McKeesport, PA. – The United States Collegiate Athletic Association released their first Coach’s Poll of the Spring Season on Wednesday night and the Penn State Greater Allegheny Baseball team came in at #13 after an 8-8 start to the season. They have split their six conference games so far after sweeping PSU-Fayette and getting swept by PSU-DuBois while going 5-5 in non-conference play.
It has been an up and down season for PSUGA so far this season both in conference and out of conference. They started the season with their best spring trip in program history going 3-2 at the Cal Ripken Experience to get off to a 5-2 start to the season. However, they followed it up with an 0-3 weekend against Grove City and Wilson College and they moved to 5-5 heading into Penn State University Athletic Conference play.
They would once again get off to a hot start in conference play picking up a three-game sweep over PSU-Fayette where they scored a combined 22 runs to sit atop the PSUAC West Division. Then, they would go on the road and play three tough games against PSU-DuBois where they lost by scores of 6-2, 6-3, and 4-3 to fall to 3-3 in conference play.
The top half of the starting rotation has been a strength for PSUGA this season with Matt Smith (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) and Matt Givler (Coatesville, PA./Coatesville HS) combining to go 5-4 with a 3.52 ERA over nine appearances this season at the top of the PSUGA rotation. There success has opened the door for the offense and has allowed them to hit .302 and average 6.2 runs per game so far this season.
Leading the pack offensively has been Dylan Ernst (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) with a .455 average and 10 RBI so far this season. Ernst is in the middle of a stellar stretch that has seen him get a hit in 12 straight games dating back to March 5th against PSU-Schuylkill. He is on pace to set new career highs in batting average and RBI serving as the senior presence in the middle of the PSUGA order.
Behind him, Brian Koglin (Fox Chapel, PA./Fox Chapel HS) and Zack Craven (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) have also had career years as the big three run producers on the team. Koglin is tied for second on the team with a career high 13 RBI while hitting .422 with the one of the team’s two home runs. Craven just turned in his best week of the season going 6-7 at the plate with two RBI and reaching base in eight of his ten plate appearances. He has upped his average to .370 and sits fourth on the team with that mark.
PSUGA returns to action this weekend as they look to climb the ladder in the PSUAC when they take on PSU-Mont Alto in doubleheader action on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. followed by game two at 4 p.m.
