Baseball – Berks Sports Report

Ethan Grim-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 16:36:46 +0000

One of the top pitchers in the state is headed to the ACC. Ethan Grim, a rising senior at Gov. Mifflin, has committed to Virginia Tech. Grim helped the (24-5) Mustangs capture their first state championship this year. They beat Hollidaysburg 2-1 in the PIAA-5A final at Penn State University. Grim allowed just two hits and one run over six innings. He struck out eleven and walked three. Grim was dominant in the state quarterfinals as well. He limited Whitehall to a pair of hits while striking out ten. Gov. Mifflin cruised to a 10-0 victory in five innings.

Grim (8-3, 1.77) was a first team All-State selection in Class 5A. He finished the season with 113 strikeouts in 71 innings and one save. The righty features a low-90s fastball. Grim also had an outstanding spring at the plate. He hit .410 with ten doubles, one triple, and a homer. Grim racked up 29 RBI.

Virginia Tech went (32-22) overall this year. The Hokies ended up (14-16) in conference play.

Chris Bergstrom-Kutztown

Paul Roberts — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 21:37:57 +0000

Kutztown and Reading combined for 16 runs when they met in the winner’s bracket final of the Berks County Legion playoffs on Saturday. The second-seeded Cougars and top-seeded Groundhogs squared off again on Monday for the championship, but this time runs were at a premium. Chris Bergstrom’s two-out, RBI single in the 8th gave Kutztown a dramatic 1-0 victory over Reading. “Something I haven’t felt before, it was awesome. It was a great feeling to bring the [championship] home to Kutztown,” said Bergstrom. Colin Hamm was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the 8th inning. A sacrifice bunt by Ashton Dunn moved courtesy runner Corey Gilbert to second. After a pop out to second base, the Groundhogs opted to intentionally walk Colin Diehl. The leadoff hitter was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. Bergstrom was grateful for the opportunity. “That motivated me. I was smiling. I was ready,” he said. The rising junior hit a ground ball between shortstop and third base. Gilbert scored easily from second to kickoff a celebration on the infield. Bergstrom was mobbed by his teammates. He mentioned that he was sitting on a fastball and that’s what he got. The Cougars went (5-0) in the double-elimination tournament. Southpaw Ashton Dunn and Reading’s Joelian Zapata both went the distance. Zapata allowed four hits and walked three. He struck out six. Dunn tossed a one-hitter with seven strikeouts and three walks. “Ashton Dunn pitched a hell of a game…they didn’t know what he was throwing. He was mixing in all of his pitches,” noted Bergstrom. The Groundhogs left the bases loaded in the top of the 2nd frame. Nestor Rosario hit a line drive to center that was caught by Kaden Kerecz and turned into a double play. Reading had another chance to get on the board in the 5th inning, but Zapata flew out with a runner on third to end the threat. Franllis Santos’ single in the 5th was the lone hit for the Groundhogs. Kutztown committed three errors. The Cougars still managed to hoist the trophy in their first season back in the Berks League. Kutztown and Reading qualified for the Region 2 tournament which begins on Saturday at Lower Macungie.

Berks Legion Playoffs

Paul Roberts — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 17:09:10 +0000

The Berks County Legion baseball postseason got underway on Monday. Shillington and Post 217 (Oley/Topton) met in the play-in game. They were tied 6-6 before Shillington erupted for eight runs in the bottom of the 6th inning. Post 217 fell 14-6.

The bracket is set for Wednesday. The double-elimination tournament continues through Monday, July 15. Kutztown will host all of the games beginning on Saturday. Here are the seeds along with Wednesday’s matchups.

#8 Shillington at #1 Reading (George Field)-7pm

#5 Boyertown at #4 West Lawn-7pm

#7 Exeter at #2 Kutztown-7pm

#6 Twin Valley at #3 Norchester-7pm

All-State Baseball Teams

Paul Roberts — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 14:07:55 +0000

For the first time in several years, the Pennsylvania State Baseball Coaches Association released All-State selections. There are first and second teams for all six classifications in Pennsylvania. Gov. Mifflin and High Point Baptist each have three All-State picks. The Mustangs won their first state championship in school history this season. Here are all of the players that were chosen from Berks County.

Nick Fiorini-1st Team-Wilson-Sr.

Matt VanOstenbridge-2nd Team-Wilson-Sr.

Bryce Detwiler-1st Team-Gov. Mifflin-Jr.

Ethan Grim-1st Team-Gov. Mifflin-Jr.

Travis Jenkins-1st Team-Gov. Mifflin-Jr.

Alex Kelsey-1st Team-Exeter-Sr.

Liam Hilburt-1st Team-Fleetwood-Sr.

Bradon Howe-1st Team-High Point-So.

Landon Richard-1st Team-High Point-Jr.

Jacob Davenport-2nd Team-High Point-Jr.

Connor Maryniak-DIII Player of the Year

Paul Roberts — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:30:22 +0000

What a spring it’s been for Connor Maryniak. The former Gov. Mifflin standout helped Misericordia win the Division III Baseball Championship. Maryniak started all 55 games for the Cougars and hit .345 with a .631 slugging percentage. The shortstop set a single-season school record with 70 RBI. He also got the job done on the mound. His eleven victories were the second-most in Misericordia history. On Monday, Maryniak was named the ABCA/Rawlings Division III National Player of the Year. He tied the school record with 13 homers. Maryniak added five triples and ten doubles.

In 2021, Maryniak was named the Berks County Player of the Year. He led the Mustangs to a BCIAA Championship that season. Gov. Mifflin beat rival Wilson 5-4 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Bryce Wunderlich-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 05:57:34 +0000

After earning silver medals in the BCIAA and District 3 tournaments, the Mustangs are bringing gold back to Shillington. Gov. Mifflin used dominant pitching to top Hollidaysburg 2-1 in the PIAA-5A championship at Penn State’s Medlar Field. It’s the first state title for the (24-5) Mustangs. “It feels amazing…it means a lot,” said Bryce Wunderlich. The outfielder was one of just two seniors in the starting lineup. He drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out, RBI single through the middle in the 4th inning. “Just trying to roll the ball with two strikes, do my job. It worked out the way it did. I’m thankful for it,” explained Wunderlich. Dylan Barrett reached on a throwing error by Keagan Hockey at second base. A sacrifice bunt by Matt Koehler and an infield single from sophomore R.J. Weaver set the stage for Wunderlich. Weaver was thrown out at home on Wunderlich’s hit, but two runs is all Gov. Mifflin needed with Ethan Grim and Bryce Detwiler on the mound. “It’s almost a cheat code, honestly, having them on the team. It’s insane what they do,” emphasized Wunderlich. Grim limited the (17-7) Golden Tigers to a pair of hits and three walks over six frames. The hard-throwing righty piled up eleven strikeouts. Grim (8-3) punched out the side on 13 pitches in the top of the 1st inning. He finished the season with 113 strikeouts in 71 innings. “He’s a stud. He’s gonna go somewhere big. I can’t wait to see what he does in the future. He shoved today,” said Wunderlich. Hollidaysburg’s lone run came in the 3rd on a RBI single up the middle by leadoff hitter Jake Hileman. The senior outfielder came into Friday with a .469 batting average and a team-high 38 hits, including ten doubles. The Mustangs answered with a run in the bottom half of the 3rd. Detwiler ripped a ground-rule double to right-center. The UConn commit later scored on a groundout to first base by Travis Jenkins. Branson Adams collected two of the seven hits by Gov. Mifflin. Paul Wedel gave up two runs, one earned, in 5.1 innings. The junior struck out two and walked none. The Golden Tigers brought in their ace, Carson Kensinger, with one out in the bottom of the 6th. The lefty was dealing with a foot injury. Kensinger picked up his tenth win of the year in the semifinals against Monsignor Bonner. The Frostburg State commit went 6.2 innings in that 3-1 victory. Hollidaysburg was also making its first appearance in the state finals. Detwiler wrapped up the game in style by striking out the side in the 7th. The Mustangs are the first Berks County team to win a PIAA crown since Conrad Weiser did it in Class 3A in 2010.

PIAA-5A Championship Preview

Paul Roberts — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 04:19:32 +0000

History will be made on Friday afternoon at Penn State’s Medlar Field. Gov. Mifflin squares off with Hollidaysburg in the PIAA-5A championship at 4:30pm. The winner will claim its first state title. The Mustangs are making their fifth appearance in the PIAA tournament. They hadn’t won a game in the state playoffs prior to this season. The Golden Tigers reached the PIAA tournament for the first time since 2012. This is their third appearance overall.

The (23-5) Mustangs were the District 3 and BCIAA runner-up. Their bats have come alive after scoring just six total runs in the District 3 playoffs. Gov. Mifflin has piled up 24 runs in its three contests during the state tournament. UConn commit Bryce Detwiler leads the team with eight homers out of the leadoff spot. The 6’2, 215-pound junior was voted the Berks County Player of the Year.

Ethan Grim is in line to make the start against Hollidaysburg. That allows the Mustangs to put Detwiler at shortstop which is their best defensive lineup. Grim (7-3, 1.82) has 102 strikeouts in 65 innings. Several Division I programs have shown interest in the hard-throwing junior. Grim held Whitehall to two hits in a 10-0 rout in the PIAA quarterfinals. He’ll be throwing to Travis Jenkins. The junior catcher is a defensive wizard behind the plate who can also swing the bat. Jenkins and Grim were All-County selections this spring.

Hollidaysburg is the District 6 champion. The (17-6) Golden Tigers are led by senior Carson Kensinger. The southpaw tossed a complete game with nine strikeouts in the District 6 final. Kensinger (10-0, 1.05) lasted 6.2 innings in the state semifinals before reaching the pitch limit versus Monsignor Bonner. Hollidaysburg prevailed 3-1. The Mustangs are expecting to see Kensinger on three days rest. The Frostburg State commit has 119 strikeouts over 73 innings. He’s only allowed 46 hits. Junior Paul Wedel (5-1, 2.29) has thrown 33.2 innings.

Kensinger can certainly help himself at the plate. He’s batting .366 with a team-high 28 RBI and 7 HR. Senior outfielder Jake Hileman leads the Golden Tigers with 38 hits, 31 runs, ten doubles, and a .469 average. Ethan Karageanes is hitting .347 with eight doubles. Hollidaysburg has been in three tight games during the PIAA tournament. The Golden Tigers have outscored their opponents 10-5.

Dylan Barrett-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 14:00:47 +0000

Being able to handle failure is a key for any successful baseball player. Gov. Mifflin designated hitter Dylan Barrett has the right mentality. “I was always taught if anything goes wrong, just move on. You can’t change the past,” he said. Barrett struck out with men on second and third base to end the top of the 1st inning. Two innings later, he responded in a big way with a two-run double to left-center that gave the Mustangs a 2-1 edge. They never trailed again in a 7-2 victory over District 4 champion Selinsgrove in the PIAA-5A semifinals. Bryce Detwiler held the (21-3) Seals to two runs on six hits over six innings. The UConn commit entered the game at Hershey with a (9-2) record and 1.58 ERA. “He’s always been that guy to go up and shove and do his job,” noted Barrett. Detwiler struck out eight, walked two, and hit three batters. The 6’2, 215-pound junior was able to get out of jams including the 5th inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Detwiler struck out Griffin Parker and Owen Santiago. Selinsgrove left eight men on base. The Seals were without senior shortstop Mason Richter. He led the team with a .455 average and 35 RBI. Gov. Mifflin was missing senior first baseman Dante Casantini due to a family vacation. Sophomore R.J. Weaver got the start and provided a two-out, opposite field RBI single to left in the third frame. That hit, one of ten for the (23-5) Mustangs, made it 3-1. Ethan Grim launched a two-out, RBI double to right-center that gave Gov. Mifflin a 4-2 advantage. Detwiler helped himself with a rocket off the wall in left-center that knocked in a pair of runs in the 5th inning. That double also came with two outs. Matt Koehler scored the Mustangs’ final run in the 7th after a throwing error at shortstop. Koehler, Detwiler, Grim, and Travis Jenkins had two hits apiece. Jenkins, an All-Berks catcher, threw out three runners. Grim fired a hitless 7th inning to close the door. Selinsgrove ace Josh Domaracki was charged with six runs, four earned, on nine hits in 5.1 innings. The senior southpaw had five strikeouts and two walks. The Seals committed four errors. Barrett is one of six juniors in Gov. Mifflin’s starting lineup. “We grew up playing together. We’ve always been on the same team so you have that chemistry with us,” he replied. The Mustangs advanced to the state championship game for the first time in program history. They will meet District 6 champ Hollidaysburg on Friday at 4:30pm at Penn State’s Medlar Field. “It feels amazing. We worked hard for this…to go play at Penn State is gonna be an honor,” said Barrett.

Berks/L-L team falls in Carpenter Cup

Paul Roberts — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 03:06:55 +0000

The Berks/Lancaster-Lebanon team lost to Inter-Ac 11-4 in the Carpenter Cup at FDR Park on Monday morning. Inter-Ac took control early with six runs in the 2nd inning. Wilson southpaw Matt VanOstenbridge struggled with his command. The Penn State commit allowed six runs, five earned, on two hits and four walks. VanOstenbridge struck out five over three frames. Daniel Boone junior Anthony Manogue and Wyomissing sophomore Noah Rauenzahn each gave up two runs in relief. Inter-Ac finished with ten hits. The Berks/L-L squad scored all of its runs in the 8th inning. Wilson’s Christo Hunsicker provided a two-run double with two outs. Kevin Rodriguez of Muhlenberg also doubled earlier in the game. Sophomores Nate Lord (Twin Valley), Jake Hafer (Exeter), and Maddox Roy (Daniel Boone) each singled. The Berks/L-L team was limited to five hits. The Carpenter Cup is a single-elimination tournament in Philadelphia.

Ethan Grim-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 13:36:30 +0000

If the barking from the Whitehall dugout was designed to rattle Ethan Grim, it didn’t work. “I just get in my zone. I don’t really listen to what anyone says. I just focus on Travis’ mitt,” said Grim. The hard-throwing junior held the Zephyrs to two hits in a 10-0 victory at Kutztown Park. The (22-5) Mustangs only needed five innings to end the PIAA-5A quarterfinal against the District 11 champion. Grim (7-3) felt good as soon as he took the mound. “In the [bullpen], I felt amazing, probably the best of the year,” he noted. The righty threw his slider away and mixed in a curveball to go along with a low-90s fastball. Grim had ten strikeouts and two walks. Gov. Mifflin supported him early with four runs on five hits in the bottom of the 1st inning. “Then you can pitch different and relax. You don’t have to overthrow,” replied Grim. The Mustangs finished with eleven hits including four straight to begin the game. Travis Jenkins, a junior catcher, ripped a two-run double to right-center. Grim followed with a RBI single to center to make it 3-0. Joey Berg’s infield single to shortstop gave Gov. Mifflin a 4-0 edge. Branson Adams and Jenkins provided opposite field RBI singles with two outs in the 2nd inning. Whitehall trailed 6-0 when East Stroudsburg commit Evan Kovalcik was replaced by Matt Hansen on the mound. Kovalcik had only thrown 3.2 innings this season after recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was charged with six runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings. Grim helped himself again in the 4th with a sacrifice fly to center. The Mustangs wrapped it up with three runs in the 5th off Hansen. UConn commit Bryce Detwiler walked with the bases loaded. Adams hit a two-run single through the middle with one out to seal the deal. Jenkins and Adams each went 3-for-3 with 3RBI. Grim was 1-for-1 and knocked in a pair of runs. Dante Casantini added two hits from the No. 8 spot in the batting order. Gov. Mifflin advanced to the state semifinals for the first time. “We wanted it real bad. Our coach was saying let’s go make history,” said Grim. Shippensburg and District 4 champ Selinsgrove meet Friday at 6pm at Hershey. The Mustangs will square off against the winner on Monday.