McKeesport, PA. – The Penn State University Athletic Conference announced their 2019 Baseball All-Conference players on Thursday, and a trio of Penn State Greater Allegheny players headline the list. Senior Dylan Ernst (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) received 1st-Team West All-Conference honors while junior Brian Koglin (Fox Chapel, PA./Fox Chapel HS) and freshman Jordan Williams (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) each received Honorable Mentions for their efforts this season.
It was another playoff year for head coach Kenny Creehan and his team as they made the playoffs for the sixth time in the last ten seasons. While the season was certainly full of it’s ups and downs, PSUGA kept battling through and clinched the #3 seed in the PSUAC West Division on the last day of the regular season when they swept Penn State New Kensington in doubleheader action.
Leading the charge throughout the playoff run, Ernst was the most consistent hitter for PSUGA throughout the season. In his final year in a PSUGA uniform, he led the PSUAC hitting .494, 37 points higher than the next closest hitter. He was also second on his team with 24 RBI and tied for second with his one home run. Ernst even appeared on the mound in one game this season where he threw 1.2 scoreless innings of work allowing one hit and walking three batters.
However, what Ernst is most known for is his season-long 24 game on-base streak that started back on March 6th in Myrtle Beach and lasted all the way up through the playoff loss to Mont Alto where Ernst went 2-3 with an RBI. It is the longest such streak by any PSUGA player in program history and something that Ernst takes great pride in knowing he is able to get on base and come through for his teammates.
Koglin and Williams are both first-time honorees earning Honorable Mention awards for their efforts this season. For Koglin, it was a breakout year where he set new career highs in every major offensive category. He led all PSUAC catchers this season with his career high .392 average and was second on his team in both on-base percentage (.511) and slugging percentage (.595). Koglin also finished tied for second for PSUGA with one home run and third with 18 RBI.
No one got off to a hotter start to the year then Williams when he picked up a hit in 16 of his first 24 at bats good for a .667 average through seven games. He would finish his freshman season hitting .322 with 13 RBI playing mostly at the top of the PSUGA batting order. Williams moved all-around the field this season seeing time at short stop, third base, center field, and pitching proving himself a versatile weapon for Creehan down the road.
It is the second time in Ernst’s career that he has won PSUAC All-Conference honors and the first time he has been a first-team selection. Last season, he was one of five PSUGA honorees and was named an honorable mention in the outfield. For Williams and Koglin, it is the first time they have both won All-Conference honors as they both continue to improve for next season.
PSUGA now heads into the off-season as Creehan looks to get his guys ready for an even better season in 2020 as they start a new journey for a PSUAC Championship.
