By Steve Beard, LebCoSports Senior Baseball Contributor
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Conference Accolades
Austin Baal was named First Team All-Conference PSAC East
Dalton Reinhart was named Second Team All-Conference as a DH
Dylan Beard was named Honorable Mention All-Conference at Second Base
In Progress Post Season Info
Millersville advances to Mid Atlantic Regional
Northampton Community College advances to Region XIX Final Four
May 17, 11am: (3) Brookdale at (2) Northampton
Penn State Harrisburg hosts an NCAA D3 Tournament Regional
Completed Post Season Info
Mid Atlantic Conference Commonwealth
(2) Alvernia defeated (1) Messiah two games to one
MAC Commonwealth Bracket / MAC Commonwealth Playoffs
United East Conference Finals
Keystone College swept #12 Penn State Harrisburg
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
(4) Alfred State defeated (1) Mt. Aloysius (11-2)
(6) La Roche eliminated (1) Mt. Aloysius (8-4)
Penn State – Behrend won the AMCC over LaRoche
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
May 8-May 11 at Slippery Rock University
(PSAC West 2) IUP eliminated (PSAC East 3) Millersville (6-5)
(PSAC East 4)- Shippensburg eliminated (PSAC West 1) Seton Hill (5-3)
Double Elimination in Round 2
(PSAC East 2)- West Chester defeated (PSAC East 4)- Shippensburg (10-8)
(PSAC West 2) IUP eliminated (PSAC East 4)- Shippensburg (10-8)
West Chester won the PSAC defeating East Stroudsburg
2023-24 PSAC Championships Schedule – PSAC (psacsports.org)
Region XX Playoffs
CCBC Essex eliminated Allegany College of Maryland
Garrett College eliminated Chesapeake College
CCBC Catonsville eliminated CCBC Essex
This concludes our coverage of Region XX
Region XIX Playoffs
Northampton CC defeated Salem CC two games to won
NCC advances to Region XIX Final Four (Double Elimination)
May 17, 11am: (3) Brookdale at (2) Northampton
Region XIX Playoff Information
FEATURED PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Austin Baal, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Palmyra ’19) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
In the same week he was named First Team All-Conference for the PSAC East, senior Austin Baal led the Raiders into the PSAC Playoffs, in which round one is single elimination. Because the prior game went fifteen innings, the Raiders and the Griffins waited until 10:30pm to start their 8:30pm game. Baal led off the top of the fifth with a double to right center and subsequently scored the first run of the game. His sixth inning single advanced a runner and his eight inning single gave Ship a 3-2 lead that the would never relinquish for a late night, 5-3 win (Game Story and Box Score). Ship didn’t wait long in game two, jumping out to a 4-0 lead over the West Chester Golden Rams, one run plated by a Baal RBI single, with the 1b scoring later in the inning. Following a brief rain delay, WCU unleashed a nine run inning to take the lead. Ship kept hitting, but lost 10-8 in a game that saw Baal go 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBI, including a ninth inning RBI single to keep the game alive, if only for one hitter (Video) (Game Story and Box Score). The Raiders run in the PSAC came to an end on Friday, as IUP defeated Shippensburg 3-2. Baal walked and hit a sac fly to plate a run for Ship, but the Raider offense fell a bit short. For the tourney, Baal was 5 for 11 with a two walks, three runs, and four RBI. Ship did not have a sufficient body of work to earn a regional slot and their season is over.
Austin Baal took “the JuCo Route,” coming from University of South Carolina – Union, and played one year at Middle Tennessee State. He then came to Ship with two years of eligibility and now leaves a huge void for Coach Matt Jones to fill. In 100 games played, the lefthander hit .320 (106-331) with 20 HR and 86 RBI with more walks (67) than strikeouts (57) with a 1.011 OPS, not to mention a mere five errors in over 750 chances, good for a .993 Fielding Percentage. I scrolled and found a handful of highlights from Austin Baal, including a couple of bombs (Video) (Video) and an absolutely insane defensive play that is an example of the player and person Austin Baal is (Video).
Shortly after 1am on May 9, 2024, Austin Baal (right) celebrates with Manheim Central grad Brady Harbach as Ship eliminated Seton Hill in the PSAC playoffs. /Photo Source: 2024 Baseball vs. Seton Hill (PSACs) – Image 13: Team Celebrate – Shippensburg University (shipraiders.com)
Class of 2019/2020
Amani Jones, Millersville University of PA (Cedar Crest ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Jones laid down a key sacrifice bunt that put two runners in scoring position, both of whom scored, but Millersville was eliminated in game one of the PSAC tournament at the hands of IUP, 6-5 (Game Story and Box Score). Despite losing five in a row, Millersville had enough of a body of work to earn a berth to the NCAA Atlantic Regional, their 11th straight trip, facing off on Thursday against Seton Hill at host site East Stroudsburg.
Tyler Long, Mount Saint Mary’s University, (Annville-Cleona ’20) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Riding a ten game wave with eight wins, the Mount locked up with Canisius in their second to last conference series. On a soggy Saturday, Long was 1 for 5 with a run scored, as the Mount won 7-1 (Game Story and Box Score). They split on Senior Day in Emmittsburg, winning 15-4 and losing 7-5 in the night cap. By virtue of their recent 7-2 conference record, MSM is in great shape for an MAAC tournament berth. In the game one win, the senior SS was 2 for 5 with a two run home run and was hit by a pitch, extending his school career record to 38. In game two, he was 1 for 5 as the Mount fell after a five run ninth by Canisius (Game Stories and Box Scores). With a record of 11-11 and one series left against St. Peters, the last place team in the MAAC (Standings), and 12-10 Canisius facing second place Niagara, there is a true path for Mount Saint Mary’s to finish with a top four seed after appearing to be dead in the water in mid-April. Long is now top three all time in walks (82), and nearing the top five in AB (623) and hits (188).
Class of 2021
Dylan Beard, Messiah University (Cedar Crest ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Messiah moved their Friday doubleheader to Saturday against Alvernia. Despite leading 4-1 in the eighth, the Falcons bullpen imploded and they lost 8-5 in 11 innings. Beard was 1 for 3 with a walk and was removed for a pinch runner who was subsequently doubled off second on a line drive (Game Story and Box Score). Messiah Athletics made the decision to push the rest of the series to Sunday as a drenching downpour soon entered the area. The doubleheader was moved to Lancaster to Clipper Magazine Stadium. On Sunday, the Falcons needed to win both games to secure a regional spot and the MAC Commonwealth Championship. Dodging several rain delays, Messiah split with Alvernia to finish as runner up. In game one, Beard was 3 for 5 with a bases loaded two run single (Video) to put Messiah up 7-5 in a game that they won 10-5. He finished that game with three RBI and a run. In the game two loss, Beard had one of Messiah’s four hits with a two out RBI Single (Video) to tie the game in the sixth, but the Falcons’ magic ran out (Game Stories and Box Scores), as the junior DH finished the two playoff series batting .435 (10-23) with five runs, eight RBI and a dramatic three run home run against York.
Despite an historic season that saw them set program records in wins with 35 as well as team home run and strike out records, Messiah did not have enough RPI and strength of schedule numbers to take an at-large berth to the D3 tournament. Beard received Honorable Mention accolades as a second baseman and finished with a .329 average, 11 doubles, three home runs, thirty seven RBI and 34 runs scored, walking more times (19) than striking out (17) to go along with a .965 fielding percentage. Beard will play for the Waccamaw Waves in the Beach Collegiate Baseball League in Myrtle Beach, SC, in the month of June (League Website).
Riley Blatt, Penn State-Harrisburg (ELCO ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Blatt did not pitch this week for #12 Penn State Harrisburg. PSU was swept by Keystone College who won their nineteenth consecutive conference title. The Lions body of work afforded them an at large berth to Regionals. Penn State Harrisburg will host a regional after receiving an at large bid.
Jeremy Eck, Mount Aloysius College, (ELCO ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Mt. Aloysius returned to action as the one seed in the double elimination AMCC tournament. Eck did not pitch as the Mounties went “two and out,” losing to Alfred State and La Roche.
Gage Miller, Alabama University (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Fully healthy following a bout of food poisoning that sidelined most of the Crimson Tide, Miller was 1 for 3 with two walks and a run scored as #22 Alabama defeated #21 Troy, 7-6 in a mid week match up (Game Story and Box Score). In a wild Friday night walk off win against LSU, Miller had an RBI single to set up the eventual winning rally, bringing the Crimson Tide to within one run in the bottom of the eighth. In game one he was 1 for 4 with a walk (Game Story and Box Score). He drew two walks in a 6-3 Saturday loss (Game Story and Box Score).
Thomas Zeigler, Messiah University (Palmyra ’21) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Junior OF Thomas Zeigler did not appear for Messiah this week.
LebCo College Baseball Prospect Tracker: May 7, 2024
Class of 2022
Austin Beard, Northampton Community College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
In game one of the regional play in versus Salem, Beard toed the rubber for the first time in fourteen days. He mitigated around nine hits and allowed five earned runs, striking out eight, earning a no decision in a NCC loss. The Spartans unloaded in game two, mercy ruling the Mighty Oaks 14-2, and forced a Sunday rubber match for a spot in the Region XIX Final Four. NCC took the long road, coming back from a 12-6 deficit to win the finale 16-12. The Spartans will face Brookdale at Rowan College South Jersey-Cumberland on Friday at 11am. Region XIX Standings
Braden Collazo, Penn State-Harrisburg (Lebanon High School ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Collazo did not pitch this week. PSU was swept by Keystone College who won their nineteenth consecutive conference title. The Lions body of work afforded them an at large berth to Regionals. Penn State Harrisburg will host a regional.
Caleb Fisher, Chesapeake College (Palmyra ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
On Tuesday, Caleb Fisher entered in relief after the starter gave up five runs early, to stave off a single elimination play in game loss. Fisher mitigated around four hits and a couple walks and did his job, allowing one unearned as Chesapeake chipped away at Garrett College’s lead. However, the 5-2 Garrett lead turned into a 12-2 Garrett win (Box Score). Fisher led the Skipjacks staff in innings pitched (63.2), was second among qualified pitchers in ERA (2.97) and was tied for first in wins (4). We anticipate to track him again in 2025 at a four year school.
Noah Gonzalez, Northampton Community College (Cedar Crest ’22) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Gonzalez did not appear this week for NCC. The Spartans will face Brookdale at Rowan College South Jersey-Cumberland on Friday at 11am.
Class of 2023
Robbie Best, CCBC Essex, (Palmyra ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
CCBC Essex won one play in game but could not convert the second one and bowed out of Region XX playoffs. As a freshman, Best collected his first collegiate hit this year in limited playing time.
Brian Lowen, Central Penn College , (Northern Lebanon ’23) Season Stats Upcoming Schedule
Lowen entered as a pinch runner as CPC knocked off Williamson Trade School for the Eastern State Athletic Conference Championship (Game Story and Box Score). Somewhat surprisingly, the Knights were not awarded with a berth to the USCAA Small College World Series May 13-17, 2024 in Dubois PA (CWS Preview). A freshman, Lowen appeared in 25 games for the Knights, with a .446 on base percentage and 12 stolen bases.
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