By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director
Scranton, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto baseball team adjusted to single-elimination style PSUAC Tournament beautifully and were crowned Penn State University Athletic Conference Champions on Monday evening for the first time since 2012. The Lions ousted PSU Brandywine shutting out the No. 1 seed 2-0 in the semifinal round and Spencer Meyers tossed a gem in the championship game as they topped PSU DuBois 4-1.
PSUAC Semifinals: Penn State Mont Alto 2, Penn State Brandywine 0 (F)
Lowell Singer turned in arguably his best performance of the season on the mound shutting out the No. 1 seed Brandywine and limiting them to six hits across seven innings. The sophomore hurler limited Brandywine to all singles and was able to strand two runners on base in the first, second and seventh innings. Singer also fanned four batters earning his fourth win of the season.
Mont Alto jumped out the 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Landon Richards led off the inning with a single through the left side of the infield and advanced to second on a Tyler Michaels wild pitch. Cory Chatfield did his job sacrifice bunting Richards over to third and the run was plated on a Colby Black fielder's choice. The Lions nearly added another run within the inning when Matt Taylor ripped a two-out single and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but Taylor ended up being stranded on second.
The Lions added the eventual insurance run in the top of the sixth. Tyler Martin ripped a double down the left field line and Jeremiah Younker singled to center field for his 31st RBI of the season, which ranks second in the PSUAC.
PSUAC Championship: Penn State Mont Alto 4, Penn State DuBois 1 (F)
Continuing the theme of outstanding pitching, Penn State Mont Alto starter Spencer Meyers (3-3) tossed a gem limiting DuBois to three hits across six and a third innings of work and he actually had a no-hitter entering the bottom of the sixth. Meyers was able to keep the DuBois hitters off balance all game long and Jeremiah Younker who struck out the final two batters of the game relieved him to earn the save.
Penn State Mont Alto picked up where it left off offensively, scoring first in the top of the first frame. Colby Black singled and advanced to second on a Matt Taylor sacrifice bunt and scored a batter later on a RBI single from Tyler Martin. The Lions made it 2-0 an inning later when they loaded the bases up and Matt Taylor drew an RBI walk.
The score remained the same until the sixth inning, when Mont Alto added to its lead plating home a pair of runs in the top of the frame. Joel Clabaugh led off the inning and reached base after an error by the DuBois first basemen. Landon Richards eventually drew a walk and he received a courtesy runner in the form of Brandt Swartz. Clabaugh and Swartz scored on a Colby Black double down the left field line. PSU DuBois scored its lone run in the bottom of inning on a Brandon Getting RBI double.
Mont Alto out-hit PSU DuBois 8-3 and chased their ace Alex Hart from the game as he only lasted three and two thirds. Colby Black and Brady Topper each had multi-hit games for the Lions as Black went 4-for-4 with a pair of RBI's.
With its pair of victories on Monday, Penn State Mont Alto has won five-straight and improved to 14-22-1 overall. The Lions are now slated to compete in the USCAA Small College World Series beginning Monday, May 15 in Glenn Falls, N.Y.
