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.

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.

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.

Lancaster got points on the opening drive thanks to a 24-yard field goal by Peter Fiorello from L-S. Gabe Martin then broke off a 41-yard run on fourth-and-2 in the second quarter. Garden Spot’s dual-threat quarterback took the ball down the right sideline to the 18-yard line. However, Lancaster wasn’t able to cash in on the red zone opportunity. A missed 32-yard field goal kept the score at 3-0 with 7:49 remaining in the first half.

Berks/Lebanon responded with its best series of the night. Wilson’s Mason Young, an Albright commit, lofted a perfect pass down the left sideline to Jayden Ware of Exeter for a 34-yard gain. They hooked up again to cap the drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass in the left corner of the end zone. Ware, who’s going to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, finished with three catches for 65 yards. “Jayden is certainly a playmaker. He has a real true competitive spirit. Kids like that never want to leave the field and coaches love guys like that,” remarked Moyer. Berks/Lebanon was in front 7-3 with 1:57 left in the second quarter.

Lancaster’s offense answered immediately. Martin rolled right and was under pressure when he lofted a pass deep down the right sideline to Kris Burgos-Wise from Solanco. The ball just made it over the hand of Reading cornerback Idris Weaver. Burgos-Wise made the grab at the 25-yard line and cut back into the middle of the field for a touchdown. Momentum shifted quickly as Lancaster went on top 10-7 with 1:38 to go in the half. Burgos-Wise, a Gettysburg commit, wasn’t done. On Lancaster’s next possession, he reeled in a 50-yard pass over the middle from Sawyer Esbenshade of Conestoga Valley. Lancaster couldn’t add to its lead because of a low snap on a 29-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

The only turnover of the contest came on the first play of the second half. Northern Lebanon quarterback Bryan Mitzel ran to his left where defensive tackle Taylor Veilleux of Manheim Township forced a fumble. His teammate with the Blue Streaks, Zach Bomberger, scooped up the ball and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown. Lancaster increased its advantage to 17-7 just nine seconds into the third quarter. Berks/Lebanon tried a 45-yard field on the ensuing series, but it was well short.

Lancaster put together a drive that lasted almost six and a-half minutes. All-State running back Johnny Garcia from Solanco and Marcos Fernandez of Manheim Township split time in the backfield. Fernandez took an inside handoff and lowered his shoulder at the goal line for a 7-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked, but Lancaster seized control with that 80-yard march. Berks/Lebanon was behind 23-7 with 10:03 left on the clock. They turned the ball over on downs at Lancaster’s 40-yard line with 4:29 remaining. Cam Small, Muhlenberg’s all-time leading rusher with 3,817 yards, was bottled up for most of the game. He ended up with 58 yards on 16 carries. Will Milazzo, another standout from Manheim Township, provided a pair of sacks.

Despite the outcome, Moyer enjoyed working with the players on the Berks/Lebanon roster. “I told the kids they are certainly a special group, truly All-Stars and really a bunch of class acts,” he noted. Moyer added, “I met many parents after the game and made a point to tell them what great kids they have.”

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.

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.

Bill Underwood was chosen as the BCIAA Coach of the Year. He guided Wilson to its 14th league championship. The Bulldogs defeated Muhlenberg 10-0 in six innings at FirstEnergy Stadium. Wilson played a very challenging schedule and finished its season with a record of (17-7).

Here is the 2026 All-County team. You can find the all-division picks on the BCIAA website.

Ben Kulp-Wilson-Senior-Player of the Year

Jake Hafer-Exeter-Senior

Greyson Bell-Daniel Boone-Sophomore

Janser Paredes-Reading-Senior

Timmy Fries-Oley Valley-Senior

Cole Moody-Muhlenberg-Senior

Henry Pflomm-Berks Catholic-Senior

Nate Lord-Twin Valley-Senior

Jack Gabel-Wilson-Senior

Brandon Weller-Exeter-Junior

Isaak Stewart-Hamburg-Junior

Exeter’s lone run came in the bottom of the first. Jake Franek walked and stole second base. The speedy shortstop advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch. Liam Porter cruised through the first three innings. The senior entered the day with a perfect (5-0) mark and a pristine 0.64 ERA. He piled up six strikeouts through three frames. Porter walked Brandon Bechtel to begin the fourth inning. Ashton Parks followed with a bunt down the first base line. Jake Hafer’s throw to first hit Parks and bounced away which put runners on the corners. Sophomore Luke Husser lofted a sacrifice fly to right field that brought home Bechtel and evened the score at 1-1.

Porter issued one-out walks to Cooper Frey and Evan Allison, the No. 8 and 9 batters, in the fifth inning. Mason Goodhart took over on the mound for the Eagles. His wild pitch moved the runners to second and third base. The go-ahead run came with some confusion when Bechtel hit a fly ball to deep left field. Hafer, who had moved from first base to left, made a great sliding catch on the warning track. Brady Myers scored on the play, but Exeter appealed that he left too soon. “When we appealed at third base, the third base umpire called him out. The home plate umpire told us it was his call and he had him safe. The third base umpire was signaling an out for the catch, not for the appeal,” explained Freese. “It was a close play. One of our assistants did think that he was a little early. I just watched Jake make a hell of a catch. Unfortunately, the call didn’t go our way. That was the game-winning run, but offensively we didn’t do our job,” added Freese.

In the sixth, Hafer was hit by a pitch with one out. Wonder exited after 90 pitches and was replaced by Husser. Hafer, an East Stroudsburg commit, got caught stealing for the second out of the inning. Franek then singled, but he was picked off first base by Husser. Both catchers, Frey and Brandon Weller, threw out two runners.

Husser got a groundout and a pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh. He allowed one hit in 1.2 innings with no walks. Wonder and Myers had the only hits for Spring Grove. The (12-9) Rockets are going to the District 3-5A quarterfinals after starting the season (1-5). They visit #2 seed Lower Dauphin on Monday. Porter took the loss despite racking up eight strikeouts in 4.1 innings. He was charged with two runs on four walks and one hit. Goodhart tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts and no walks. Exeter will need to revamp its pitching staff next spring. Porter, Goodhart, Hafer, and Kamren Martin are all graduating.

In Friday’s other action, #9 seed Twin Valley fell at #8 New Oxford 5-0. In Class 6A, #11 seed Muhlenberg upset #6 Manheim Township 6-3. Cole Moody fired a complete game with six strikeouts and one walk. He improved to (8-0) this season. The (14-8) Muhls scored six times in the third inning. All of those runs were unearned. The (17-7) Blue Streaks committed seven errors. The Lancaster-Lebanon League champions got knocked out in the first round. Marvin Frias went 3-for-4 for Muhlenberg. He drove in two runs and scored another. The Muhls travel to #3 Waynesboro on Monday. #13 seed Northeastern stunned #4 Wilson 3-1 at Owls Field in West Lawn. The Bulldogs finish with a mark of (17-7). They won their 14th Berks County Championship this year.

The District 3 tournament begins this Friday. Here are the matchups involving local teams in each classification.

Class 6A:

#13 Northeastern vs. #4 Wilson at 7pm on Friday, May 15th. That first round game will be played at Owls Field in West Lawn.

#11 Muhlenberg at #6 Manheim Township at 4:30pm on Friday, May 15th.

Class 5A:

#10 Spring Grove at #7 Exeter at 4pm on Friday, May 15th.

#9 Twin Valley at #8 New Oxford at 4:30pm on Friday, May 15th.

Class 4A:

#6 Oley Valley at #3 East Pennsboro at 4:30pm on Monday, May 18th.

Class 3A:

#6 Pequea Valley at #3 Berks Catholic at 4:30pm on Monday, May 18th.

#5 Wyomissing at #4 Kutztown at 6:30pm on Monday, May 18th.

Class A:

#6 Fairfield at #3 High Point Baptist at 4:30pm on Friday, May 15th.

Brian Kopetsky, who’s in his 27th year as the Muhls’ head coach, decided not to start Cole Moody. Muhlenberg’s ace had thrown 90 pitches in a 4-0 win over Gov. Mifflin on Thursday in the quarterfinals. Kopetsky gave the ball to sophomore John Martin. If healthy, he would have been one of the Muhls’ top pitchers this season. Martin had only one inning under his belt this spring. The young righty didn’t allow a run over the first two frames against Wilson.

Alex Frantz, the No. 9 hitter, and Gabel opened the bottom of the third with singles. Ryan Rosenberry, who tossed three scoreless innings on Friday in the county semifinals, took over for Martin. After a walk to Pat Lengle, Ben Kulp hit a grounder to third base. Sophomore Mike Canfield came home, but the throw wasn’t in time to get Gabel who scored the first run. Tim Lengle drew a walk to make it 2-0. A balk by Rosenberry gave the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. Matt Mallis then put a squeeze bunt down the first base line which scored Kulp. Spohn followed with a RBI double down the third base line. “I was fired up. It was a great feeling, top 5 moment in baseball for me,” emphasized Spohn. Wilson took control with five runs on three hits and two walks in the third inning.

The Bulldogs ended it early with five more runs in the sixth. Sophomore Landon Kostelac led off with a double before Frantz walked. A single to left field by Gabel made it 6-0. A sacrifice fly to left by Ryan Marmolejos gave Wilson a 7-0 cushion. After walking Pat Lengle, Rosenberry was replaced by Chase Kreider. Following a walk by Kulp, Tim Lengle hit a 2-run opposite field single to left. Spohn’s RBI single through the middle was the final blow. The (17-6) Bulldogs claimed their second BCIAA title in three years and 14th overall. The (13-8) Muhls await the District 3-6A playoffs which begin on Friday.

Martin was charged with two runs on four hits in two innings. Rosenberry allowed seven runs on four hits and four walks in 3.1 innings. Gabel needed just 72 pitches to get through six frames. He also provided three of Wilson’s ten hits. Gabel boosted his batting average to .389 this year. Tim Lengle went 2-for-3 with a walk and 3 RBI. Spohn provided two hits and knocked in a pair of runs. “If you’re down, he really keeps you in it. He’s a great captain. Behind the plate, he’s a brick wall,” remarked Gabel of his catcher. Pat Lengle was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs. The freshman is hitting .464 this season. His older brother, Tim, isn’t far behind at .431.

The Bulldogs are hitting .351 as a team this spring. They only used three pitchers to navigate through the county playoffs. Gabel, Kulp, and Pat Lengle each threw a complete game. Wilson outscored its three opponents 24-to-3. “I don’t think anyone can beat us when we’re playing our game,” stated Gabel.