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2008 NEWS
 

Three baseball players earn All-AMCC recognition
5.13.08
Three Penn State Altoona baseball players were named to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference postseason all-conference teams for their on-field performances during the 2008 season.  Senior catcher Tony Petulla (Osceola Mills, PA/Philipsburg) was selected to the 1st team while junior pitcher Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley) earned 2nd team distinction and freshman first baseman Grady Luzier (Forest, PA/West Branch) nabbed Honorable Mention accolades.  Petulla, a 1st team all-league selection and AMCC Co-Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, led the Lions in nearly every offensive category this season including batting average (.446), hits (58), runs (37), home runs (7), RBI (40), walks (29), on base percentage (.552), and slugging percentage (.715).  He was equally impressive defensively, committing just three errors in 42 games.  Keith, the right-handed ace of staff, appeared in 12 games and made nine starts en route to a 4-4 record.  He sported a stingy 2.89 ERA, hurled five complete games, and earned one save in 53 innings of work.  Keith struck out 49 batters and walked just 14 while surrendering only 17 earned runs the entire season.  Luzier broke onto the scene and quickly gained a reputation for his big bat and solid glove work at first base.  The frosh batted .400 and smacked 52 hits through 41 contests.  He recorded 272 putouts and made only eight errors for a .973 fielding percentage.  Luzier was second on the team in RBI (37), slugging percentage (.600), and home runs (5).  Penn State Behrend pitcher David Koerbel was tabbed as the AMCC Player and Pitcher of the Year after collecting a league-high eight wins and boasting a 2.64 ERA in 64.2 innings.  Mount Aloysius' Bryan Nolan was the conference Newcomer of the Year, and Penn State Behrend head coach Paul Benim took home Coach of the Year honors.  To view the entire 2008 AMCC Baseball All-Conference teams, CLICK HERE.

Storm ride solid pitching to first round sweep of baseball
5.4.08
The Lake Erie College baseball team used solid pitching performances by Dan Mason, Dan Shreve, and Paul Roskos to down Penn State Altoona Sunday and advance to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference semifinals.  The host Storm swept the best-of-three series from the Lions, taking the opener 2-0 and rallying to take the nightcap 6-4.  Altoona concluded its season at 19-23 overall while Lake Erie moves on to face Frostburg State in next Friday's AMCC semifinal round.  Mason and Shreve combined to fire a five-hit shutout in game one, which started at 9:30 AM.  Mason hurled 5 2/3 innings, scattering four hits and striking out four Lion batters.  Shreve, who would earn two saves on the day, earned his first by pitching 1 1/3 frames of relief and allowing only one hit.  Despite taking the loss, Lion starter Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley) threw well enough to win, surrendering two earned runs and eight hits through six innings of work.  The Storm tacked one run on the scoreboard in the second when Keith Trumbauer roped an RBI single that scored Rocky Pfisterer.  Trumbauer stole second to put runners on second and third with one out, but third base runner Mario Lombardo was picked off, and Keith got Ben Willis to ground out to end the threat.  READ MORE

Lions drop two AMCC games at Lake Erie
4.19.08
The Penn State Altoona baseball team lost a pair of important Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference games to Lake Erie Saturday afternoon.  The host Storm rallied to win the opener 4-3 before jumping out to an eight-run lead in game two and holding on for the 8-4 victory.  The Lions fell to 15-21 overall and 6-10 in the league while Lake Erie upped its record to 11-20 and 10-8 in the AMCC.  In game one, Altoona found itself ahead 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh inning with right-hander Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley) on the mound trying to close out the complete game.  But Lake Erie had other ideas and began the inning with a double and a single, placing runners on first and third with no outs.  A sacrifice fly scored the runner from third base and junior Ben Reed smacked the winning RBI double to give LEC the comeback win.  Keith went all 6 1/3 innings in defeat, giving up eight hits and only two earned runs while striking out four.  The Storm used three pitchers including reliever Dan Shreve who pitched the final 2/3 of the seventh inning and earned the win.  READ MORE

Lions end marathon stretch with sweep of Harrisburg
4.16.08
Playing its fifth doubleheader in as many days, the Penn State Altoona baseball team showed no signs of fatigue, cruising past Penn State Harrisburg in a non-league doubleheader Wednesday afternoon.  Altoona won the twin bill by scores of 4-0 and 8-3 to improve to 15-19 overall.  PSU Harrisburg dropped to 11-10 on the season.  Four Altoona pitchers combined for a one-hit shutout in the opener.  Right-hander Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley) started and hurled two innings, walking a pair and striking out two.  Lefty Kevin Obermeier (York, PA/York Catholic), who was credited with the win, pitched the third and fourth innings, also fanning two Harrisburg batters.  Freshman Gerard Vath (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley) pitched the next two innings before classmate Matthew McGrogan (West Chester, PA/West Chester Henderson) closed it out in the seventh.  Both were working on only two days rest, and McGrogan was coming off a complete-game win against Medaille on Sunday.  READ MORE

Redhawks unload on Lion pitchers, sweep AMCC doubleheader
4.15.08
La Roche College used a 28-hit, 28-run barrage to power past host Penn State Altoona in an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference doubleheader Tuesday at the Ivyside Field.  The Redhawks scored nine runs in the final two innings to win the opener 15-8, then pounded out 14 hits including a grand slam to take game two 13-0.  The Lions fell to 13-19 overall and 6-8 in the AMCC while La Roche improved to 17-11 and 7-7 in league play.  Game one was a classic slugfest as both squads belted 14 hits and combined to slam four home runs.  La Roche led 6-3 entering the fifth inning when the hosts scored a pair of runs on four hits and a Redhawk error to cut the deficit to one.  Rob Traister (Voorhees, NJ/Bishop Eustace) led off the inning with a double and scored on a Tony Petulla (Osceola Mills, PA/Philipsburg) RBI single.  Grady Luzier (Forest, PA/West Branch) singled and eventually scored on a Tyler Stiffler (Altoona, PA/Altoona) single.  The Redhawks responded by blowing the game wide open in the sixth, scoring six runs on five hits and two Altoona miscues.  Only four of the runs were earned.  READ MORE

Baseball wins one, loses one at W&J
4.6.08
Penn State Altoona cracked 12 hits and received stellar pitching performances to down Washington & Jefferson College 9-2 in game one of Sunday afternoon's doubleheader.  The Presidents rebounded to win game two 5-1 to salvage the split.  Altoona's record now stands at 8-14 overall while W&J sports a mark of 13-7.  In the opener, the Lions scored in five of the game's seven innings and held the Presidents to just three hits.  Starting pitcher Matthew McGrogan (West Chester, PA/West Chester Henderson) went 2 and 2/3 innings before reliever Michael Duffy (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown East) fired 4 and 1/3 scoreless frames to earn the win.  Offensively, RJ Barnard (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) and Grady Luzier (Forest, PA/West Branch) both went 3-4 at the plate, and Luzier drove in three runs.  Senior Tony Petulla (Osceola Mills, PA/Philipsburg) went 2-3 and also had three RBI.  READ MORE

Behrend pitchers shut down Lions
4.5.08
Penn State Altoona managed just one run and eight hits through two games as the Lions were swept by Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference rival Penn State Behrend Saturday afternoon.  Altoona fell to 7-13 and 2-4 in the league while Behrend upped its record to 14-4 overall and a perfect 6-0 in AMCC action.  Game one was a classic pitchers duel featuring Altoona right-hander Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley) and Behrend stud David Koerbel.  Despite taking the loss, Keith allowed just two runs and eight hits over six innings of work while striking out five.  Koerbel's Lions scored one run in both the second and third innings which turned out to be plenty of support for the 6'4" junior.  Koerbel scattered four hits, walked one, struck out nine, and did not allow an Altoona player to get past second base.  Dustin Dubensky and Joe Breiter each had two hits for Penn State Behrend.  READ MORE

Lions get doubleheader split against Jackets
4.3.08
Penn State Altoona hung on for a 4-3 victory over visiting Waynesburg University in game one before the Yellow Jackets got their revenge in a 14-3 game two thumping Thursday at the Ivyside Field.  With the split, the Lions have an overall record of 7-11 while Waynesburg checks in at 11-12 overall.  The Lions jumped on Jackets starter Tim Knight, scoring three runs in the first inning including a pair of RBI doubles from Tony Petulla (Osceola Mills, PA/Philipsburg) and Grady Luzier (Forest, PA/West Branch).  Freshman Rob Traister (Voorhees, NJ/Bishop Eustace) brought in the third run on an infield single to give the Lions a 3-0 lead.  Altoona starting pitcher Nate Detwiler (Martinsburg, PA/Central) was superb, scattering six hits in five innings and allowing just one run.  Waynesburg got its first run of the game in the third inning when Brandon Dittmar walked with the bases loaded.  The Lions got the run back in the bottom of the frame when Tyler Stiffler (Altoona, PA/Altoona) reached on a fielders choice that scored Petulla.  READ MORE

Lions bats silent in pair of losses at Frostburg State
4.1.08
The Penn State Altoona baseball team managed just nine hits and two runs in a pair of losses at Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference foe Frostburg State Tuesday afternoon.  The Bobcats took the opener 8-2 and blanked the Lions in the second contest 6-0.  Altoona dropped to 6-10 overall and 2-2 in the league while FSU moved to 5-9 and 2-2 in conference.  In game one, Frostburg used three hits and two Lion errors to score five runs in the bottom of the third off Altoona starter Gerard Vath (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley).  The Bobcats added two more in the fifth inning and added another in the sixth.  FSU had eight total hits, two of the bat of Andrew Speights who also tallied three RBI.  Bobcat pitcher Zack Lucas kept the Altoona bats at bay, hurling 5 and 1/3 innings allowing four hits and two runs while striking out four.  Vath took the loss after surrendering seven runs, five earned, on five hits.  READ MORE

Baseball earns split with St. Vincent
3.24.08
After falling 8-4 in Monday's opener against St. Vincent College, Penn State Altoona scored four runs apiece in the fifth and sixth innings to win game two 9-7 and salvage a split against the Bearcats at Seton Hill College in Greensburg.  The Lions enter Wednesday's home opener against Pitt-Greensburg at 4-8 overall.  SVU currently stands 8-6 overall.  In game one, the Bearcats used a 4-run fourth inning to break the game open while starting pitcher Jared Lapkowicz kept the Lion bats at bay.  Altoona infielders RJ Barnard (Altoona, PA/Altoona) and Tyler Stiffler (Altoona, PA/Altoona) had a pair of hits in the loss, and Stiffler collected two RBI.  Lion starter Zach Darling (Hershey, PA/Hershey) took the loss after allowing seven runs on seven hits over 3 and 1/3 innings.  St. Vincent got two runs in the first, one in the second, and one in the sixth to compliment its big fourth inning.  The Lions finished with eight hits compared to 10 base knocks by the Bearcats.  READ MORE

Baseball looking for return to postseason in 2008
3.5.08
The Penn State Altoona baseball team found itself in an unfamiliar position at the conclusion of last season.  Head coach Joe Piotti’s squad finished 11-25 and failed to make the conference playoffs for the first time in program history.  With a young but talented 2008 roster highlighted by four key upperclassmen, the Lions are determined to get back to the postseason and erase the memories of 2007.  A major aid to that cause is the return of fifth-year senior Tony Petulla, a two-time Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Co-Player of the Year and Triple Crown winner.  The Philipsburg native played three games last season before suffering a season-ending wrist injury.  He was granted a medical redshirt and is back for another year.  After playing infield his whole career, Petulla will move behind the plate in 2008 and handle an extremely young pitching staff.  The lone upperclassmen among the hurlers is junior Paul Keith, a flame throwing righty who sported a 1.98 ERA and fanned 18 batters.  Classmate RJ Barnard, an Altoona native, has been a mainstay at second base and hit .345 a season ago.  53-year-old senior John Wilson, one of the oldest collegiate athletes in NCAA history, will be a positive influence and role model for his younger teammates.  READ MORE

Baseball slotted seventh in AMCC Preseason Coaches Poll
2.27.08
The Penn State Altoona baseball team, led by 13th year skipper Joe Piotti, was picked to finish seventh in the 2008 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released Wednesday.  The Lions, which finished 11-25 overall and 5-13 in the league, return veteran leaders Tony Petulla and Paul Keith along with 53-year-old reserve outfielder John Wilson.  Petulla, who will be behind the plate this season, and Keith, a hard throwing right hander, were named "players to watch" for Penn State Altoona.  The 2005 and 2006 AMCC Co-Player of the Year, Petulla missed nearly all of last year with a wrist injury.  He batted .406 in '06 and had 43 RBI.  Keith sported a 1.98 ERA in 2007 through 27 innings of work and tallied 18 strikeouts.  With six of 10 first place votes, Penn State Behrend is expected to achieve its second ever Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference baseball title.  The last time the Behrend Lions took home the hardware was in 2003.  The AMCC coaches voted Frostburg State University, the two-time defending champion, to finish second, followed by La Roche College, who finished in a three-way tie for first place in the regular season.  The winner of the AMCC tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.  Preseason Player of the Year honors go to Pitt-Greensburg junior shortstop Matt Stanziano (Pittsburgh, PA/Brashear).  The 2007 AMCC Player of the Year, Stanziano was named a D3Baseball.com Third Team All-American and a member of the ECAC Division III South Region All-Star team.  He led the league in batting average (.452) and on-base percentage (.512),  and was ranked second with a .731 slugging percentage.  He also contributed 31 RBI.  A huge base running threat, Stanziano was successful in 33 of 36 in stolen base attempts, tops in the AMCC.  Penn State Behrend junior David Koerbel (Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic) is the AMCC Preseason Pitcher of the Year.  Koerbel posted a record of 5-1 in 11 appearances last season, leading the team in innings pitched (53.1) and finished with a 2.87 ERA, striking out 55.  The right-hander also held opponents to a league-best .216 batting average.  He was named to the 2007 all-conference second team and was recently recognized by Collegiate Baseball as "A Player to Watch" for 2008.  Penn State Altoona begins its 2008 season in Orlando, Florida on March 8.