and Box Score). Jones is currently hitting .308.

LebCo College Baseball Prospect Tracker: February 20, 2024

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

Following a snowed out weekend at home against Bloomfield, the Lock Haven Bald Eagles traveled to Wilson, NC to play in four games against two teams, playing West Virginia State (Mountain East Conference) and Jefferson (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference) each on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, the junior second baseman was in the middle of the action, with two hits in three at bats, a walk, was hit by a pitch, and knocked in two runs, but Lock Haven fell to WV State, 12-9 (Game Story and Box Score). The Bald Eagles fell again on Saturday, losing 6-0 to WV State, a game in which Neal was 1 for 2 with a walk an another HBP (Box Score). Neal was hitless in a 3-0 win over Jefferson on Saturday afternoon (Game Story and Box Score) and did not appear against Jefferson in a Sunday loss. Neal has a .308 average and .500 on base percentage.

Dylan Beard, Messiah University (Cedar Crest ’21) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Following a 2-1 split with Methodist University on President’s Day weekend, Messiah traveled to Covenant College (Lookout Mountain, GA) for a three game set with the Scots of the Collegiate Conference of the South. In game one, Beard was 0-3 in a game that saw Messiah with three hits over nine innings as Messiah fell in the opener, 6-2 (Game Story and Box Score). On Saturday, Messiah unloaded for thirty one runs over two games, crushing the Scots in Game 1, 19-7 and toping them in game two, 12-8 (Game Stories and Box Scores). In game one, the junior DH was 2 for 5 with RBI singles in the first and the sixth. In game two, playing 2B, Beard was 1 for 4, plating a run in the first with an RBI double and a sac fly in the fifth. Beard sits second in average and RBI for Messiah.

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

Snow rescheduled the Ducks visit to William Paterson University (Eastern College Athletic Conference) in Wayne, NJ to Thursday, February 22.  Following a quiet day at the plate for the senior 1B in a 3-1 win over the Pioneers (Game Story and Box Score) Stevens scheduled Sunday doubleheader against Dickinson (Centennial Athletic Conference) was canceled. They will face William Patterson again on Wednesday before games with Rutgers-Newark.

Brian Coburn, Lancaster Bible College, (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

The Lancaster Bible College Chargers opened up at home on Friday, February 23, 2024 hosting Penn State York (Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference). Despite some website confusion, Brian Coburn hit a HR and pitched two scoreless innings in a 12-3 win Game Story and Box Score)   LBC sees PSU Behrend (Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference), Dickinson (Centennial) and Hood (Mid Atlantic Conference-Commonwealth) before heading to Myrtle Beach.

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

Kepler and the Golden Eagles traveled to a rainy Cary NC to face a PSAC cross division foe, Kutztown University. Kepler was hitless in the Kutztown game (Game Story and Box Score).   and was 1 for 5 with a walk and an RBI in the extra inning loss to Frostburg. It was Kepler’s bases loaded walk in the tenth that gave Clarion a lead, but a two run single in the bottom half of the frame walked it off for Frostburg (Box Score). Kepler sustained an apparent minor injury in extra innings and did not appear in either Sunday game. Clarion hosts Lake Erie this weekend.

LebCo College Baseball Prospect Tracker: 2024 Season Preview

Thomas Zeigler, Messiah University (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Junior OF Thomas Zeigler entered game two of the three game set with Covenant College, playing left field. He scorched a ball off the third baseman’s glove and reached on an error. Messiah makes a Tuesday trip to Harrisonburg, VA to play Eastern Mennonite before a weekend trip to Randolph-Macon in Ashland VA.

Noah Gonzalez, Northampton Community College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

NCC added a last minute doubleheader with Kingsborough out of conference to replace in conference games against Atlantic Cape Community College which folded it’s program in the wake of a cheating scandal last year involving allegations of using illegal communication devices (Story here). Gonzalez walked in a game two 5-4 Spartan sweep of the thirteenth ranked team in the nation.

Deklyn Marks, Albright College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Following canceled games over President’s Day weekend due to Gallaudet shutting down their baseball program, the Lions traveled to DC to the Gallaudet Bison Classic on Sunday to face the Elmira College Soaring Eagles (Empire 8 Conference) and the SUNY Canton Roos (North Atlantic Conference). Marks was 3 for 5 in a game one win over Elmira, 14-3 (Box Score). Marks did not see action as the Lions crushed SUNY Canton, 17-6. Albright appears to be a program who is serious about rebuilding and could present as an upstart program in the MAC.

Brian Lowen, Central Penn College , (Northern Lebanon ’23)   Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

CPC traveled to Elizabeth City NC to visit the Mid Atlantic Christian University Mustangs for three games. Both schools are members of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). Central Penn competes in the Eastern States Athletic Conference and Mid Atlantic is part of the Eastern Metro Athletic Conference. While no stats are posted online, we were able to access GameChanger to grab some info. In a game one 14-9 loss, Lowen was hitless while starting at shortstop. Lowen had an RBI in game two as well as a walk. As data is uploaded, we will link box scores or game stories in future articles.

Jared Ecenroad, Delaware Valley University , (Northern Lebanon ’23)   Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

The Aggies visited the Rosemont College Ravens (United East) near Bryn Mawr, PA for a double dip on Sunday. Ecenroad appeared in both games, pitching a scoreless third of an inning in a 7-2 game one win. He also played LF and was hitless in one plate appearance in game two, a 7-1 DelVal win (Game Stories and Box Scores).

ON THE MOUND

Caleb Fisher, Chesapeake College (Palmyra ’22) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Sophomore LHP Caleb Fisher tossed a sparkling 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing no hits, three walks while striking out two, earning a No Decision. Fisher pitched in game two of a doubleheader in which the Skipjacks were swept by Delaware Technical Community College, 15-1 and 10-7 (Box Score). Chesapeake returned to action on Sunday, February 25, 2024 hosting Bergen Community College. Fisher allowed one earned run and struck out three, earning another no decision in three innings in a 14-10 loss to Bergen (Box Score).

Austin Beard, Northampton Community College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

The #12 Northampton Community College Spartans (NJCAA Region XIX) opened their 2024 campaign on Sunday against #13 Kingsborough Community College (NJCAA Region XV) on Sunday at East Stroudsburg’s home (turf) field, Creekview Park. Beard threw game one against the Wave. Working around a game time temp of 28 degrees and some miscues by the normally stout Spartan defense, Beard picked up the win scattering five hits over four innings with four strikeouts (Game Story and Box Score). Northampton heads to Myrtle Beach, SC this coming weekend for a ten game trip.

Riley Blatt, Penn State-Harrisburg (ELCO ’21) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

PSU Harrisburg bounced around this weekend, playing NC Wesleyan Battling Bishops (USA South) and the F&M Diplomats (Centennial Conference) on Saturday Rocky Mount NC before heading to VA Beach to play the New Paltz Hawks (SUNY Athletic Conference) and host Virginia Wesleyan Marlins (Eastern College Athletic Conference). Blatt allowed two unearned runs in one inning of relief in a 10-9 win over New Paltz (Box Score).

Jeremy Eck, Mount Aloysius College, (ELCO ’21) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Mt. Aloysius opened on Friday against Swarthmore (Centennial Conference) and Saturday against Montclair State (New Jersey Athletic Conference) and McDaniel (Centennial Conference) in Aberdeen, Maryland. The junior RHP was tagged with the loss on Saturday against McDaniel (Box Score).

Braden Collazo, Penn State-Harrisburg (Lebanon High School ’22) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Collazzo did not appear for Penn State-Harrisburg this week.

Bronson Coburn, Lancaster Bible College, (Palmyra ’23) Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Bronson Coburn did not see action in game one against PSU-York. He will likely throw this week as a starter.

Cameron Dubbs, Penn State Altoona, (Palmyra ’20)   Season Stats   Upcoming Schedule

PSU-Altoona opened this past weekend at Mary Baldwin (USA Conference). Dubbs did not appear for the Lions.

ROSTERED ROOKIES

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

Virginia Wesleyan stayed home this week to host St. Mary’s College of Maryland (Tuesday), Alfred State (Saturday), and doubleheaders with New Paltz (Saturday) and Penn State Harrisburg (Sunday). Byerly did not appear for VA Wesleyan.

Nick Pagano, Neumann University, (ELCO ’23)  Season Stats  Upcoming Schedule

Neumann headed to Methodist University in Fayetteville NC to participate in The Diamond Invitational, a round robin four team event featuring DeSales (Mid Atlantic Conference Freedom), Methodist (USA South) and PSU-Abington (United East Conference). The Freshman did not see any action this weekend.

Jordy Polanco, Lebanon Valley College, (Lebanon High School ’23)   Season Stats   Upcoming Schedule

The Flying Dutchmen baseball team chose a difficult path early in the season, heading to visit the #7 Shenandoah Hornets (Old Dominion Athletic Conference) for a Sunday doubleheader. Polanco did not see any action as Shenandoah showed why they are nationally ranked, beating LVC 19-1 and 18-6.

Robbie Best, CCBC Essex, (Palmyra ’23)   Season Stats   Upcoming Schedule

The CCBC Essex Knights (NJCAA Region XX) opened against Delaware Technical Community College (NJCAA Region XIX) in Georgetown on Sunday. Best did not appear in a 4-1 loss.

NOTES

• Bloomsburg (Jon LaBarbera) and York College (Jake Deimling) did not play this week.

FEATURED MOMENTS

Gage Miller (12) watches the celebration after he scored on a grand slam by TJ McCants (44).

Photo Source: Pair of Big Innings Power Baseball to 12-0 Win over Alabama State – University of Alabama Athletics (rolltide.com)

Tyler Long (20) clears the batter’s box enroute to first base in a mid-week loss to Maryland.

Photo Source: Baseball Challenges Richmond in Non-Conference Weekend Series – Mount St. Mary’s University (mountathletics.com)

Austin Baal “hits a cele” against Pitt-Johnstown on Sunday afternoon.

Photo Source: 2024 Baseball vs. UPJ (Gm 2-3) – Image 29: Austin Baal – Shippensburg University (shipraiders.com)