Beaver Baseball Team Wins PSUAC Championship

Butler, PA - On Sunday, May 2, the Penn State Beaver baseball team clinched the PSUAC Championship with a dramatic 6-5 win over Penn State Brandywine at Pullman Park, Butler. Beaver scored four runs in the final three innings to claim the crown. 

Beaver finished the tournament 3-0 and ended their season at 21-11 overall and 17-4 in the PSUAC. The conference championship was the first for new Head Coach Jack Hilfinger. 

The Beaver Nittany Lions found themselves in an early 1-0 hole after a half inning of play. However, Beaver responded in their half of the first as they led the inning off with two consecutive walks. After freshman Alex Fillipi (Center High School, Monaca, PA) stole third base, he scored on a fielder's choice tying the game 1-1. With two outs, freshman Tom Lewis (Hopewell High School, Aliquippa, PA) singled in freshman Marcus Allen (Union High School, New Castle, PA) to give Beaver a 2-1 advantage. 

The score remained knotted at one until Brandywine's Steve Cosgrove drilled a two-run homer over the left field fencing to bring the score to 3-2. 

Beaver hoped to do some damage in their half of the fourth inning as senior Greg Frederick (Quaker Valley High School, Sewickley, PA) led the inning off with a single, and Lewis followed with his own base knock. With runners on first and second, senior Joe Scherer (Quaker Valley High School, Sewickley, PA) singled up the middle and scored Frederick. However, Frederick was called out on a questionable appeal at third base, and Beaver didn't score as Brandywine regained the momentum.

Brandywine added two runs in their half of the fifth to give them their largest lead of the game, 5-2. Things looked bleak for Beaver as they considered having to play another game in the double elimination tournament, but Beaver rallied by scoring two runs of their own to close the gap, 5-4.

In the top of the sixth inning, Brandywine threatened to put runs on the scoreboard again, but freshman Ryan Hudacsek (Ambridge High School, Ambridge, PA) came in and squelched a Brandywine second and third rally by getting the final two batters to ground to third, keeping Beaver in striking distance. Beaver tied the game as senior Ryan Raraigh (Riverside High School, Ellwood City, PA) stroked a double down the right field line to tie the game, 5-5. 

Hudacsek pitched a brilliant seventh inning and kept Beaver's momentum going as they headed into the last half of the seventh inning. Beaver started the inning off with a walk by Frederick to get the game winning rally started. Lewis attempted to advance him to second with a sacrifice bunt, but Brandywine's hurler made a throwing error to put runners at first and second.

Scherer attempted to advance the runners with a sacrifice bunt of his own, but slid headfirst into first base to load the bases. Freshman Cory Wagner (Center High School, Monaca, PA) hit a game-winning opposite field single to left field, scoring Frederick and giving Beaver the 6-5 win.

In the game, Hudacsek picked up the win, allowing no runs and no hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief work. Lewis went 3-4 with two RBIs, Wagner and Scherer went 2-4, Frederick was 1-2 with an RBI and a run scored, and Filippi scored two runs.

As PSUAC champions, Beaver will head to the USCAA National Baseball Tournament, May 9-13, in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Beaver earned the # 5 seed; the schedule will be announced at a later date.