SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Both the Susquehanna University baseball and softball teams slipped in the standings last week as each was swept in a MAC Commonwealth Conference doubleheader. While the losses didn’t certainly help their playoff and possible title chances, both still remain very much alive but need to mount comebacks — beginning with home conference doubleheaders Saturday.
Now 8-9-1, 5-3 and in third place in the Commonwealth Conference, the baseball team returns to the Selinsgrove Area High School Baseball Field to host Moravian (10-14, 3-5 MAC CC) in Saturday’s 1 p.m. twinbill. Prior to that game, the Crusaders play a non-conference contest against the University of Scranton (8-13) Thursday at 4 p.m. at Lackawanna County Stadium in Moosic.
The softball team is 10-8 overall, 5-4 and tied for fourth in the Commonwealth Conference and will host Albright (9-5, 1-3 MAC CC) in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday, before finishing the second game of last Saturday’s postponed second game at Lebanon Valley Sunday at 3 p.m. Susquehanna won Saturday’s opener at Leb Valley (9-2) and had a 1-0 lead in the top of the third in the nightcap before rain halted play. The game will apparently begin where it left off Sunday. Prior to those contests, the Crusaders will play a non-conference twinbill at the University of Scranton (4-11) Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Crusader junior right-hander Kristen Hogan (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury H.S.) will try and make Susquehanna softball history in those games as she begins the week just 14 strikeouts shy of breaking the school career record of 323 by Judy Sholtis — a record which has stood since Sholtis last pitched in 1986. Hogan joined Sholtis as only the second Crusader pitcher to both win 30 games and strikeout 300 batters in her two starts last week.
THE BASEBALL REPORT
Susquehanna and second-year coach Tim Briggs (24-22-1, .521) lost both games of a doubleheader at Lebanon Valley last week — dropping the opener (8-11) Saturday, and then had the second game postponed by rain until Monday when they dropped the controversial decision (2-3). The Crusaders actually took a 3-0 lead into the top of the third of Saturday’s nightcap before rain halted play. The MAC requires all games which were not completed be replayed in their entirety. When the game was replayed Monday, Susquehanna squandered a 2-0, seventh inning lead — losing on a controversial “suicide squeeze” play at the end. Lebanon Valley did, in fact, score the apparent winning run, but when the other Dutchmen runners never tried to advance, Susquehanna threw down to second and on to first for a double-play which would have nullified that run and sent the game into extra innings. The umpires believed the game was over when the runner touched home and were already leaving the field when the Crusaders completed the play. Since they never saw the outcome, the run stood — and the Crusaders fell from a first-place tie to third and game behind both Widener (16-6, 6-2 MAC CC) and Juniata (19-6-2, 5-2 MAC CC).
Despite the setbacks, Susquehanna still ranks second in Commonwealth Conference team batting average (now .331) and fourth in pitching (now 6.13 ERA). The Crusaders are also the second-highest scoring team (7.5 runs per game) in the conference.
Offensively, senior designated hitter/first baseman Chad Walters (Oley/Oley Valley H.S.) has hit safely now in 12-straight games as he has taken a solid lead in the batting race with a .439 average (18 for 41) — ranking second in the Commonwealth Conference. Walters also has a team best six doubles to rank fourth in conference per-game average (now 0.40). Also with the top on-base percentage among the regulars with eight walks for a .531 clip, Walters has also gotten onto the field for the last three games at first base due to a severe hamstring pull by junior regular Lyle Hosler (Lititz/Manheim Township H.S.). He has fielded all 26 of his chances cleanly thus far for a perfect defensive slate. Walters will be student-teaching next fall and plans to remain with the program as an assistant coach.
Senior shortstop and starting pitcher Andy Berwager (Hanover/South Western H.S.) also has continued posting All-Star numbers. Already a MAC Commonwealth All-Star shortstop in each of the past two seasons, Berwager is second among the everyday players in hitting at .382 (26 of 68). His four home runs this season not on rank his first on the team, but tie him for first in the Commonwealth Conference in per-game average (now 0.22). Also with a team high 22 runs, the Crusader lead-off hitter has a pair of doubles and leads the squad in slugging percentage (.588) — also knocking in 10 runs. Berwager was 4 for 8 in the Lebanon Valley twinbill and was the “hard luck” loser in the second game on the mound. After retiring the first six batters, including a pair of strikeouts, in Saturday’s first two rain-nullified innings, Berwager came back to pitch six scoreless innings to start Monday’s make-up. While he eventually surrendered all three runs in the ill-fated seventh to take the loss, only two of them were earned. Berwager struckout five and walked just two as his record slipped to 2-3 with a 5.77 earned run average. He leads the team in strikeouts with 33 in 39 innings — ranking third in conference per-game average (7.62).
Junior right-hander Lee Rogers (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry H.S.) leads the team and Commonwealth Conference in strikeouts per nine innings, with 22 in 21 2/3 innings (9.36). He is also third in the conference in ERA with a staff low 1.66, tying for third in saves with a team best two. Rogers plays at short when Berwager pitches and is also hitting .385.
Senior rightfielder Denny Bowers (Westminster, Md./Westminster H.S.) is the final Crusader player ranked among the conference leaders — sitting fourth in RBI per game with a team high 19 (now 1.06). Bowers is batting .344 (22 of 64) with a triple and homer this season from his clean-up spot.
THE SOFTBALL REPORT
Sixth-year head coach Vince Anselmo (107-78, .578) had to watch his team squander a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh before losing in the eighth (3-4) of last Thursday’s opener vs. Elizabethtown. They lost the nightcap too (3-7). But Anselmo and his team pick themselves up to win a pivotal game (9-2) at Leb Valley Saturday to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
Hogan probably deserved to win both games last week, but had to settle for a 1-1 record and 1.87 earned run average with 19 strikeouts (8.87 per game) against just eight walks in the week. A pair of unearned runs turned a potential win into a loss vs. Elizabethtown, although she topped the 300-strikeout plateau with 11 Ks in that game. She came back to record her 30th career victory while pitching her ninth complete game in 10 starts this season with Saturday’s win at Lebanon Valley. In addition to ranking second in career wins (Record: 43, Sholtis, 1983-86) and strikeouts, Hogan is first in program history in career strikeouts per seven innings (6.91) and fewest walks per game (1.61). She also is third in career ERA (1.87), and fourth in winning percentage (.652, 30-16). This season, she ranks second in the Commonwealth Conference in strikeouts per game with 76 in 74 innings (now 7.19). She also tops the staff and is third in conference wins with a 7-4 record, also ranking second on the team in ERA at 2.74. Hogan has fielded all 25 of her chances without an error this season.
Senior captain and first baseman/outfielder Lisa Stack (Swoyersville/Wyoming Valley West H.S.) is also closing in on some school career records, ranking third in at-bats with 377 (Record: 424, Tennille Shenk, 1996-99), fourth in runs with 87 (Record: 100, Dina Fornataro, 1994-97), fifth in RBI with 57, tied for fifth in doubles with 15, and sixth in hits with 108. Stack had the best week at the plate with five hits (in 13 at-bats, .384) as she raised her average to .356 (21 of 59) with three doubles, a triple, 11 RBI and 15 runs scored. She is second on the team in runs, tying for second in RBI and ranking third in average.
Freshman shortstop/first baseman Shana Lalo (Bethlehem/Northampton H.S.) was 4 for 10 (.400) in the week and continues to lead the team in batting with .418 average (23 for 55). Ranked fourth in the Commonwealth Conference in batting a week ago, Lalo also tops the team in runs scored with 16, and is tied for the team lead in walks with eight to give her a team high .492 on-base percentage. She also has a pair of doubles and 10 RBI.
Sophomore third baseman Shelly Zimmerman (Denver/Garden Spot H.S.) has a nine-game hitting streak and is batting .352 with a team high six doubles — tying her for first in the conference last week (now 0.33 per game). #msf/2023#
