Baseball – Berks Sports Report https://berkssportsreport.com Paul Roberts Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:23:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.1 West Lawn wins Berks Legion Championship https://berkssportsreport.com/west-lawn-wins-berks-legion-championship/ Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:23:05 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5624 Earlier this month, West Lawn had a chance to clinch the #1 seed in the Berks County tournament and earn an automatic berth into regionals. However, the Owls came up short to Reading 3-1. “There was a lot on the line that night. I think they were a little disappointed that they didn’t score more runs,” said head coach Scott Spatz. West Lawn got another shot at the Groundhogs on the final day of the league tournament at Bear Stadium in Boyertown. The Owls piled up 13 hits and took advantage of four errors in a 11-4 victory on Monday night. They claimed their second straight Berks County title and third in the last four years. “When we take good approaches to hitting and put the ball in play, we can score runs. Our lineup is pretty solid all the way through and we have guys off the bench who can hit,” replied Spatz.

West Lawn had its ace available for Monday’s game and Ben Kulp went the distance. The West Chester commit allowed four runs, all unearned, on six hits. He struck out six and walked two over seven innings. “He doesn’t let anything bother him. He’s a very calm pitcher. If he walks somebody, it’s not a big deal. He regroups and he makes quality pitches when he needs to make quality pitches,” explained Spatz. Kulp also helped himself by going 3-for-5 and driving in a run. He was an All-State pick for Wilson this spring. All nine batters in the Owls’ lineup had at least one hit. Alex Ernesto and Zach Troutman each finished with a pair of singles. Tyler Herbein went 1-for-1 with three walks. The catcher had 2 RBI.

Kulp got West Lawn on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first with a RBI double to right-center. An error on a grounder to second base made it 2-0. The (21-5) Owls doubled their lead in the second inning. Aiden Incledon’s ground ball got past the third baseman allowing two runs to score with two outs. West Lawn went in front 5-0 in the third thanks to Herbein’s bloop RBI single to center.

The Owls blew it open with five runs on three hits and an error in the fourth. Ernesto’s line drive single to center made it 6-0. Alex Frantz grounded out to shortstop to add another run. Ernesto scored on a double steal for a 8-0 advantage. Cole Sensenig followed with a RBI single through the left side. That ended the day for Reading pitcher David Garcia. He was charged with ten runs, four earned, on nine hits. Garcia had two strikeouts and three walks in 3.2 innings. Frandy Ruiz took over on the mound and gave up a RBI single to Jack Gabel which put West Lawn on top 10-0.

The Groundhogs took advantage of a dropped fly ball in shallow left field to score four runs in the fifth. Victor Mejia provided a two-run double on a long fly ball to left-center. Janser Paredes ripped a two-run single to left that got Reading within 10-4. All four runs came with two outs. Mejia and Paredes each went 2-for-3. Paredes, an East Stroudsburg commit, was a two-time All-State selection for Reading High. Herbein walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth to give the Owls a 11-4 lead. Ruiz gave up one run on three hits and four walks in 1.1 innings.

The Groundhogs’ season came to an end, while West Lawn improved to (5-0) in the double-elimination tournament. The Owls allowed a total of just seven runs. They shut out Shillington 1-0 on Thursday and blanked Boyertown 3-0 on Saturday. West Lawn defeated Norchester 7-2 on Sunday. The Owls advanced to the Region 2 tournament which begins Friday at Quakertown. “It’s gonna be a tough regional…it’s all about executing. It’s all about making pitches, playing defense, and timely hitting. I’m excited for our team. I think the expectations are high,” said Spatz.

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Deven Sheerin drafted by the Phillies https://berkssportsreport.com/deven-sheerin-drafted-by-the-phillies/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 22:39:36 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5622 Deven Sheerin grew up dreaming about playing for the Phillies one day. On Saturday, his dream got a lot closer to a reality. The 6’6, 255-pound righty was selected by Philadelphia in the fourth round. Sherrin was the 128th overall pick in the MLB Draft. “Getting drafted by the Phillies is for sure a lifelong dream. It’s a very fulfilling experience, knowing all the hard work I’ve put in. From imagining myself in the backyard as a Phillie to soon signing a contract with them is a full circle moment,” he said.

Sheerin graduated from Exeter High School, just an hour from Philadelphia. As a senior, he piled up a staggering 101 strikeouts in 46.1 innings. Sheerin (7-3, 2.27) only allowed 19 hits and was voted to the All-County team in 2023. He led the Eagles to a 4-1 upset of second-seeded Gov. Mifflin in the opening round of the District 3-5A playoffs. Sheerin gave up one hit over 6.1 innings with eleven strikeouts.

Despite his size and statistics, Sheerin wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school. He attended Mount St. Mary’s and was named the MAAC Rookie of the Year in 2024. Sheerin set school records for strikeouts (109) and opponents’ batting average (.197). He made 18 appearances, including a pair of starts as a freshman. Sheerin only gave up 49 hits in 70 innings with a 4.76 ERA.

After transferring to LSU, Sheerin suffered a torn ACL while playing basketball during the summer. He missed the 2025 season with the Tigers. Sheerin worked exclusively out of the bullpen this spring. In 20 appearances, he racked up 58 strikeouts over 37.2 frames. Sheerin (3-2, 4.78) allowed 30 hits and earned five saves. “My delivery is very different and creates a lot of swing and miss. My fastball is my strength, but it’s my passion to compete that I think really makes the difference,” he replied. Sheerin’s massive frame and unique crossfire arm motion make him an intriguing prospect. He features a fastball in the mid-to-high 90s and a slider. “I want Phillies’ fans to know that every time I get to put on that uniform, it means the world to me,” emphasized Sheerin.

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All-State Baseball Team https://berkssportsreport.com/all-state-baseball-team-2/ Fri, 03 Jul 2026 18:31:53 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5620 The third annual Pennsylvania Baseball Coaches Association All-State teams were released today. Eight players from the BCIAA were selected, including four in Class 6A. Three players from High Point Baptist Academy in Birdsboro made the Class A team. Congratulations to all of these All-State picks.

Class 6A:

Cole Moody-Muhlenberg-Pitcher (first team)

Ben Kulp-Wilson-Pitcher (first team)

Tim Lengle-Wilson-Outfielder (first team)

Janser Paredes-Reading-Infielder (second team)

Class 5A:

Greyson Bell-Daniel Boone-Pitcher (first team)

Nate Lord-Twin Valley-Infielder (second team)

Class 4A:

Isaak Stewart-Hamburg-Infielder (first team)

Class 3A:

Jaxton Henry-Brandywine Heights-Infielder (second team)

Class A:

Bradon Howe-High Point Baptist Academy-Outfielder (first team)

Colton Swenson-High Point Baptist Academy-Pitcher (second team)

Trey Booz-High Point Baptist Academy-Outfielder (second team)

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Berks County Baseball Recap https://berkssportsreport.com/berks-county-baseball-recap/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:03:43 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5614 The 2025-26 high school sports year came to an end on Saturday at Penn State University. It’s time to take a look back at what happened on the baseball diamond in Berks County.

Muhlenberg was the last team standing from the BCIAA. The (18-9) Muhls caught fire after a (7-7) start to the season. They won their first District 3 championship since 2008 and fourth overall. Muhlenberg was the only school from Berks County to reach the PIAA playoffs. The Muhls fell to Owen J. Roberts 7-2 in the Class 6A quarterfinals at FirstEnergy Stadium. Cole Moody ended his campaign with a perfect (11-0) record and nine complete games.

Wilson earned its 14th BCIAA title with a 10-0 victory over Muhlenberg in six innings. West Chester commit Ben Kulp was voted the Berks County Player of the Year, while Bill Underwood took home Coach of the Year honors. The (17-7) Bulldogs were upset 3-1 by #13 seed Northeastern in the first round of the District 3-6A tournament. Freshman Pat Lengle demonstrated his potential with a .441 batting average. His older brother, Tim, hit .426 with a team-high 32 RBI.

Exeter suffered a pair of tough losses in the postseason. The (15-8) Eagles came up short against Wilson 1-0 in the BCIAA semifinals. Exeter was then tripped up at home 2-1 by #10 seed Spring Grove in the opening round of the District 3-5A playoffs. Jake Hafer was once again one of the toughest outs in the league. The East Stroudsburg commit hit .432 and led the Eagles with 27 runs.

Tom Frees returned to Berks Catholic and guided the Saints to the Division 3 crown. Berks Catholic lost to Exeter 7-5 in the county quarterfinals. The (15-7) Saints got doubled up at second-seeded Trinity 12-6 in the District 3-3A semifinals.

Oley Valley claimed the Division 4 championship. The (15-7) Lynx dropped a nailbiter to #7 seed Daniel Boone in the BCIAA quarterfinals. Oley Valley had a rough draw in the District 3-4A tournament. The Lynx were defeated by perennial power East Pennsboro 10-3 in the quarterfinals.

Kutztown advanced to the District 3-3A semifinals before running into top-seeded Bermudian Springs. The (14-9) Cougars lost 6-1 in their season finale. Kutztown was eliminated in the BCIAA quarterfinals 13-3 by #1 seed Wilson.

It was a much different year in Shillington. The Mustangs lost eight starters and five All-State picks from the 2025 squad. They were blanked 4-0 by third-seeded Muhlenberg in the Berks County quarterfinals. Gov. Mifflin barely missed out on the District 3-6A field. The (10-11) Mustangs ended up 15th in the power rankings and only 14 teams qualified.

Daniel Boone was in a similar boat. The (10-11) Blazers finished 15th in the District 3-5A power ratings and missed the cut by one spot. Muhlenberg shut out Daniel Boone 5-0 in the league semifinals. Sophomore Greyson Bell delivered as advertised. The 6’2, 185-pound southpaw was (6-1) with a 1.01 ERA. Bell limited opponents to only 12 hits over 41.2 innings. The top-rated lefty in the Class of 2028 piled up 75 strikeouts.

Wyomissing and Twin Valley had winning records and made it to the postseason. The (11-9) Spartans lost 6-1 at fourth-seeded Kutztown in the District 3-3A quarterfinals. The (12-9) Raiders fell 5-0 at #8 seed New Oxford in the first round of the District 3-5A tournament.

Hamburg went (12-8) this spring, but didn’t qualify for the playoffs. Isaak Stewart was selected to the All-County team. The junior hit .433 and pitched a team-high 46 innings with a 2.38 ERA.

Reading showed improvement and ended up with a mark of (9-11). The Red Knights knocked off Muhlenberg, Wilson, and Exeter. They also beat Berks Catholic twice. Janser Paredes had another outstanding season. The senior hit .462 and was voted onto the All-County team.

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Wildcats End Muhls’ Run in PIAA Quarterfinals https://berkssportsreport.com/wildcats-end-muhls-run-in-piaa-quarterfinals/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:09:10 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5610 All good things must come to an end. Muhlenberg’s remarkable run from (7-7) to a District 3 championship was derailed by Owen J. Roberts at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Wildcats used a four-run fifth inning to knock off the Muhls 7-2 in the PIAA-6A quarterfinals. “They put the program back on the map at the highest level. The seniors [did] an amazing job leadership-wise. Your heart goes out to them because you know the blood, sweat and tears that they put out on the field every day,” said head coach Brian Kopetsky. He completed his 27th season at the helm in Muhlenberg. The (18-9) Muhls reached the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2008. Meanwhile, Owen J. Roberts advanced to the state semifinals for just the second time in school history. The (22-5) Wildcats will face District 7 champion Butler on Monday.

The top pitchers on both teams, Cole Moody and Lucas Campbell, were unavailable on Thursday night after throwing in the first round of the PIAA-6A tournament. Moody finished the year (11-0) with nine complete games for Muhlenberg. Campbell is (9-0) with a 1.13 ERA and 71 strikeouts. The York College commit has established a school record with 68.1 innings this spring. Head coach Alex Condello gave the ball to senior Adam Stahl. Kopetsky turned to John Martin. The 6’2 sophomore made just his third start of the season due to back issues. Martin limited Owen J. Roberts to two runs on four hits over four innings. He struck out three and walked none. Stahl gave up two runs on four hits in three frames. He had three strikeouts and a pair of walks.

Cooper Burr opened the contest with a triple that deflected off the glove of center fielder Ryan Hatt. After Marvin Frias walked, Gavin Moody singled through the left side to put the Muhls on the board first. Cole Moody, Gavin’s twin brother, then hit a fly ball to shallow center. Right fielder Gavin Winnick came over to make the catch, but collided with Hatt. That miscue in communication allowed Frias to tag up and score from third base.

Muhlenberg had an opportunity to expand its lead in the top of the second. Martin ripped a one-out double to right-center and Aidan Bonte walked. However, Cooper Burr hit a pop-up to first base with runners on second and third to end the threat. Campbell began the bottom of the third with a double. AJ Murray, the No. 9 hitter, delivered a RBI single to center to make it 2-1. In the fourth, Nolan Fisher launched a solo homer to left field to even the score. The sophomore catcher went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI. Frias hit a one-out triple to left-center in the top of the fifth, but was stranded there. A pop-up to Fisher in foul territory by Gavin Moody was followed by a strikeout of Cole Moody by Owen Waltimyer.

Ryan Rosenberry took over on the mound for the Muhls in the fifth and immediately hit Winnick. Sophomore Mike Canfield then committed a costly error on Murray’s sacrifice bunt down the third base line. Rosenberry struck out the next two batters. Following a wild pitch, Muhlenberg opted to intentionally walk Stahl and load the bases. Stahl entered the game with a single-season school record 38 RBI and a .395 batting average. He has a team-high 13 extra-base hits including five homers. Waltimyer made the Muhls pay with a three-run triple to right. “You look at the scouting report and the kid has one hit to right field all year…He hit it just far enough over Carter Burr that it went for the triple,” explained Kopetsky. Fisher added a RBI single up the middle to give the Wildcats a 6-2 cushion. They tacked on one more run in the sixth with Cooper Burr on the hill. He walked Campbell and Winnick. After a sacrifice bunt by Murray, Albright commit Matt Smola flew out to right field. Campbell ventured too far down the third base line and got caught in a rundown. He managed to score on a very close play at the plate.

In addition to his pivotal triple, Waltimyer was outstanding in relief of Stahl. The junior righty fired four scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no walks. “Owen has come through all year for us in big spots. We have a lot of confidence in him on the mound and at the plate. We always know he’s gonna compete and give us a chance,” replied Condello. Waltimyer (4-0) has 62 strikeouts in 37 innings this season. Rosenberry took the loss. He was charged with four runs, all unearned, on two hits and a walk in one frame. Each team ended up with six hits and one error. Cooper Burr was 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. He will continue his career at Penn State Schuylkill, along with Gavin Moody.

Kopetsky noted that the highlight of the spring was their first District 3 title in 18 years. The eleventh-seeded Muhls defeated Chambersburg 10-0 in six innings at Penn Medicine Park. “The fact that these guys were cast into this underdog role; they absolutely took it 100 percent. They lived it, they became it, they were it,” emphasized Kopetsky. He added, “I said you have nothing to be ashamed of. Their legacy is a team that kind of came out of nowhere. It’s pretty amazing,” remarked Kopetsky.

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Carter Burr-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/carter-burr-muhlenberg/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:17:41 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5607 “Wow.” That’s the word longtime Muhlenberg coach Brian Kopetsky used to describe Carter Burr’s throw to home plate in the seventh inning. “He’s a kid that goes out there and makes plays. In practice, he’s always making accurate throws. Carter made a perfect throw to the plate. Kudos to him; game-saving, season-saving kind of throw,” emphasized Kopetsky. Courtesy runner Pete Manaras was on second base with one out and Haverford trailing 2-1. Shane Durkan singled through the right side off Ryan Rosenberry, but Burr fired a one-hop throw from right field to catcher Carlos Castillo for the out. “He got jammed up a little bit. Carlos made a hell of a play because that ball got into him and then he had to come back out and get the runner. It was a bang-bang play at the plate,” said Kopetsky. Burr, a freshman, also praised Castillo. “Oh my God, I give him 75% of the credit,” remarked Burr. Rosenberry struck out Rocco Kelleher to end it and send the (18-8) Muhls to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2008.

The (20-4) Fords were making their first appearance in the PIAA playoffs after finishing sixth in the District 1 tournament. They’ve been without standout first baseman Cam McCormack for most of the season due to a torn meniscus. The 6’2, 205-pound junior is already committed to Pittsburgh. Haverford got on the board in the top of the first against Muhlenberg ace Cole Moody. The 6’3, 215-pound senior entered Monday with a (10-0) record and a sparkling 0.90 ERA. After Jimmy Boyle led off with a single, Durkan ripped a RBI triple to right-center. Moody then picked Durkan off third base which cost the Fords a run because Sam Sturman singled two batters later. Moody, who tossed a three-hitter in the District 3-6A Championship against Chambersburg, allowed three hits in the first frame. “To be honest with you, I don’t think he had a good slider tonight. He was struggling to throw that pitch in situations where he likes to throw it, but he’s a gamer. He reads the opponents’ hitters really well,” explained Kopetsky.

The Muhls responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first. Boyle, a Thomas Jefferson University commit, hit leadoff batter Cooper Burr and walked Gavin Moody. Muhlenberg had runners on the corners with one out for Cole Moody. His squeeze bunt went right back to Boyle who flipped the ball to Durkan and Burr was called out at the plate on a close play. After Liam Vargas walked, sophomore Mike Canfield hit a hard ground ball past second baseman Andrew Brown which resulted in two runs. The Muhls’ scorekeeper ruled it a hit for Canfield. Neither team scored after that adventurous first inning.

Moody and Boyle both settled in nicely after their struggles in the first frame. Moody, who’s headed to Northampton Community College, had seven strikeouts and one walk over 6.1 innings. He had to come out after reaching the limit of 105 pitches. “Cole is phenomenal. We have full faith in him,” replied Carter Burr. Moody allowed seven hits. He struck out the final three batters he faced. Moody has 95 strikeouts in 76.1 innings this year. Boyle went the distance for the Fords. He finished with seven strikeouts and two walks. “He’s a very good pitcher. He has good velocity and he has a good slider that he starts at your front hip. He threw a heck of a ball game,” acknowledged Carter Burr. Boyle limited Muhlenberg to three hits.

Haverford loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but failed to score. Moody struck out Bobby Menear and got Boyle to ground out to second. The Fords threatened again in the fifth when Sturman hit a two-out double to left. He was stranded, however, as Owen Klick flew out to deep left field. Rosenberry walked the first batter he faced in the top of the seventh. A wild pitch advanced the potential tying run to second base with one out. Carter Burr then provided the defensive play of the night. “I took a deep breath before that play. I knew I had to keep the throw low and give my catcher a chance,” he said. Haverford left eight men on base.

After splitting their first fourteen games of the season, the Muhls have won eleven of their past twelve contests. They will face District 1 runner-up Owen J. Roberts on Thursday in the PIAA-6A quarterfinals. “All along we’ve been the underdogs. The team that can’t, the team that won’t, the team that shouldn’t, and the team that keeps doing it. I’m gonna tell you right now everybody is picking Owen J. Roberts. There’s no doubt about it,” stated Kopetsky.

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PIAA Baseball Playoffs https://berkssportsreport.com/piaa-baseball-playoffs-2/ Fri, 29 May 2026 16:40:43 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5602 The PIAA released the bracket for the baseball playoffs today. Muhlenberg is the only team from Berks County that qualified this season. Last year, Gov. Mifflin and Fleetwood reached the state quarterfinals. Berks Catholic advanced to the semifinals in Class 3A before falling to Mount Carmel 4-3.

The (17-8) Muhls won the District 3-6A championship on Monday. They rolled over Chambersburg 10-0 in six innings. It’s the first District 3 title for Muhlenberg since 2008 and the fourth overall. The Muhls have been led by senior righty Cole Moody. The All-County selection and Northampton Community College commit is (10-0) this year with nine complete games.

Muhlenberg will host Haverford at 7pm on Monday in the first round of the state playoffs. The Fords won the Central League and finished in sixth place in the District 1 tournament. Cam McCormack, a Pittsburgh commit, has missed most of the season after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee. The 6’2, 205-pound junior is ranked #14 in the country among first basemen in the Class of 2027 by Perfect Game. Senior southpaw Lucas Rothstein will continue his career at West Chester, while righty Jimmy Boyle is headed to Thomas Jefferson University. The winner of the game in Laureldale will play either Owen J. Roberts or Stroudsburg in the quarterfinals.

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Cooper Burr-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/cooper-burr-muhlenberg/ Tue, 26 May 2026 12:02:54 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5597 Muhlenberg head coach Brian Kopetsky knew who he was giving the ball to for the District 3-6A championship game. “It was an easy decision for us,” said Kopetsky. The eleventh-seeded Muhls brought back Cole Moody on three days rest and their ace delivered another gem. The 6’3, 215-pound righty fired a three-hitter as Muhlenberg rolled over #5 seed Chambersburg 10-0 in six innings at Penn Medicine Park in Lancaster. “It’s electric when he’s on the mound. We know we’re gonna get a win,” replied senior Cooper Burr. Moody needed just 67 pitches to give the (17-8) Muhls their fourth District 3 crown. “His pitch count was so low. It was unbelievable. Thankfully, they went up there swinging early for a guy coming back on short rest. Early on, he wasn’t real sharp and then the breaking ball started kicking in,” explained Kopetsky. Moody improved to a perfect (10-0) this season with nine complete games. The Northampton Community College commit finished with six strikeouts and one walk as Muhlenberg earned its first District 3 title since 2008. “It feels amazing. This is what we’ve been working for the last four years,” emphasized Burr.

Moody and Chambersburg senior Ryne Mills both threw complete games in the semifinals on Thursday. Mills only allowed one hit in a 4-1 victory over top-seeded Hempfield. The St. Joseph’s commit is (9-0) this spring with a 1.37 ERA over 66.1 innings. The (17-7) Trojans went with Brady Truett on Monday night. The junior entered the day at (4-1) with a 0.62 ERA. Truett had 26 strikeouts and 14 walks in 34 innings. “I’m not gonna lie, No. 5 through No. 9 hitters, I gave everyone a take until they got a strike,” noted Kopetsky. That strategy worked as Truett walked four and lasted just 1.1 innings. The Muhls ended up with nine hits and eight walks. Burr, Moody, and shortstop Liam Vargas provided two hits apiece. Vargas walked twice and scored a pair of runs. Burr and Moody each drove in two runs. Mike Canfield went 1-for-2 with a walk and 2 RBI. The sophomore third baseman also made a tremendous defensive play. Gavin Moody, Cole’s twin brother, was 1-for-3 with a walk. He scored two runs and knocked in another.

Muhlenberg took control early with four runs on two hits and three walks in the top of the second inning. Sophomore John Martin hit a pop up to shallow right field with men on the corners. Second baseman Brycen Murray made the catch on the run as his momentum took him into foul territory. Vargas alertly scored the first run by tagging up from third base. After walks to Aidan Bonte and Carter Burr, leadoff hitter Cooper Burr ripped a 2-run single through the left side for a 3-0 edge. Senior lefty Hayden Lyons replaced Truett on the mound. Marvin Frias bunted the ball back to Lyons and Carter Burr slid head-first to avoid the tag by catcher Ceagan Truett. The home plate umpire never signaled safe which led to some confusion, but the Muhls had a 4-0 cushion. That was plenty of support for Moody. He’s limited opponents to 45 hits in 70 innings with 88 strikeouts this season.

Muhlenberg tacked on two runs in the fourth. Frias stole second after an infield single. He scored on a two-out single through the left side by Gavin Moody. Cole Moody then hammered a RBI double to right-center. Canfield made it 7-0 with a RBI groundout to second in the fifth. Junior southpaw Cam Wadel took over on the hill for the Trojans in the sixth. RBI singles by Cole Moody and Vargas put the Muhls on top 9-0. A sacrifice fly to right field by Canfield brought home their final run. Truett was charged with four runs on two hits and four walks. Lyons gave up three runs on four hits and three walks over 3.2 innings. Wadel allowed three runs on three hits and a walk in one frame.

Chambersburg has won a record eleven District 3 championships with the last coming in 2009. The Muhls’ first District 3 title was against the Trojans in 1980. Kopetsky was on Muhlenberg’s 1982 team which also brought District 3 gold back to Laureldale. He’s in his 27th season as the Muhls’ head coach. “It’s exciting. This is for everybody who has played in the program. These kids went out and they played for Muhlenberg baseball, and they play for each other. This means an awful lot to a lot of people,” said Kopetsky.

The Muhls have won ten of their past eleven games. The PIAA-6A tournament begins on Monday, June 1st. “There’s no limit to us now. We can keep extending the bar. I think we got a good shot in State’s,” remarked Burr.

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Brian Kopetsky-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/brian-kopetsky-muhlenberg-6/ Fri, 22 May 2026 15:16:13 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5591 At 6’2 and 215 pounds, Cole Moody looks like a linebacker playing baseball. The Muhlenberg senior is an intimidating presence on the mound. Moody’s fastball touches 90 mph and he comes right after hitters. “He wants the ball, he’s a workhorse, and he’s very economical with his pitches. Coach [Jason] McCord does a great job calling the game,” said longtime Muhls’ head coach Brian Kopetsky. Moody fired a two-hitter with eleven strikeouts as #11 seed Muhlenberg beat #2 seed Ephrata 2-0 on Thursday night at War Memorial Field. The (16-8) Muhls will face fifth-seeded Chambersburg for the District 3-6A Championship on Monday at 6:45pm at Penn Medicine Park in Lancaster. Moody is (9-0) this season with an eye-popping eight complete games. “He has worked at his craft; the time and the effort and the energy that he put in in the off-season. This is the stuff that he’s worked for and he’s gonna continue to get better,” emphasized Kopetsky. Moody, who’s going to Northampton Community College, entered the contest with a 1.10 ERA. He walked two batters, hit two others, and finished with 104 pitches. “I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t feel my best. It’s the mentality, that’s all it is,” noted Moody.

The Mounts’ ace, Camryn Simes, was unavailable after pitching in their 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Mechanicsburg on Monday. Simes (5-3, 0.88) has held opponents to 25 hits in 47.2 innings this spring. The Millersville commit is a four-year starter with 300 career strikeouts. Ephrata ended Muhlenberg’s season last year. The Mounts defeated the Muhls 2-0 in the opening round of the District 3-6A tournament. Kopetsky expected another low-scoring affair with Moody and Collin Miller on the hill. Miller came into the semifinal with a (5-1) record and a 2.10 ERA.

Ephrata had men on first and second in the bottom of the third, but Chase Prange grounded out to shortstop to end the inning. Miller, who cruised through five frames, ran into trouble in the sixth. The junior righty hit Carter Burr and his older brother, Cooper, to begin the inning. Miller was replaced on the mound after 74 pitches by Prange. Marvin Frias got down a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third. Carter Burr scored the first run on a passed ball. Gavin Moody then delivered a RBI double to right field for a 2-0 advantage. Moody had struck out and popped out in his previous two at-bats. “I walked up to him and said you’re the No. 3 hitter. You’re one of the best hitters on the team, just go out there and be one of the best hitters on the team. He went up there and put a great at-bat together,” replied Kopetsky.

The (16-6) Mounts put men on first and second with one out in the sixth. After Cole Moody hit Prange and walked Landry Weidner, Simes lined out sharply to center field. Ethan Gockley then struck out for the third time. Moody added two more strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh. He retired Ephrata in order as Muhlenberg won for the ninth time in its last ten games. “It’s who gets hot late. The Muhls are hot right now,” said Moody. Miller was charged with two runs on one hit in five innings. He hit four batters and struck out three. Prange allowed three hits over the final two innings with a pair of strikeouts. Carter Burr, Cole Moody, and John Martin singled for Muhlenberg. Jake Buckwalter and freshman leadoff hitter Hayden Mietelski had singles for the Mounts. Their five-game winning streak came to a halt.

The Muhls took down Lancaster-Lebanon League champion Manheim Township 6-3 in the first round. They made the long trip to third-seeded Waynesboro on Monday and returned to Laureldale with a 9-7 victory. After shutting out Ephrata, Muhlenberg is one win away from its fourth District 3 title. The last time the Muhls hoisted the trophy was in 2008. “The kids look at each new game as a challenge and they’re playing confident. They’re kind of feeling like why not,” remarked Kopetsky.

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Chris Bergstrom-Kutztown https://berkssportsreport.com/chris-bergstrom-kutztown-2/ Tue, 19 May 2026 15:09:06 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5587 The same teams met in the same round of the playoffs a season ago, but this time there was a different result. Kutztown lost to Wyomissing 13-12 in eight innings in a wild District 3-3A quarterfinal last year. On Monday night, the fourth-seeded Cougars flipped the script with a 6-1 victory over the fifth-seeded Spartans. “That’s a good team over there. They can hit the crap out of the ball. It felt really good to win against them,” said senior Chris Bergstrom. The Penn State Schuylkill commit drove in two runs and struck out seven over the final three innings. “He’s our leader, he’s our clutch guy. He led the team in quality at-bats. When he takes the ball, we expect to win,” remarked longtime head coach Tim Mertz. He’s in his 26th season at the helm of Kutztown. Mertz’s 389 career wins are the most in school history. The (14-8) Cougars visit #1 seed Bermudian Springs in the semifinals on Thursday at 4:30pm. Wyomissing was limited to five hits and left twelve runners on base. The Spartans’ campaign ended with a mark of (11-9).

Kutztown struck first thanks to a two-out RBI single by Zane Cherrie in the bottom of the first. A second run scored on the play as the ball rolled past the right fielder. “It was a huge hit. It felt like a little bit of relief on our backs,” noted Bergstrom. Wyomissing had two men on base in the first and the fourth innings. Elliot Knutsen got out of both jams with strikeouts. The junior righty held the Spartans to three hits over four scoreless frames. “Elliot has been a huge piece all year. He’s been pitching and catching. I don’t know how he does it,” emphasized Bergstrom. Knutsen struck out three and walked four. “He does a very good job mixing pitches and keeping a batter off balance,” explained Mertz.

Bergstrom took over on the mound in the fifth. He struck out Zander Westwood with runners on first and second to get out of trouble. Sophomore Ryan Walters led off the bottom half of the inning with a single. After Chase Schuler was hit by a pitch, Bergstrom delivered a two-run single to center that made it 4-0. “I tend to overthink when I go up to the plate. Don’t think, just hit the ball hard somewhere,” said Bergstrom. Wyomissing loaded the bases with one out in the sixth. Bergstrom struck out Teddy White and Ryan Graham to avoid any damage. White and Graham hit .427 and .455 respectively this year. Graham, an Alvernia commit, went 2-for-4 on Monday.

The Cougars tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth. A RBI groundout to shortstop by Walters gave them a 5-0 cushion. Schuler followed with a two-out RBI single through the left side. The Spartans finally got on the scoreboard when Westwood hammered a solo homer to left in the seventh. It was the fourth home run of the season for the 6’3, 225-pound junior. Westwood is also a linebacker and fullback on the football team. Noah Rauenzahn was charged with three runs, one earned, on three hits in four innings. The Alvernia commit had five strikeouts and three walks. Chase Bailey gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits in two innings. He hit three batters and struck out two. Wyomissing committed a pair of errors, while Kutztown only made one.

The Cougars have won six District 3 championships. They’re (45-27) overall in the District 3 tournament. “Kutztown is a baseball town. I love it here. We play on this beautiful field and all of the community was out here. It’s great to play for Kutztown,” stated Bergstrom.

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