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.

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.

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.

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.

Wilson has dropped three in a row after winning twelve consecutive games. The (13-6, 9-3) Bulldogs were outscored 23-to-1 by Gov. Mifflin and Reading this week. Wilson sent Ben Kulp to the mound on Friday. The West Chester commit entered the Senior Night contest with a (6-0) record and a 1.32 ERA. Gavin Moody made his first appearance for the (10-7, 9-3) Muhls. “I borrowed the opener idea. The goal was to get to Rosenberry for the fourth inning and ride him to the finish. At this point in the season, you get a little thin in pitching so we put Gavin in a tough spot. I thought Marv did a great job for the two innings to steady things,” noted Kopetsky. Moody hit Jack Gabel with a pitch to begin the bottom of the first. He then walked two batters, but limited the damage to one run on a passed ball. Frias tossed a pair of scoreless innings without allowing a hit. The junior lefty walked three and hit a batter.

John Martin, Muhlenberg’s designated hitter, stroked a two-run single to right field in the fourth. The lead didn’t last long for the Muhls. A wild pitch by Ryan Rosenberry tied it up at 2-2 in the bottom half of the frame. The Bulldogs made three errors in the fifth which put them in a 3-2 deficit. After Kulp doubled down the right field line in the bottom of the fifth, Tim Lengle ripped a RBI triple to right-center. A wild pitch put Wilson on top 4-3.

Muhlenberg loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth. Kulp had to exit after reaching the 100 pitch limit. Ben Shaub came out of the Bulldogs’ bullpen and struck out Rosenberry for the first out. That set the stage for Burr. His double fell just out of the reach of speedy right fielder Aidan Incledon. Rosenberry got three ground ball outs in the bottom of the seventh to retire Wilson in order. The Bulldogs, who came into the night with a .349 team batting average, were limited to three hits. Kulp went 1-for-2 with two walks. Burr provided two of the Muhls’ five hits. Kulp was charged with six runs, one earned, on four hits over five innings. The 6’2, 215-pound righty finished with eight strikeouts and a pair of walks. Wilson committed four errors, while Muhlenberg made none.

Both teams are headed to the BCIAA playoffs. The Berks County quarterfinals are set for Thursday, May 7th. The Muhls wrapped up a playoff berth on Tuesday with a 2-0 victory at Exeter. “Now you’re seeing a loose team. Now you’re seeing a team that’s hungry, a team that’s aggressive, a team that’s got some spirit. They’re a fun bunch. They can do some damage,” said Kopetsky.

Moody held the (12-6, 7-5) Eagles to five hits. “He pitched the way he’s been pitching all season. He has been very efficient while striking out batters. It’s a nice combination and he’s not running up a 100 pitch count in five innings which is what Cole did last year,” noted Kopetsky. This is his 27th season at the helm in Laureldale. Moody needed just 90 pitches to get through seven frames. The Northampton Community College commit finished with six strikeouts and only one walk. He pounded the zone with a high-80s fastball. “I love the fastball. I love blowing it by people,” remarked Moody. He also has a very good slider. “They buckle, it’s awesome to see,” he said with a smile. His arsenal includes a curveball and changeup. Moody feels confident in utilizing all four pitches. He improved to (6-0) for the (9-7, 8-3) Muhls. Moody entered the game with a 1.17 ERA.

Muhlenberg got on the board early against Shippensburg commit Kamren Martin. The 6’4 righty made just his second start of the year. Cooper Burr and Marvin Frias opened the top of the first with singles. Moody helped himself with a RBI groundout to shortstop. Exeter threatened in the bottom half of the inning. Jake Hafer, who’s headed to East Stroudsburg, and Jake Franek singled with nobody out. However, Moody got two groundouts and a strikeout to escape the jam. Brenton Feathers ripped a double down the left field line to open the bottom of the fourth. The Eagles weren’t able to get a bunt down to advance him to third base. Moody then got another groundout and a strikeout to keep the shutout intact.

The Muhls made it 2-0 in the fifth without the benefit of a hit. Mason Goodhart replaced Martin who threw 64 pitches in four innings. Martin allowed four hits with one strikeout and no walks. Goodhart walked Aidan Bonte, the No. 8 hitter, to begin the fifth. After a fly ball to center field, Burr hit a grounder to shortstop. Franek threw to sophomore Xavier Jacobs at second base for a force out, but Jacobs dropped the ball. Frias followed with a sacrifice fly to left to knock in Bonte with the second run of the afternoon. Goodhart was charged with one unearned run on three hits over three innings.

Brandon Weller led off the bottom of the sixth with a single to left field. After Matt Woram grounded out to shortstop, Feathers lofted a shallow fly ball to center. Gavin Moody, Cole’s twin brother, made the catch on the run and threw to first base to get Woram for a double play. Cole Moody retired Exeter in order in the seventh as Muhlenberg clinched second place in Division 1. Burr ended up with three of the Muhls’ seven hits. Bonte went 1-for-2 with a walk. Franek was 2-for-3 for the Eagles. They’re in third place in the division with no league games remaining.

Muhlenberg went (11-9) last spring and missed out on the Berks County playoffs. “Last year was a little different when we were the #9 team and we didn’t get in. It’s a goal, they always want to get to [FirstEnergy] stadium. It’s great to be back,” said Kopetsky. The Muhls will be a tough customer with Moody on the hill. “We want to make a run, especially for the seniors. I think it’s a very wide open county. If we bring it every day like this, I don’t think anybody is stopping us,” stated Moody.