PITTSBURGH – It was a double-your-fun day for the Penn State-DuBois baseball team Sunday, May 7.
In the afternoon, the Lions defeated Penn State-Brandywine, 4-2, in the winner’s bracket championship game to advance to the PSUAC title game(s) Monday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in University Park.
Then, later in the day, PSU-DuBois found out it had been awarded one of the 10 bids into the USCAA Small College World Series, which will be held in DuBois starting May 15. The Lions were not guaranteed a spot in the tournament and most likely needed the win Sunday to qualify.
PSU-DUBOIS 4, PSU-BRANDYWINE 2
In University Park, DuBois scored twice in the top of the sixth to break a 2-all tie and get the 4-2 win over Brandywine.
Bryce Dobson got the rally started with a triple and Cory Lehman doubled him home. Nicholas Cagliola pinch ran for Lehman, and after Brandon Sicheri (St. Marys) moved Cagliola up 90 feet on a bunt, Alex Gavlock lofted a sacrifice fly to right to make it 4-2.
Taylor Boland (Elk County Catholic) then worked around a walk in the sixth by striking out the side and stranded the tying run at first in the seventh to secure the victory for DuBois, which has won 2o of its last 22 games with one of the loses being to NCAA Division II Clarion.
Boland was strong going seven innings for the complete game. He allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and six walks while striking out eight.
Lehman was the offensive hero going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
DuBois will now have two chances to win the PSUAC title Monday, May 8.
It will take on the winner of a 10 a.m. elimination game between York and Brandywine at 1 p.m. If DuBois loses that game, it will get a second crack at the title in a game 30 minutes after the conclusion of its first game.
DuBois has won three of the last four PSUAC titles played winning championships in 2018, 2019, and 2021. There was no championship in 2020 because of COVID-19. Mount Alto broke DuBois’ three-year run of titles.
SMALL COLLEGE WORLD SERIES BERTH
Later Sunday, DuBois found it had been selected as the No. 9 seed in the Small College World Series.
The Small College World Series champions in 2018, 2019, and 2021 (again there was no tournament in 2020), DuBois is the No. 9 seed in a 10-team double-elimination field.
DuBois will take on No. 8 seeded D’Youville in the opening round at noon Monday, May 15, at Stern Field in DuBois. The winner of that game will take on Miami Hamilton, the top seed and last year’s runner-up, at 5:30 p.m. May 15 at Showers Field.
Bucks County Community College is the No. 2 seed with UC Clermont checking in at No. 3, Penn State-Mont Alto at No. 4, Bryant & Stratton Albany (N.Y.) at No. 5, Atlantis University at No. 6, MACU at No. 7, and one of three teams – Penn St.-York, Penn St.-Brandywine or Salem – at No. 10. The 10th seed will be determined by what happens at the PSUAC tournament Monday. If York or Brandywine wins the title, that team will be the 10th seed. If DuBois wins the title, Salem will be the 10th seed.
2023_Baseball_Bracket_-_Day_1
