Penn State DuBois senior centerfielder Brett Beith watches a pitch come in and begins his stride during a recent game at Showers Field in DuBois.
DuBOIS, Pa. – The baseball and softball teams at Penn State DuBois both had a busy week of action last week, including the home opener for the Nittany Lions and Lady Lions. With the spring season now in full swing, games are coming fast and frequent for both teams.
On the softball diamond, the Lady Lions welcomed St. Vincent College to open the home portion of the schedule, playing a double header on March 12. In game one, DuBois faced a tough loss on their home turf as Saint Vincent secured a 7-2 victory.
Despite a valiant effort from the Lady Lions, they struggled to contain Saint Vincent's offensive prowess throughout the game. Kelsey Stuart took the mound for Penn St.-DuBois but faced a challenging outing, giving up seven runs on seven hits over 3.1 innings. Aleigha Geer stepped in to relieve Stuart, allowing three additional runs over 3.1 innings.
DuBois did showcase some bright spots, with Stuart showing resilience in the circle, striking out five batters. Makena Baney contributed a hit and scored a run, while Natalie Bowser also tallied a hit for the team. Despite their efforts, Penn St.-DuBois couldn't overcome Saint Vincent's strong pitching and defense.
In game two, a hard-fought battle at Heindl Field, Saint Vincent emerged victorious with a 7-5 win over DuBois.
Despite the loss, the Lady Lions showcased resilience and determination throughout the game. Bowser led the offensive charge for DuBois, going 3-for-3 with a double and driving in two runs. Morgan Wolf and Paige Pleta also contributed with crucial hits, each tallying an RBI.
On the mound, Megan Hyde and Geer shared pitching duties for DuBois. Hyde started the game, facing a tough Saint Vincent lineup, while Geer entered in relief and battled through the remaining innings.
However, Saint Vincent's offense proved to be too much to handle for the Lady Lions. Mackenzie Favero led the charge for Saint Vincent, going 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored. Olivia Persin and Alyssa Henderson also made significant contributions, each recording multiple hits and RBIs.
Despite Penn St.-DuBois' efforts to mount a comeback, Saint Vincent held on to secure the victory.
After the two losses to St. Vincent, Penn State DuBois looked to get back on the winning track the next day when they welcomed Central Maine Community College for a double header at Heindl Field. In game one, DuBois showcased an impressive offensive display as they secured a dominant 13-6 win over Central Maine.
The Lady Lions got off to a strong start, with Bowser once again leading the charge with an outstanding performance, going 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and four RBIs. Pleta also contributed significantly, tallying two hits including a double and driving in one run.
Pitcher Kelsey Stuart delivered a solid performance on the mound for DuBois, going the distance and allowing only six runs on ten hits while striking out eight batters.
Despite a valiant effort from Central Maine, their pitching struggled to contain the Lady Lions’ relentless offensive onslaught. Olivia Scott started the game for Central Maine, but faced difficulties, giving up 11 runs on 12 hits over 3.1 innings. Lauryn Wood came in for relief but couldn't stifle DuBois' bats entirely.
In game two of the day, DuBois displayed a dominant performance on their home turf, securing an impressive 17-2 victory over Central Maine in a one-sided affair.
The Lady Lions again wasted no time asserting their dominance, scoring seven runs in the second inning to take a commanding lead. The offensive onslaught was led by Bowser, who went 1-for-2 at the plate with a double and two RBIs, and Caitlyn Watson, who contributed with two doubles and an RBI.
Geer delivered a solid performance in the circle for DuBois, allowing only two runs on six hits over five innings while striking out one batter. Geer's strong pitching combined with DuBois' relentless offense proved to be too much for Central Maine to handle.
Central Maine struggled to contain the Lady Lions’ explosive lineup, with pitcher Brooke Gero enduring a tough outing, failing to record an out and allowing seven runs before being relieved.
With two convincing wins on the day, the Lady Lions showed strong performances, demonstrating their offensive prowess and solid pitching. They'll aim to carry this momentum into their future matchups as they look to maintain their winning streak.
Penn State DuBois sophomore Megan Hyde works through her windup to deliver a pitch home during a recent home game at Heindl Field in DuBois.
On the baseball diamond, Penn State DuBois was looking to get back on track after dropping two games against Grove City College the previous week. The first chance to pick up the next win would come on March 13 when the Nittany Lions hosted Central Maine Community College for game one of a two game series that would take place over the next two days.
In the first game of the series, DuBois claimed a convincing 5-2 victory over Central Maine in a home game at Showers Field on Tuesday.
The Nittany Lions got off to a strong start, scoring four runs in the first three innings. Cory Lehman and Grant Lillard were instrumental in driving in runs for the team. Lillard's triple in the third inning was a highlight of the game, extending their lead.
Central Maine struggled offensively, managing only two hits throughout the game. Garren Post's two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning accounted for Central Maine CC's lone scoring plays. Despite their efforts, they couldn't muster enough offense to overcome DuBois' lead.
Pitching played a crucial role in the outcome of the game. Taylor Boland started strong for the Nittany Lions, pitching five scoreless innings while striking out seven batters. Austin Shoup came in as relief, sealing the victory with five strikeouts over 1.2 innings.
Central Maine's Levi Tibbetts struggled on the mound, allowing four runs in three innings of work. Despite a valiant effort from reliever Trevor Phelps, who surrendered only one run in three innings, Central Maine couldn't overcome the early deficit and DuBois took home the win.
Game two of the series was a thrilling clash at Showers Field. Trailing 11-5 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Nittany Lions didn’t give up and staged a monster comeback, scoring seven runs to win the game 12-11.
After going down by 6 runs in the sixth inning to Central Maine, DuBois was in a position that they are not usually in. But the team kept battling and would not quit. In the bottom of the final inning DuBois started a rally after Brandon Sicheri hit a triple down the right field line that would score Kyle Elensky and Brett Beith. After a pair of walks to load the bases, pinch hitter Jake Sikora came up to the plate to hit a double and clear the bases to score those 3 runs to put DuBois within 1 run, 11-10.
After a single and another walk the bases would be loaded again for a Lehman fielder's choice that would score the tying run. Beith would come back to the plate to hit a walk-off single to left field that would score Alex Gavlock, giving the Nittany Lions the 12-11 win.
Penn State DuBois return to Showers Field on March 16 for a double header with Clarks Summit. Riding the two-game win streak, the Nittany Lions looked to keep momentum on their side.
In a dominant performance in game one, DuBois shut out Clarks Summit with a commanding 8-0 victory.
From the outset, the Nittnay Lions asserted their dominance, capitalizing on scoring opportunities and showcasing a strong defensive presence. Clarks Summit struggled to find their footing, with their offense unable to generate any runs against the formidable pitching of DuBois.
The Nittany Lions’ offensive barrage was led by Lehman and Bryce Dobson, who each contributed with timely hits and RBIs. Additionally, solid performances from Colby Bodtorf and Beith on the basepaths helped extend their lead.
On the mound, Zach Tiracorda delivered a stellar performance for DuBois, pitching six scoreless innings and striking out six batters. He was supported by Austin Mitchell, who closed out the game with a solid inning of relief pitching.
Eight must have been a luck number for the Nittany Lions on this day, because game two saw DuBois score eight runs again on their way to securing an 8-2 victory over Clarks Summit.
The Nittany Lions again set the tone early, jumping to an early lead and maintaining control throughout the game. Their offense was firing on all cylinders, with contributions from multiple players. Tylor Herzing, Tyler Yough, and Lehman were among the key hitters DuBois, each delivering crucial hits and RBIs to bolster their team's lead. Sikora's powerful homer added further momentum to their offensive display.
On the defensive side, pitcher Joe Tettis delivered a strong performance, pitching six innings and allowing only two runs while striking out two batters. Chase Brush closed out the game effectively, securing the win for the Nittany Lions.
The weekend wasn’t over for Penn State DuBois after their two wins against Clarks Summit. Now on a four-game win streak, the Nittany Lions looked to make it five in a row when Westminster College came to DuBois on March 17. In a commanding performance at Showers Field, DuBois dominated Westminster with a final score of 14-2.
As has been their signature recently, the Nittany Lions got off to a strong start, scoring early and building on their lead throughout the game. Their offense was firing on all cylinders, led by standout performances from Lehman, Dobson, and Sicheri, who each contributed multiple hits and RBIs to their team's impressive tally. Additionally, Bodtorf and Yough played pivotal roles in driving in runs and setting the tone for their team's offensive onslaught.
On the defensive side, pitchers Maclain Welshans, Sikora, Zach Witherow, and Shoup combined efforts to stifle Westminster's offense, allowing only two runs on four hits while striking out eight batters. Their solid pitching performance complemented the team's strong offensive showing, securing a convincing victory for DuBois.
The win capped off an undefeated week for the Nittany Lions, who come into this week on a five-game win streak after outscoring their opponents last week by 30 runs.
Penn State DuBois sophomore infielder Alex Gavlock sets himself under a popup, ready to make the catch and record an out, during a recent home game at Showers Field in DuBois.
Looking ahead to action this week, both the Nittany Lions and Lady Lions will get back on the field on Friday at their respective home sites. The softball team will host Penn State Greater Allegheny on Friday for a double header at Heindl Field, with game one starting at 4 p.m. and the second game following at approximately 6 p.m. The Lady Lions will then head out on the road on Saturday when they travel to visit Penn State Fayette for a double header. First game on Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the second game to follow at the completion of the first game, around 4 p.m.
The baseball team will be playing a full schedule again this weekend, which will start with a home double header at Showers Field on Friday when Penn State Fayette comes to town. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and game two will follow game one, starting around 8:30 p.m. Then, the Nittany Lions will play Fayette again on Saturday, this time visiting Fayette at their home field. The double header on Saturday will begin with game one at 2 p.m. and game two following at 4 p.m. DuBois will then close out the week when they travel to visit Thiel College on Sunday for a single game that will begin at 1 p.m.
For complete athletic schedules, including any weather-related changes, visit the Penn State DuBois athletic website.
