By Steve Beard, LebCoSports Senior Baseball Contributor
As the regular season begins to wind down, I’m moving some thing around this week. Every player has their conference standings, where applicable, at the end of their entry. All the polls are moved to the end of the article because they’ve become less relevant, for now, to determine playoff scenarios.
All of this allows us to focus a little more clearly on the players as May approaches. In addition to the rigors of college baseball, there are finals to be taken, belongings to be packed, and goodbyes to be said. There are several players who are likely looking in the mirror, wondering where that wide-eyed freshman is who still hadn’t gone to a captain’s practice or ate pizza on the team bus or saw and heard some things that only players know that are part of the “code of the road.” Still others have to manage moving dorms after finals and during playoffs while staying on top of hitting an 0-2 slider or throwing a 3-1 strike to fulfill the mission of competition.
What these guys do on a day in and day out basis truly is remarkable. It is an honor to chronicle this part of their baseball career.
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FEATURED PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Jonathan LaBarbera, Bloomsburg University of PA (Cedar Crest ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Labarbera returned to the lineup in a doubleheader sweep by West Chester. He knocked in a run on a sac fly in game one to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead in an eventual 9-3 loss. He was 1 for 2 with a run scored and a walk in a more competitive game two 6-5 loss (Game Stories and Box Scores). LaBarbera tallied a walk and one of three hits in game one for Bloom vs #13 East Stroudsburg, a 7-0 loss. He also had a hit in game two, a 1-0 loss (Game Stories and Box Scores). LaBarbera had a hit on Sunday, but the Warriors rolled over the Huskies to complete the sweep (Game Stories and Box Scores). Here’s another guy who missed his senior year of high school baseball in 2020, but endured as a college baseball player in one of the toughest D2 conferences in the nation, putting up a .382 OBP for his career. After battling some nagging injuries, his junior season saw him hit .296 with five bombs and a .410 OBP once he was finally healthy in 2023. LaBarbera is a Business Management major at Bloomsburg. PSAC Standings
Jon LaBarbera in action for the Bloomsburg Huskies. /Photo Source: Baseball vs Lock Haven – Image 9: Jon LaBarbera – Bloomsburg (buhuskies.com)
Class of 2019/2020
Austin Baal, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’19) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Shippensburg hosted #6 Millersville for the opening series doubleheader on Friday. Baal had two hits on the day, as Ship dropped a pair, both by the score of 2-1 (Game Stories and Box Scores). The Raiders returned the favor on Saturday, sweeping 5-0 and 5-2. Baal provided a ton of offense in game one, hitting a solo shot in the second and a three run job in the fifth, for a line of 2 for 3 with two runs scored and four RBI. He added a 1 for 2 with two walks in game two (Game Stories and Box Scores). The series split puts Shippensburg in a great spot for the four seed from the East. PSAC Standings
Brian Coburn, Lancaster Bible College, (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Down 5-2 in the third, Lancaster Bible College put up fourteen runs in the third and another fifteen more runs to win by an eye-popping 31-10 over the University of Valley Forge. Coburn was on a rest day and walked and scored a run (Game Story and Box Score). Coburn was 2 for 3 with a late inning RBI single to help upend Mount Aloysius (Game Story and Box Score). Coburn had a walk in a win over Lycoming on Saturday (Box Score). United East Standings
Cameron Dubbs, Penn State Altoona, (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Cameron Dubbs three 3.1 scoreless innings, striking out four as Altoona defeated Pitt-Greensburg on Tuesday (Game Story and Box Score). He had a challenging outing on Saturday versus Penn State Behrend, allowing five runs (Box Score). AMCC Standings
Amani Jones, Millersville University of PA (Cedar Crest ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
On Friday, Jones was 1 for 3 with a run scored in a tight 2-1 win over Shippensburg in game one of a doubleheader. Jones was 1 for 2 with a walk in an identically scored 2-1 win in game two (Game Stories and Box Scores). On Saturday, it was Ship with the stingy pitching. Jones was hit by a pitch and scored in game two, but Ship swept Saturday 5-0 and 5-2 (Game Stories and Box Scores). PSAC Standings
Christian Kreiser, Stevens Institute of Technology (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Senior 1B Christian Kreiser hit an RBI single in the first inning and subsequently scored to give the Ducks an early lead on Tuesday. He scored again in the second as Stevens ran the score to 15-1 before holding on for a 15-8 win over University of Mount Saint Vincent (Game Story and Box Score). Stevens started off the weekend nicely with a 7-2 win over FDU-Florham. Kreiser was hitless in that game but drew three walks, stole a base, and scored a run (Game Story and Box Score). Saturday was a different story as FDU-Florham pulled an upset doubleheader sweep. Kreiser was 1 for 3 with a walk, a run scored, and a triple in game one (Box Score). He was 1 for 4 with a walk in game two (Box Score). Stevens, LVC, and DeSales are still battling for the fourth playoff slot with one conference series remaining. Stevens has #19 Misericordia in the final weekend of conference play. MAC Standings
Tyler Long, Mount Saint Mary’s University, (Annville-Cleona ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Tyler Long had one hit in five trips to the plate, walking twice, tying him for fifth all time at MSM, and scoring once, swiping a base in the process, but the Mount lost 8-5 (Game Story and Box Score). Long already holds the record for most times hit by pitch at MSM and has entered the top 15 in base hits. Long walked on Friday in a 6-3 win over Fairfield (Game Story and Box Score). Long knocked in two runs in an ugly 24-13 loss to Fairfield (Game Story and Box Score). Long was 1 for 3 with a run scored as MSM dropped game three to Fairfield on Sunday (Game Story and Box Score). The Mount needs to leverage favorable upcoming series with Iona, Canisius, and St. Peter’s and try to pull an upset on Rider if they hope to play beyond the regular season. MAAC Standings
Kasey Shugart, Clarion University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Kasey Shugart added to his impressive body of work in his senior season on Tuesday, with a 2 for 4 day, scoring a run and walking once as Clarion won their sixth in a row over Penn State – Dubois (#1 ranked USCAA), 3-1 (Game Story and Box Score). The Golden Eagles were swept on Friday and Saturday by Seton Hill. Shugart scored to tie the game at one in the second and his fourth inning RBI single put Clarion ahead in game two, but they would eventually fall 3-2 (Game Stories and Box Scores). He again tied the score with an RBI single in game two Sunday, but the result was the same for Clarion (Game Stories and Box Scores). With three non-conference games and two PSAC series left, the senior outfielder remains at the top of the stat charts for Clarion as he finishes off an excellent body of work in one of the toughest Division II conferences in the country. PSAC Standings
Class of 2021
Dylan Beard, Messiah University (Cedar Crest ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
In a wild 17-14 Tuesday non-conference loss to Lebanon Valley College in Grantham, Beard was 1 for 3 with a double, two walks and three runs scored (Game Story and Box Score). Messiah entered the weekend against Stevenson with a magic number of 5 for them to clinch the one seed over Alvernia. As Messiah would subsequently sweep the weekend against the Mustangs and Alvernia would lose one of three to Widener, the Falcons have a magic number of “1” to clinch home field advantage throughout the MAC Commonwealth playoffs. On a cold and rainy Friday, Beard was 2 for 4 with a triple, the first of his NCAA career, and a double with an RBI as Messiah won 12-5 (Game Story and Box Score). Saturday’s game one was an identical score and result, as Beard was 1 for 3 with three runs scored. Despite being hitless in game two, his RBI groundout gave Messiah an early insurance run before the junior 2B swiped two bags, his eighth on the season and a career high (Game Stories and Box Scores). Messiah has one non-conference (Eastern Mennonite at home on Tuesday), a three game conference series (Widener), and an as-yet unscheduled 40th game before playoffs as they look the win their 29th game as the Messiah team with the most wins ever. One of those teams, 2005, featured Messiah Baseball’s most famous alumnus, Chris Heisey, the only Falcon to play MLB. MAC Standings
Dylan Beard hits a single to the right side on April 20, 2024 as Messiah University defeated Stevenson University in Grantham, PA. /Photo Credit: Dave Dellinger
Riley Blatt, Penn State-Harrisburg (ELCO ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Blatt pitched a scoreless inning in relief as PSU Harrisburg pummeled LVC, 20-0, on Wednesday (Box Score). United East Standings
Jeremy Eck, Mount Aloysius College, (ELCO ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Jeremy Eck scattered five hits over five innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out one in a mid-week visit to Lancaster Bible College. He took the loss in a 6-4 game (Game Story and Box Score). AMCC Standings
Mason Kepler, Clarion University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Junior catcher Mason Kepler was 1 for 3 on Friday game one as Seton Hill swept the Golden Eagles (Game Stories and Box Scores). Kepler drew a walk on Saturday as the Griffins completed the four game sweep (Game Stories and Box Scores). PSAC Standings
Gage Miller, Alabama University (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Junior 3B Gage Miller led off the bottom of the first with a home run on Tuesday, his 15th on the season, to draw the #14 Crimson Tide to within one run against The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Miller was subsequently plunked twice as Alabama fell to UAB, 5-2 (Game Story and Box Score). Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Gage Miller hit a home run for Alabama (Video) in the third of game one on Friday. Alabama was ultimately swept in the Friday doubleheader (Game Stories and Box Scores) and Miller’s on base streak ended in game two at 37 games. On Saturday, the Crimson Tide upset the #1 team in the nation, Texas A&M, one week after taking down then #1 Arkansas. Miller started his next on base streak, and, unsurprisingly, hit a home run, enroute to a 2 for 5 day (Game Story and Box Score). This HR, his seventeenth of the season (Video) tied the game at eight in the sixth inning. At the end of the weekend, Miller’s .394 average ranked 4th in the SEC. He leads the conference in HBP and is tied for third in hits. SEC Standings
Gavin Neal, Lock Haven University of PA, (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Gavin Neal was back in action this week entering late in a 10-5 loss to University of Pitt-Johnstown, scoring once after a base on balls (Game Story and Box Score). Lock Haven was off the rest of the week. PSAC Standings
Dalton Reinhart, Stevenson University, (Cedar Crest ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Stevenson hung with #5 Salisbury through six-and-a-half innings, as junior DH Dalton Reinhart was 2 for 5 with a stolen base and a run scored. The Seagulls pulled away late, putting down the Stevenson Mustangs, 12-7 (Game Story and Box Score). Stevenson hosted Messiah on Friday in a rainy and cold afternoon set and Reinhart met up with former Falcon teammate Dylan Beard. The Messiah Falcons got the better of the day, winning 12-5 with Reinhart notching a single in four plate appearances (Game Story and Box Score). He had a second hit, but was robbed by Messiah SS Nick Moyer on as fine a play as you will see (Video). On a much nicer Saturday, Messiah took game one by the same score. Reinhart hit his second home run of the year as one of the Mustangs’ few offensive highlights. He hit a single in game two (Game Stories and Box Scores). Stevenson visits Catholic University on Wednesday before their final series against Eastern. MAC Standings
Former Cedar Crest High School teammates Dalton Reinhart (left) from Stevenson University and Dylan Beard from Messiah University on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Grantham, PA during a conference doubleheader. /Photo Credit: Angie Reinhart
Thomas Zeigler, Messiah University (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
The junior RHP/OF did not see action this week for Messiah University. MAC Standings
LebCo College Baseball Prospect Tracker: April 16, 2024
Class of 2022
Austin Beard, Northampton Community College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
On the heels of rising to the #1 spot in D3 JuCo, NCC could have been due for a letdown game amidst a twelve game winning streak. Down 5-1 in the sixth, they touched up Lehigh Carbon Community College’s bullpen for eleven runs, five of which they handed back in the bottom of the frame. After LCCC tied it up at 12 in the eighth, NCC got out of a runner on third jam bottom of the ninth to force extras. After scoring three in the top of the tenth, Coach Adrian Yaguez summoned RHP Austin Beard from the bullpen. Following a lead off double, Beard struck out the three, four, and five hitters to pick up his second save of the year (Game Story and Box Score). On Saturday, Beard broke the record for strikeouts in a single season for the Spartans, notching #71 in the fourth inning (Video). By virtue of a 14-4 win (Game Story and Box Score)–with a stat line of 5ip, one unearned run, two hits, two walks, and six strikeouts—the sophomore RHP moved to 8-1 (tied for first in the nation) with seventy three strikeouts (fourth in the nation) as he continues his assault on the NCC Record Book with a 12-3 record and 104 strikeouts. Northampton has ripped off eighteen wins in a row and has tied the NCC team with the most wins (37) with eight games remaining in the regular season. Region XIX Standings
Social media graphic showcasing Austin Beard breaking the Northampton Community College Baseball record for most strikeouts in a season. After establishing a new record of 71, the current record is 73. Beard likely has two regular season starts and as many post season starts remaining. Graphic courtesy of Northampton Community College Sports Information.
Braden Collazo, Penn State-Harrisburg (Lebanon High School ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Sophomore LHP Braden Collazo pitched two thirds of an inning of scoreless relief as PSU Harrisburg completed the sweep over PSU Abington (Game Story and Box Score). United East Standings
Jacob Deimling, York College of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
On Saturday, Deimling entered as a pinch hitter as York was attempting a comeback against Hood. He singled and scored, but Hood prevailed 3-2. He was unable to convert a pinch hit appearance in game two and Hood shocked York with a series sweep (Game Stories and Box Scores). Deimling was again called on to pinch hit and hit a double down the right field line, knocking in two as York fell to Dickinson, 7-4 (Game Story and Box Score). York is in the throes of a seven game losing streak and have only won twice in the last thirteen games. If they would be swept by Alvernia this coming weekend, their playoff hopes would be in jeopardy. MAC Standings
Caleb Fisher, Chesapeake College (Palmyra ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Due to a late posting of a box score, our column last week indicated that Fisher did not pitch for that week. On April 14, 2024, Caleb Fisher did indeed throw against #9 Frederick Community College. In that game, the lefty allowed one run on four hits and struck out two over five innings, but the Skipjack offense was no match for the FCC Cougars pitching staff, as Chesapeake lost 6-1 (Box Score). Fisher was victimized by multiple errors, allowing six runs, only one of which was earned as the Skipjacks fell to Anne Arundel CC, 6-3 (Box Score). Region XX Standings
Noah Gonzalez, Northampton Community College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Gonzalez was the DH for NCC against Rowan College of South Jersey – Cumberland on Friday (Box Score). He pinch hit and tagged a line drive that didn’t fall on Saturday in game one (Box Score). He was called on to pinch run on Sunday (Box Score). Region XIX Standings
Deklyn Marks, Albright College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Marks appeared as a defensive replacement on Friday (Game Story and Box Score) as Albright was swept by Eastern (Game Stories and Box Scores). MAC Standings
Class of 2023
Robbie Best, CCBC Essex, (Palmyra ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Best did not play for CCBC Essex this week. Region XX Standings
Dylan Byerly, Virginia Wesleyan University, (Northern Lebanon ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Byerly did not see action this week for VA Wesleyan. ODAC Standings
Bronson Coburn, Lancaster Bible College, (Palmyra ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Bronson Coburn took an inning in the outfield and an at bat in a 31-10 pounding against University of Valley Forge (Game Story and Box Score). Coburn returned to the much more familiar pitcher’s mound on Wednesday as he threw 1.1 scoreless innings, striking out three and earning a save against Mount Aloysius (Game Story and Box Score). Coburn entered in relief on Saturday against Lycoming and pitched three scoreless innings of relief in a 7-4 win (Box Score). Coburn has put up consistent numbers and is currently leading the Chargers in ERA (2.81) and appearances (14). United East Standings
Jared Ecenroad, Delaware Valley University , (Northern Lebanon ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Freshman 3B Jared Ecenroad DH’d for DelVal as they faced off with Clarks Summit in a mid-week non-conference game. He was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored in an 18-14 Aggies victory (Game Story and Box Score). MAC Standings
Brian Lowen, Central Penn College , (Northern Lebanon ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Freshman infielder Brian Lowen drew a walk in a split doubleheader against Lehigh Carbon Community College (Game Stories). He drew a walk and scored a run in a 9-7 victory over PSU Brandywine on Wednesday (Box Score). Sunday’s games have not been uploaded as of publication time.
Nick Pagano, Neumann University, (ELCO ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Pagano did not appear this week for Neumann. Atlantic East Standings
Jordy Polanco, Lebanon Valley College, (Lebanon High School ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Polanco did not pitch this week for LVC. MAC Standings
Rankings
April 22, 2024
April 17, 2024
April 16, 2024
April 22, 2024
April 22, 2024
April 17, 2024
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