By Steve Beard, LebCoSports Senior Baseball Contributor
“You can sum up the game of baseball in one word: ‘You never know.’”
-Joaquin Andujar
It’s almost May! The JuCo and D2 guys have one more week of regular season and the D1 guys have about a week beyond that before playoffs start. For our D3 guys, it’s playoff time. The regular season results give a home field advantage, but after that, the season is brand new. Polls don’t matter. Regular season records don’t matter. The final score of each game is what matters now.
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PLAYOFFS
You will find all the details on playoff schedules, when posted and available, in the article with each player. The links are dynamic, so keep coming back to find the updated results as they get posted.
Mid Atlantic Conference Commonwealth
May 3-4: (4) York at (1) Messiah (best of three)
May 3-4: (3) Hood at (2) Alvernia (best of three)
Winners play May 10-11 (best of three)
MAC Standings / MAC Commonwealth Bracket / MAC Commonwealth Playoffs
Mid Atlantic Conference Freedom
May 3-4: (4) DeSales at (1) Misericordia (best of three)
May 3-4: (3) Stevens at (2) Arcadia (best of three)
Winners play May 10-11 (best of three)
MAC Standings / MAC Freedom Bracket / MAC Freedom Playoffs
United East Conference Volt Division
May 3: (4) St Mary’s College of MD at (1) Penn State-Harrisburg
May 3: (3) Lancaster Bible College at (2) Penn State-Abington
Losers play at 9am; Winners Play at Noon
Double Elimination with winner advancing to face Skye Division Champion next week
United East Standings / United East Playoff Schedule
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
May 4: (5) Penn State-Altoona at (4) Alfred State
May 4: (6) La Roche at (3) Hilbert
May 9: (1) Mt. Aloysius vs Winner 4v5
May 9: (2) Penn State-Behrend vs Winner 3v6
AMCC Standings / AMCC Playoff Schedule
Old Dominion Athletic Conference
The ODAC has not posted their playoff bracket as of publication time.
FEATURED PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Jacob Deimling, York College of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Following a great freshman year, sophomore OF found himself in a reserve role in the 2024 season. With just seven at bats leading up to last Friday, Deimling was getting the occasional plate appearance. Hitting at the college level is hard enough with consistent plate appearances. It can be downright brutal trying to come off the bench. On Tuesday versus rv-Catholic University, he scored in the second and a third inning RBI single by Deimling put York up 5-0. However, York’s bullpen was not able to hold and Catholic took a 10-9 win (Game Story and Box Score). Deimling had the bookend of runs for York as the defeated Alvernia on Friday, with a bases loaded walk in the second to score the first run for the Spartans and notched a two RBI double in eighth to put York up 8-3 (Game Story and Box Score). York was shut out in game one Saturday, a game in which Deimling had a hit and a walk (Game Story and Box Score). With Eastern sweeping Stevenson, York needed to win game three and did so in the late innings. Deimling was 2 for 6 in a ten inning 10-8 win by York to clinch the four seed, setting up a three game set at Messiah (Game Stories and Box Scores). In the last seven games, Jacob Deimling has hit for a .400 average (8-20), with seven RBI, three doubles and two walks as he has emerged as a vital piece in the York Spartans offense. His average stands at .333 on the year.
MAC Standings / MAC Commonwealth Bracket / MAC Commonwealth Playoffs
Jacob Deimling in action for the York Spartans. /Photo Source: Cardinals Stage Big Comeback to Clip the Spartans – York College of Pennsylvania (ycpspartans.com)
Class of 2019/2020
Austin Baal, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’19) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
In a Friday split with Kutztown, Baal was 1 for 3 in each game, with RBI singles, and was hit by a pitch in game two as well (Game Stories and Box Scores). On a Senior Day sweep, Baal hit a two run home run to do most of the damage in an overcast and rainy 3-2 game two win (Game Stories and Box Scores). Ship has a pre-playoff tune up with Frostburg State as they wait for the rest of the PSAC playoff picture to get sorted. PSAC Standings
Austin Baal with family on Senior Day. /Photo Source: 2024 Baseball vs. Kutztown (Senior Day) – Image 13: Austin Baal Senior Day – Shippensburg University (shipraiders.com)
Brian Coburn, Lancaster Bible College, (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
A midweek game under the lights at Coupon Clipper Stadium, home of the Lancaster Stormers, was not kind to LBC or Coburn as they lost 20-6 to LVC (Game Story and Box Score). On Wednesday, Coburn’s sac fly and run scored helped LBC defeat Neumann, 8-6 (Game Story and Box Score). With their fifteen game conference schedule completed at the outset of the week, the Chargers finished their non-con schedule with Neumann, Cairn, and extra non-standings games against fellow United East program PSU-Abington. On Senior Day on Saturday, Coburn was 1 for 3 in a game one loss. In game two, Coburn was 3 for 5, with five RBI, driven in by a double and two home runs as they won 11-5 (Game Stories and Box Scores). The Chargers locked up the three seed and will face Penn State-Abington in round one of the playoffs. United East Standings / United East Playoff Schedule
Senior Day at Lancaster Bible College. /Photo Source: https://lbcchargers.com/news/2024/4/27/baseball-splits-with-abington-on-senior-day.aspx
Cameron Dubbs, Penn State Altoona, (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Senior RHP Cameron Dubbs pitched one inning of scoreless relief in a Saturday loss to Hilbert (Game Story and Box Score). The AMCC takes six teams with the top two getting a bye in round one. Altoona is currently in 5th place and plays #4 Alfred State on Friday. AMCC Standings / AMCC Playoff Schedule
Amani Jones, Millersville University of PA (Cedar Crest ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Millersville swept Shepherd on Friday. In game one, a 2-1 low scoring affair, Jones was 1 for 1 with a walk. He was hitless in game two (Game Stories and Box Scores). Rain moved the Saturday doubleheader to Sunday at Shepherd. Jones had a quiet day on Sunday, notching an RBI and a sac bunt as Millersville swept Shepherd (Game Stories and Box Scores). Millersville has one series left against West Chester, but appear to have regained the PSAC East top spot as ESU and MU have exact 21-5 records—for now. Since MU and ESU split their series, the next tiebreaker is “Record vs. conference division teams progressing down until the tie is broken.” (Rule 3.1.3.b PSAC Operating Code). This appears to mean that the next series with West Chester, winners of three of four against ESU this weekend, could break the tie. PSAC Standings
Christian Kreiser, Stevens Institute of Technology (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Senior 1B Christian Kreiser was 2 for 3 with two runs scored with two walks in a 15-3 rout of New Jersey City University (Game Story and Box Score). Kreiser was instrumental in a 4-3 win over #16 Misericordia on Friday as he was 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI and scored once (Game Story and Box Score). Misericordia swept the Saturday doubleheader as Kreiser was 1-3 with an RBI in game one and was 1 for 4 in game two (Game Stories and Box Scores). While Stevens still has two games this week on Tuesday, they are the three seed in the MAC Freedom and will play a best-of-three series at Arcadia.
MAC Standings / MAC Freedom Bracket / MAC Freedom Playoffs
Senior 1B Christian Kreiser puts a ball in play on Friday, April 26, 2024 at home versus #16 Misericordia. / Photo Source: Baseball Hands No. 16/21 Misericordia Their Second MAC Freedom Loss after 4-3 Win – Stevens Institute of Technology Athletics (stevensducks.com)
Jonathan LaBarbera, Bloomsburg University of PA (Cedar Crest ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Bloom traveled to Philly on Wednesday for a night game with Chestnut Hill. LaBarbera was 1 for 4 in the loss (Game Story and Box Score). Friday was Senior Day for the Huskies. The senior 3B hit a double, drew a walk, and scored twice (once on a wild pitch) as Bloomsburg won 6-4 (Game Story and Box Score). The Huskies dropped a pair on Saturday to Queens College on a day that LaBarbera tallied one hit in six at bats, one RBI and one run as well as getting hit by a pitch. Mathematically eliminated last week, Bloomsburg closes out the season with “Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness” on Tuesday at home with University of Pittsburg-Johnstown and a final series with Mansfield. PSAC Standings
Senior day at Bloomsburg on Friday, April 26, 2024. / Photo Source: Baseball Secures 6-4 Senior Day Victory Over Queens – Bloomsburg Athletics (buhuskies.com)
Tyler Long, Mount Saint Mary’s University, (Annville-Cleona ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Tyler Long was 1 for 4 with a run scored on Tuesday as the Mounts sunk Navy, 10-6 (Game Story and Box Score). The Mount continued their winning ways, trying to get hot to make a push for a playoff spot, sweeping a doubleheader against University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). In a 19-1 rout in game one, Long had a hit and scored a run. Continuing his assault on the MSM record book (Link) he added a run, a walk, a stolen base (now top 15), a sac bunt, and was hit by a pitch (all time leader at MSM) in a 9-5 win (Game Stories and Box Scores). They continued their winning ways on Friday, defeating Iona 6-0 with Long accounting for half the runs. His 2 for 3 day with two walks and 3 RBI led the Mount’s offense (Game Story and Box Score). On Saturday, his 2 for 5 day with an RBI groundout helped propel MSM to their fifth straight win, 6-5 over Iona (Game Story and Box Score). On base all day due to two hits and three walks (now 3rd all time at MSM with 81), Long scored four times (130 for his career, one behind the leader) as the Mount, essentially back from the dead, swept Iona and moved up two spots in the MAAC standings (Game Story and Box Score). The 2024 MAAC Baseball Championship is a six-team double elimination championship, that will take place at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY on May 22-25. The Mount is battling with Canisius, and Quinnipiac, for the sixth spot. MSM and Canisius might each control their own fate as they face off in the second to last weekend of conference play.
Kasey Shugart, Clarion University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Senior OF Kasey Shugart put up a 3 for 4 day with two RBI and swiped a base as Clarion fell to USCAA #1 Penn State- Dubois on Tuesday (Game Story and Box Score). The Golden Eagles traveled to Ohio on Wednesday and pulled off an upset against Division 1 Kent State, 10-5 (Game Story and Box Score). In addition to a 2 for 5 game, Shugart scored twice and drove in a run while stealing two more bases, including executing the front half of a first and third steal play that allowed his teammate to score. He also caught the final out of the game for Clarion (X Link). The senior OF continues to rack up late season highlights as his second hit of the day—on “Senior Day,” no less– was a walk off single that put down Gannon in game one on Friday 7-6 (Game Stories and Box Scores). His sac fly in game two plated fellow former Cougar Mason Kepler, but that was the only run in a 3-1 loss. The Golden Eagles split with Gannon on Saturday as well. He tallied three hits, a walk and a run in the two games (Game Stories and Box Scores). Shugart is writing his name in the Clarion record book (Link) as he is now the all time leader in at bats, is third in games played, second in games started, third in stolen bases, fourth in hits, and tied for ninth in walks. He should end up top ten in runs as well with five games left in the 2024 season. PSAC Standings
Kasey Shugart is mobbed following his walk off single on Friday, April 26, 2024 to defeat Gannon, 7-6. / Photo Source: Walkoff Win in G1 Highlights Baseball’s Senior Day – Clarion Athletics (clariongoldeneagles.com)
Class of 2021
Dylan Beard, Messiah University (Cedar Crest ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
On Tuesday, Messiah University tied the record for most wins by a Messiah University Baseball team since the 2005 (28-14-1) and 2008 (28-18) teams won 28 games, both of which included the postseason. Following a single in the first and RBI double in the 4th (Video), Beard laid down a bunt in the eighth and beat it out for a single (Video). He was eventually removed for a pinch runner who scored and Messiah took a 4-3 victory from Eastern Mennonite (Game Story and Box Score). With a magic number of one to clinch the one seed in MAC Commonwealth and a potential record setting 29th win, Messiah hosted Widener on Friday. Beard was 1 for 2 knocking in a run on a double, laying down a sac bunt in the second inning, and being the middle of a 6-4-3 double play (Video) (Video) to end a dramatic 10-9 come from behind victory featuring a two out eighth inning three run home run (Video) (Game Story and Box Score). On Saturday, Messiah swept Widener and eliminated them from MAC playoffs. Beard had two hits and executed a successful safety squeeze bunt (Game Stories and Box Scores). The Falcons added a game against Juniata on Monday and will host round one of the MAC Commonwealth playoffs, facing York, on Friday. MAC Standings / MAC Commonwealth Bracket / MAC Commonwealth Playoffs
Riley Blatt, Penn State-Harrisburg (ELCO ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Blatt did not pitch this week. United East Standings / United East Playoff Schedule
Jeremy Eck, Mount Aloysius College, (ELCO ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Junior RHP Jeremy Eck pitched out of the bullpen, throwing 2.1 innings and allowing only an unearned run, but Mt. A eventually fell to Penn College 11-6 (Game Story and Box Score). He also came on in relief on Wednesday, tossing 1.1 innings in a loss to PSU Altoona (Game Story and Box Score), as the Mounties were upset in a doubleheader conference sweep. The wins reinvigorated Altoona’s playoff hopes and brought Mount Aloysius down a notch from their top spot in the conference, setting up a potential tiebreaker situation with Penn State Behrend until Behrend won a game and tied a game on Sunday. “Mt. A” gets the winner of Penn State Altoona and Alfred State on May 9 in the double elimination championship round. AMCC Standings AMCC Playoff Schedule
Mason Kepler, Clarion University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Junior catcher Mason Kepler continues to battle minor injuries associated with the position he plays and has been recovering. He returned to his regular rotation, starting behind the plate on Friday in game two. He walked and scored on a sac by Kasey Shugart (Game Stories and Box Scores). He also caught in game two on Saturday and was 1 for 3, executing a double steal and bunting in a run (Game Story and Box Score). PSAC Standings
Gage Miller, Alabama University (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
On April 23, junior 3B Gage Miller walked and scored twice in a 14-5 non con win against Samford (Game Story and Box Score). Thursday’s 12-0 win against Ole Miss saw Miller with a double and a run scored (Game Story and Box Score). Despite losing 9-8 on Friday, Miller was 1 for 3 with a double and two walks, one intentional to load the bases, as SEC teams recognize how lethal his bat is (Game Story and Box Score). On Saturday, his solo HR in the third (Video with an awesome celebration in the dugout) tied the score and his RBI single in the eighth plated the eight run for the Crimson Tide enroute to a 10-3 win (Game Story and Box Score). I hope it’s not lost in the weekly entries just how special of a season Gage Miller is having. As of Sunday, he was third in the SEC in average (.386), tied for third in hits (66), second in runs scored (62) and hit by pitch (16), sixth in total bases (134), and seventh in OBP (.483), Slugging Percentage (.784), and HR (17) (SEC Stat Sheet April 28, 2024). These eye popping numbers in the toughest conference in college baseball lend credence to the ongoing theory we at LebCoSports have: it’s not a matter of “if,” it’s a matter of “what round.” The national press appears to concur as Miller comes in at number 80 on the MLB draft pipeline (Article). SEC Standings
Gage Miller puts the ball in play versus Ole Miss on Saturday, April 27, 2024. / Photo Source: 04-27-24 MBA vs Ole Miss – Image 14: Alabama baseball player Gage Miller (12) hits the ball against Ole Miss at Swayze Field in Oxford, MS on Saturday, Apr 27, 2024. – Alabama (rolltide.com)
Gavin Neal, Lock Haven University of PA, (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
The Lock Haven Bald Eagles returned to action on Friday after a ten-day layoff for a doubleheader promoting “Sexual Violence Prevention.” The junior 2B did not appear this week for Lock Haven. PSAC Standings
Dalton Reinhart, Stevenson University, (Cedar Crest ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Reinhart DH’d and was 1 for 3 with a walk in a midweek 2-1 loss game to Neumann at home (Game Story and Box Score). His solo home run in the fourth against rv-Catholic University was one of the few highlights for Stevenson in a 15-5 loss (Game Story and Box Score). Stevenson had an opportunity to play spoiler in the final conference weekend, but was swept by Eastern. In game one on Friday, Stevenson’s pitching was the culprit as they lost 10-2 on a hitless day for Reinhart (Game Story and Box Score). During Saturday’s doubleheader, the junior DH had a four hit day with two RBI and run scored (Game Stories and Box Scores) as Stevenson concluded their season. Based on his team leading .386 batting average and solid stat line, it’s likely you will read about Dalton Reinhart again in the next week or so a conference honors are announced. MAC Standings
Thomas Zeigler, Messiah University (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Junior OF Thomas Zeigler did not appear for Messiah this week. MAC Standings / MAC Commonwealth Bracket / MAC Commonwealth Playoffs
LebCo College Baseball Prospect Tracker: April 23, 2024
Class of 2022
Austin Beard, Northampton Community College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Sophomore RHP Austin Beard worked around an infield error, an infield hit, and a sac fly in the first inning on Saturday, only the second run he has given up in April, enroute to a dominating 12 strikeout complete game win over Ocean County Community College. He allowed one more hit and worked around two more infield errors, walking none (Game Story and Box Score). At the end of the weekend, Beard was tied for first in the nation in wins (9) and third in strikeouts (85) (NJCAA Stat Link). He is now tied for the single season win record at NCC with a 9-1 record. His 2.53 ERA is in the top 15 in the nation as well. Northampton lost game two and will likely drop from the top spot in the rankings. Region XIX Standings
Austin Beard takes the sign from his catcher on April 27, 2024 in Bethlehem, PA during a complete game win over Ocean County Community College. /Photo Credit: Jolene Beard
Braden Collazo, Penn State-Harrisburg (Lebanon High School ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Collazo did not pitch this week. United East Standings / United East Playoff Schedule
Caleb Fisher, Chesapeake College (Palmyra ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Chesapeake did not post Saturday or Sunday games by the time of our publication. Region XX Standings
Noah Gonzalez, Northampton Community College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Gonzalez appeared as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement in NCC’s 10-1 Saturday win over Ocean Community College (Box Score). Northampton was upset later on Saturday and will likely fall out of the top spot in the nation. Region XIX Standings
Noah Gonzalez of Northampton Community College with his parents on “Sophomore Day” at NCC on April 27, 2024 / Photo Credit: Jolene Beard
Deklyn Marks, Albright College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Albright has eclipsed the number of wins they had last year and has the most since 2018 (11). While there won’t be any MAC playoffs for Albright, they will extend their season one more week as they face Muhlenberg and Central Penn on a Monday/Tuesday slate. On Friday, Albright upset Hood 14-7 as Hood was looking to clinch the three seed. Marks had an RBI single in the second and the eighth (Game Story and Box Score). The Albright offense was much quieter Saturday, as Marks has one hit and scored a run in a doubleheader loss (Game Stories and Box Scores). MAC Standings
Class of 2023
Robbie Best, CCBC Essex, (Palmyra ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Robbie Best played first base and tallied his first collegiate hit in a loss to Marymount JV (Box Score). In eighth place, Essex appears to be in good shape to make the eight team playoff bracket that will start in the second full week of May. 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. The Marlins qualified for the Old Dominion Athletic Conference playoffs (Story). While the bracket and schedule was not posted a press time, the story indicates that they will travel to Roanoke for a three game series (May 3-5, 2024). ODAC Standings
Bronson Coburn, Lancaster Bible College, (Palmyra ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Freshman RHP Bronson Coburn threw three innings and struck out three to earn his third save on the season on Wednesday against Neumann (Game Story and Box Score).
United East Standings / United East Playoff Schedule
Jared Ecenroad, Delaware Valley University , (Northern Lebanon ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
As the Aggies play out the string, long eliminated from MAC – Freedom playoff contention, freshman infielder Jared Ecenroad collected an NCAA first, as he hit his first career home run (Video) against Alvernia on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, adding a second hit, scoring twice and knocking in two (Game Story and Box Score). In limited action as a first year, Ecenroad hit .364 with eight RBI in eleven games. MAC Standings
Brian Lowen, Central Penn College , (Northern Lebanon ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Lowen drew a walk on Tuesday in game one versus Williamson Trade School (Box Score). He was 1 for 3 with a run scored the second game (Box Score) of the doubleheader sweep (Game Stories). Lowen had two hits on a Friday sweep of Christendom at home (Box Score 1) (Box Score 2). Lowen had a hit and an RBI and a run scored in a Sunday sweep of Manor College (Box Score 1) (Box Score 2). Lowen is getting on base at a .404 clip this year. USCAA Coaches Poll
Nick Pagano, Neumann University, (ELCO ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Pagano did not appear this week for Neumann. Neumann is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention while they finish out their schedule this week. Atlantic East Standings
Jordy Polanco, Lebanon Valley College, (Lebanon High School ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Polanco did not pitch this week for LVC. LVC was eliminated from playoffs on Saturday. MAC Standings
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