SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Both the Susquehanna University baseball and softball teams may have gathered momentum for some big games this week as each had doubleheader sweeps a week ago in their first games since returning from their Spring Break trips.
The baseball team plays its home opener at the Selinsgrove Area High School baseball field Wednesday at 3 p.m. with a single non-conference game vs. Gettysburg (8-1), and then plays another non-conference contest at Dickinson (0-6) Thursday before coming home for a key doubleheader with defending conference champion Widener (9-3, 2-0 MAC CC) Saturday at 1 p.m.
The softball team hosts arch-rival Lycoming (6-3) in a rematch of last season’s MAC Championship Tournament game in Tuesday’s 3 p.m. doubleheader, and then will host Widener (6-5, 0-0 MAC CC) in its MAC Commonwealth Conference opener Saturday at 1.
The baseball team of second-year head coach Tim Briggs (20-18, .526) took some big steps last week as it took two at defending MAC Commonwealth champion Elizabethtown Saturday (13-2, 3-2) in the conference openers for both teams. Now 4-5 overall, the Crusaders upped their team batting average to .320 and scoring average to 6.4 runs per game as they ripped the Blue Jays pitchers for 16 runs on 21 hits. At the same time, the pitching staff got a pair of complete games from its two starting pitchers and gave up just an earned run in each game and lowered the staff earned run average to 5.19.
The Crusaders split with Widener a year ago in Chester — taking the first game 11-2, but being blanked 4-0 in the nightcap.
The Susquehanna softball team also scored a combined 16 runs on 21 hits in its non-conference sweep of York (Pa.) (8-2, 8-3) in last Wednesday’s home openers. The wins got the Crusaders over .500 for sixth-year head coach Vince Anselmo (102-74, .580), now at 5-4 for the season. In addition to the offense vs. York, the defense had just two errors while the pitching staff surrendered just a pair of earned runs in each game.
The Crusaders dropped a 2-0 decision to Lycoming in the winner’s bracket of last season’s MAC Championship Tournament on April 30. They also managed just a split at Widener (4-0, 6-7) a year ago.
THE BASEBALL REPORT
Senior Andy Berwager (Hanover/South Western H.S.) continues to lead the team in the early season — pitching the complete game, two-hitter to complete the sweep of Elizabethtown Saturday. Berwager gave up just one earned run while striking out three and walking four on the day as he improved to 1-1 — outdualing Elizabethtown’s sophomore right-hander Ryan Bowe. He lowered his earned run average to 4.34 with the outing, and now has a staff high 19 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings (9.2 per game).
Offensively, Berwager continues to lead the regulars with a .414 average (12 of 29) while compiling a .500 on-base percentage which includes a team best five walks from his lead-off position. A two-time returning MAC Commonwealth Conference Second Team All-Star shortstop, Berwager has just one error in 38 chances defensively this season for a .974 fielding percentage.
Fellow senior and left-hander Josh Shipton (Mifflinburg/Mifflinburg H.S.) pitched the complete game in the opener Saturday at Elizabethtown — giving up eight hits while striking out six and walking four. The win gave Shipton a team best 2-1 record while lowering his ERA to 3.68. He is second on the staff in strikeouts with nine in 14 2/3 innings (5.5 per game).
Offensively, junior transfer Lee Rogers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry H.S.) had the big day Saturday – going 4 for 4 with a run and an RBI in his first four at-bats this season. Rogers transferred to Susquehanna this year after stints at two schools, with Elizabethtown being one of them. Rogers played at shortstop while Berwager pitched the second game. He has also been one of the team’s top pitchers himself – sporting a team best two saves with a 2.89 ERA in three outings.
Sophomore third baseman Matt Springman (Montoursville/Montoursville H.S.) also broke out Saturday at the plate – going 3 for 6 with with a double, four runs batted-in and two runs scored. The big day lifted Springman’s batting average to .276 (8 for 29) with six RBIs and five runs scored.
Junior first baseman Lyle Hosler (Lititz/Manheim Township H.S.) is also a returning second-team All-Star who continues to be a steady producer. Hosler joined Springman as the two Crusader players who had a single and double in Susquehanna’s 12-run fifth-inning in the first game Saturday, with Hosler driving in three runs in that inning alone. Hosler has a team best .514 on-base percentage and is batting .370 (10 for 27) with a team high 11 runs scored – tying for the team lead in RBIs with eight. A runner-up for the 1999 Easton Redline Defensive Award by Collegiate Baseball magazine – making him one of the top seven defensive players nationally in Division III according to the publication – Hosler also has just two errors in 58 fielding chances for a .966 fielding percentage.
The team leader defensively thus far is sophomore catcher Travis Zook (Belleville/Indian Valley H.S.), who has a .981 fielding clip while throwing out five of 11 runners trying to steal on him (.455). Zook also lifted his batting average to .273 (6 for 22) Saturday, going 3 for 6 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored. He has scored eight runs this season and has an on-base percentage of .360.
THE SOFTBALL REPORT
Freshman first baseman/shortstop Shana Lalo (Bethlehem/Northampton H.S.) continues to lead the team offensively in her debut collegiate season – going 4 for 7 with three runs scored last week vs. York to lift her average to .444 (12 of 27). Lalo has five runs batted and scored seven times from the clean-up spot in the lineup. She also has just two errors in 52 defensive chances for a solid .962 fielding clip.
Sophomore third baseman Shelly Zimmerman (Denver/Garden Spot H.S.) had the big game in the first win over York last week, going 3 for 3 while just missing hitting for the cycle – needing the home run. Zimmerman drove in a pair of runs and scored two more in that game. She lifted her average to .400 (10 of 25) with four RBIs and six runs scored.
Lead-off hitter and freshman center fielder Teresa Ely (Montrose/Montrose H.S.) had three hits in the nightcap last Wednesday, and four in the twinbill, as she is now batting .375 (12 for 32) with her left-handed, slap-hitting style. Defensively, her speed has also allowed her to run down several balls in center, and she has committed just one error in her first 15 chances for a .933 fielding clip.
Yet another freshman, middle infielder Erin Nittinger (Montoursville/Montoursville H.S.) was 3 for 6 with a double last Wednesday – helping her knock in three runs while scoring two others. Nittinger is now batting .346 (9 for 26) in her rookie season, with a team high three doubles (0.3 per game). She has also walked three times for a .414 on-base percentage, and has four RBIs and six runs scored.
Among the pitchers, junior right-hander and two-time MAC Commonwealth All-Star Kristen Hogan (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury H.S.) had her typical solid outing in pitching the complete game, eight-hitter in the opener vs. York. Hogan struckout a season high 11 Spartan batters, walking just three, as she improved to a team best 4-2 while lowering her earned run average to 2.69. She remains second in career strikeouts at Susquehanna with 270 (Record: 323, Judy Sholtis, 1983-86) and tied senior right-hander Katy Alwine (Bethel Park/Bethel Park H.S.) for third in career pitching victories with 27 (Record: 43, Sholtis, 1983-86). She is also third in career ERA (1.76) and fourth in winning percentage (.659, 27-14) on the program’s all-time lists.
Alwine also had her best outing of the young season as she continues to battle back from missing preseason drills. While she didn’t get the win because she failed to complete the required four innings as a starter due to an academic conflict, Alwine gave up just one earned run on four hits – retiring the last six batters she faced. Also a two-time MAC Commonwealth All-Star pitcher, Alwine continues to lead the staff in ERA at 1.85.
