Governor – Berks Sports Report

Heartbreaking Loss for the Mustangs

Paul Roberts — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 14:46:27 +0000

With two outs in the bottom of the 6th inning, everything changed. Up until that point, Bryce Detwiler was dealing on the mound. The UConn commit had allowed just one hit, an infield single, and no walks. Franklin Pichardo, a Maryland commit, stunned Gov. Mifflin with a solo homer to left field. The senior catcher flipped the bat high into the air. That was the lone run of the game as Liberty advanced to the PIAA-6A semifinals. “Bryce did a great job. They have a very good lineup. He’s gonna beat himself up over that one pitch, but overall he did a fantastic job. I couldn’t ask for more from a senior captain,” said head coach Chris Hole. Detwiler (9-1) and Hole were very emotional after the loss at DeSales University on Thursday. “I love them. Life is bigger than baseball. You learn more from your failures than your successes,” noted Hole. The (26-2) Mustangs couldn’t capitalize on early opportunities against Liam Fitzpatrick. The junior righty got the start because Hurricanes’ ace Michael Mariano Jr. wasn’t available after pitching in their 11-3 first round victory over West Chester Henderson. Mariano Jr. is (11-1) with a 2.12 ERA over 85.2 innings. Fitzpatrick entered the state quarterfinal at Weiland Park with a modest (4-3) record and a 4.89 ERA. He gave up a single and a pair of walks in the opening frame, but struck out Billy Angstadt with the bases loaded. Gov. Mifflin failed to score in the 2nd after putting runners on first and second with one out. Detwiler struck out and Pichardo threw out a runner trying to steal third base. “We knew their catcher was outstanding and he was able to erase a couple guys on the bases. We were able to get one bunt down, but missed a couple others,” lamented Hole. The Mustangs had another chance to get on the scoreboard in the top of the 3rd with runners on the corners. Angstadt ripped a line drive right at sophomore shortstop Willie Cruz to end the threat. Gov. Mifflin left six men on base in the first three innings and seven overall. “We hit the ball on the screws to a lot of their guys, especially right field. We took the ball well the other way, but nothing fell,” acknowledged Hole. The Mustangs finished with just four hits and none after the 3rd inning. Fitzpatrick had four strikeouts and five walks in four innings. Rocco Sciarra, a 6’1 junior, earned the win with three hitless innings of relief and one strikeout. Detwiler, the two-time Berks County Player of the Year, grounded out to first base to end it. He was one of eight seniors in Gov. Mifflin’s starting lineup. Liberty, the District 11 runner-up, will face Cedar Cliff in the PIAA-6A semifinals on Monday. The Hurricanes stand at (22-6). The Mustangs won their first state championship a season ago in Class 5A. They brought home BCIAA and District 3 titles this year. Gov. Mifflin went (50-7) over the past two seasons. “This team will go down as the best in Mifflin baseball history,” stated Hole.

Travis Jenkins-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 03:45:57 +0000

Survive and advance. That’s what playing in the state tournament is all about. There is no consolation bracket. There aren’t any third and fifth place games. It’s win or go home. Gov. Mifflin overcame some pitching issues and beat Perkiomen Valley 6-1 in the first round of the PIAA-6A playoffs. The District 3 champions jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning. After an error and a walk, Travis Jenkins ripped a two-run double to right-center. The Canisius commit and All-State catcher said it’s important to strike first in the postseason. “You don’t want to feel like you’re playing from behind at all. You know teams are gonna be tough, teams are gonna battle. You can’t take an out off,” he replied. Jenkins went 3-for-4 on Monday afternoon in Shillington. The senior catcher was a home run shy of the cycle. Matt Koehler made it 3-0 with a RBI groundout to shortstop. Billy Angstadt knocked in another run with a single to center. Mikey Strechay needed 39 pitches to get through the opening frame. The senior righty entered the day with a (5-2) record and 1.35 ERA. The Vikings finished sixth in the District 1 tournament after winning the PAC title. Strechay allowed six runs, four earned, on six hits over just 1.1 innings against the (26-1) Mustangs. Bryce Detwiler started the bottom of the 2nd with a triple to right-center. The UConn commit scored on a groundout by Branson Adams. Jenkins then hammered a triple to right field which ended Strechay’s outing. Nick Cress took over on the hill for the (17-9) Vikings. Ethan Grim hit a hard ground ball to Liam McNeill at third base. His throw to home plate hit courtesy runner Nick Montgomery in the back. Gov. Mifflin had quickly built a 6-0 cushion. Grim (8-0) felt some tightness in his arm which prompted head coach Chris Hole to turn to Evan Glucksnis. Grim, who’s headed to Virginia Tech, gave up one hit and a walk in two innings. He struck out three. Glucksnis went 1.2 innings before he was also taken out due to arm tightness. Hole expects both pitchers to be fine moving forward. Glucksnis was given credit for the win after not permitting a run. The junior got a pair of strikeouts and limited Perkiomen Valley to one hit. Aden Reiter entered with runners on first and second and two outs in the 4th. The 5’5 junior got Chris Allen to ground out to third to end the threat. Reiter had only pitched a few innings all season. “Aden came in and shut the door. We knew he could pitch, but we never knew it would be in this spot…We needed people to step up in roles and they obviously did,” noted Jenkins. Reiter provided 2.1 innings of relief. He limited the Vikings to one run on two hits. They got on the scoreboard in the 5th thanks to a RBI single down the third base line by Washington College commit Andrew Keenan. He came into the week with a .361 batting average, seven doubles, and three homers. Perkiomen Valley left two runners on base in the 5th. RJ Weaver was called upon in the 7th for the Mustangs. The junior gave up one hit and a walk before sealing the deal. Aidan Autovino, a Mount St. Mary’s commit, had three of the Vikings’ five hits. They committed two errors. Gov. Mifflin racked up ten hits. Eight different Mustangs had at least one hit. They will meet District 11 runner-up Liberty in the state quarterfinals on Thursday. Gov. Mifflin won the PIAA-5A title last year. The Mustangs have claimed BCIAA and District 3 championships this spring. They’re still looking for more. “We all came back with the same mentality. We want to win all three [titles] this year,” stated Jenkins.

Ethan Grim-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Wed, 28 May 2025 16:29:45 +0000

Ethan Grim mentioned after the District 3-6A championship that he wasn’t at his best on Monday night at Penn Medicine Park. “I was kind of feeling weak because of the sun hitting me weird. I was trying to drink a lot of water. I wasn’t feeling myself,” he noted. That’s a scary thought because the Virginia Tech commit was still able to throw a five-hitter with 13 strikeouts. Gov. Mifflin beat Cedar Cliff 6-1 for its first District 3 title. The top-seeded Mustangs improved to (25-1). Grim held the third-seeded Colts to five hits and one walk. Their lone run came in the 7th on a bloop RBI single by Will Kocher. “I didn’t have my best fastball so I was kind of relying on my off-speed [pitches],” explained Grim. The 6’1, 195-pound senior fired a 93 mph fastball in the final inning. He reached 300 career strikeouts and went 2-for-3 at the plate. Grim (8-0) punched out five batters in the first two frames. Meanwhile, Cedar Cliff turned to senior catcher Bennett Secrest due to an injury to ace Peyton Price. The sophomore has 72 strikeouts and only five walks over 52.1 innings. Price (8-1, 0.80) has given up just 34 hits all season. Secrest did his best to keep the (17-6) Colts in the game. Dylan Barrett got Gov. Mifflin on the board with a RBI single to right field in the bottom of the 2nd. Grim ripped a two-out double down the third base line in the next inning. One run scored on the play, but Bryce Detwiler was thrown out at the plate. Secrest was charged with a pair of runs on five hits and a walk in three innings. Kaiden Alday took over on the mound in the 4th, however, he only recorded one out. Designated hitter Charlie Ainge made it 3-0 with a RBI single to right. Detwiler, who’s headed to UConn, knocked in another run with a groundout to shortstop. Alday allowed two runs on two hits and two walks. Matt Koehler delivered a RBI single to left in the 5th for a 5-0 cushion. The Juniata commit was 3-for-3 and scored twice. “He’s under recognized this year. We have dudes throughout the lineup,” stated Grim. Koehler is also an All-County basketball player. Sophomore Max Utsick gave up one run on three hits and a walk in one inning of relief. He was replaced by junior Michael Boblick. In the bottom of the 6th, Brandon Adams crushed a solo homer to right field for a 6-0 advantage. “That definitely went out of the stadium. Off the bat, I knew it was gone,” replied Grim. The Mustangs finished with eleven hits. Eight different batters had at least one hit. There were no errors in the game which lasted less than two hours. Gov. Mifflin has earned BCIAA and District 3 championships this spring. The Mustangs captured the PIAA-5A crown last season. The state tournament begins on Monday. “We were coming into this season wanting all three [titles]. It feels pretty good,” said Grim.

Dylan Barrett-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Sat, 24 May 2025 13:31:25 +0000

When you heard the crack of the bat, you knew it was gone. Ethan Grim hammered a solo homer to center field in the 2nd inning of Friday’s District 3-6A semifinal against Ephrata. “That was the farthest ball I’ve ever seen,” stated Mustangs’ outfielder Dylan Barrett. Top-seeded Gov. Mifflin cruised past the fifth-seeded Mounts 11-1 in five innings. After a slow start, Grim’s home run tied the game at 1-1 and fired up the (24-1) Mustangs. “Ethan came up, hit that bomb and that definitely started everything. Everybody got really excited,” replied Barrett. Grim is known for his work on the mound, however, the Virginia Tech commit can also do plenty of damage at the plate. Barrett provided three of Gov. Mifflin’s twelve hits. He knocked in three runs and scored two more. Charlie Ainge went 2-for-3 in his first start of the season. “We’re looking for a DH. He definitely fills that role. He came out today really hot,” said Barrett. Bryce Detwiler and Matt Koehler added two hits apiece. Detwiler struggled with his command in the 1st inning. The UConn commit walked three batters and then hit Caleb Grant to force in a run. Detwiler had issued just seven walks in 46 innings entering the day. He came into the contest with a staggering 0.60 ERA. The two-time Berks County Player of the Year settled down and limited Ephrata to two hits over five frames with seven strikeouts. Detwiler improved to (9-0) this year. “I wasn’t worried at all. They say he’s our No. 2 [pitcher]. They’re both No. 1 in my eyes. They’re both great pitchers. I have the same confidence in both of them,” noted Barrett. Grim has a (7-0) mark and features a fastball that’s 92-94 mph. After his homer, Barrett hit a bloop RBI single to right that brought home Koehler for a 2-1 lead. Ainge doubled down the right field line to make it 3-1. An error on Aden Reiter’s grounder to shortstop put the Mustangs in front 4-1 against the Lancaster-Lebanon League runner-up. Gov. Mifflin tacked on five more runs in the 3rd. A safety squeeze bunt by Billy Angstadt with the bases loaded gave them a 5-1 cushion. Barrett, the No. 7 hitter in the lineup, followed with a two-run double to left-center. Detwiler then hit a ground ball to third base with two outs that took a bad hop. It was ruled a single and brought in a pair of runs. Camryn Simes was charged with nine runs, eight earned, on nine hits in three innings. The junior came into Friday with a (10-0) record and a 1.58 ERA. The Millersville commit had piled up 93 strikeouts over 62 innings, while only giving up 37 hits. The Mustangs ended it in the 5th. Sophomore Ethan Gockley hit Branson Adams with the bases juiced. He then walked Travis Jenkins to make it 11-1. The (18-8) Mounts lost to Gov. Mifflin 6-4 back on April 5th. They’ll travel to Hempfield on Tuesday for the third-place game. Meanwhile, the Mustangs will battle third-seeded Cedar Cliff for the District 3-6A title on Monday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm at Penn Medicine Park in Lancaster. Cedar Cliff beat Hempfield 8-5 in the semifinals. Gov. Mifflin is seeking its first District 3 championship.

Aden Reiter-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Thu, 15 May 2025 14:01:07 +0000

If you follow the Gov. Mifflin baseball team, you know all about Bryce Detwiler, Ethan Grim, Travis Jenkins, and Matt Koehler. You may not be familiar with Aden Reiter. The 5’5 junior plays shortstop and hits in the No. 9 hole when Detwiler is on the mound. He can be overlooked in a star-studded lineup that includes three Division I players. Reiter’s two-out, RBI single to right field helped the Mustangs break the BCIAA Championship Game open in the 4th inning. “I was looking for a fastball my first at-bat. I missed the fastball and I really wanted to hunt the fastball my second at-bat,” explained Reiter. Berks Catholic ace Trey Stricker was trying to get out of a jam and keep the score 2-1. After a walk and a single, Stricker struck out the next two batters. Reiter, however, didn’t let him off the hook. His single brought home Koehler for a 3-1 advantage. Gov. Mifflin ended up with four runs in the 4th and cruised to a 11-1 victory in six innings. The (22-1) Mustangs claimed their 16th Berks League title. Last year, they lost to Wilson 10-3 in the BCIAA Final. “It really motivated us. It lit a fire,” emphasized Reiter. After his single, Detwiler was walked intentionally which loaded the bases. Branson Adams was hit by a pitch to make it 4-1. Jenkins and Grim drew consecutive walks and the lead quickly became 6-1. Stricker, who held Wilson to one run over 6.2 innings in Saturday’s quarterfinal, gave up six runs in 3.2 innings on Wednesday night at Owls Field. The West Chester commit allowed four hits, four walks, and hit two batters. He entered the game with a (5-0) record and an eye-popping 0.44 ERA over 48 innings this season. Sophomore lefty Cole Harter tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, but Gov. Mifflin erupted for five runs off Brock Shrawder in the 6th. Jenkins delivered a sacrifice fly to left for a 7-1 edge. The senior catcher, who’s headed to Canisius, was 1-for-1 with 2 RBI. Billy Angstadt then walked with the bases juiced. Sean Kelly was brought in from the bullpen and walked pinch-hitter Jaden Smith. Joe Murray, another pinch-hitter, followed with a two-run double to right field to end it. Detwiler went the distance for the Mustangs. The UConn commit limited the (15-7) Saints to three hits. Detwiler struck out seven and walked none. “He always goes out there and does great. He’s a dog,” said Reiter. Grim put top-seeded Gov. Mifflin in front 2-0 with a single to center in the bottom of the 1st. “It felt great because we could go out on defense and relax and make plays,” noted Reiter. Grim, a Virginia Tech commit, went 2-for-3 with a run and 3 RBI. Adams and Angstadt each added a hit and scored two runs apiece. The Mustangs finished with eight hits. Berks Catholic handed out ten walks. The seventh-seeded Saints were searching for their first Berks County championship. Junior outfielder Owen Schalk was 2-for-2. He scored their lone run on Victor Mejia’s sacrifice fly to center in the 2nd inning. Both teams are headed to the District 3 playoffs. Gov. Mifflin has moved up to Class 6A this year. After winning their third BCIAA crown in five seasons, the Mustangs will get a bye in the opening round of the District 3-6A tournament. They will host either #8 Northeastern or #9 Mechanicsburg in the quarterfinals on Monday at 4:30pm. Berks Catholic is home against Littlestown in the District 3-3A quarterfinals on Monday. First pitch is at 4:30pm.

Mustangs hold off Eagles in Semifinals

Paul Roberts — Tue, 13 May 2025 03:55:37 +0000

Gov. Mifflin outscored Exeter 16-2 in their two regular season meetings. The fifth-seeded Eagles put up a much tougher fight on Monday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. The top-seeded Mustangs took advantage of four errors to beat Exeter 2-1 in the BCIAA semifinals. Ethan Grim allowed one run on just four hits over six innings. The Virginia Tech commit struck out nine and walked three. “Just a gutsy performance for him. He probably would be the first to tell you that he didn’t have his best stuff. He went out real hard in the first inning and I think that affected his stamina…Can’t say enough about Ethan,” said head coach Chris Hole. Grim hit 95 mph in the opening frame. The 6’1, 195-pound righty struck out three of the first six batters that he faced. Exeter’s Kamren Martin, a 6’3 junior, was equally impressive on the mound. Both of the runs that he gave up were unearned. Martin limited Gov. Mifflin to five hits. He finished with seven strikeouts and two walks in 5.2 innings. Bryce Detwiler reached on an error in the bottom of the 1st. The UConn commit scored on a single up the middle by Branson Adams. Detwiler ripped a ball that hit Martin in the leg in the 2nd. Martin’s throw to first base was off target which allowed Detwiler to reach second. Travis Jenkins then singled through the left side and kept running towards second base. The throw to second base got away and Detwiler raced home for an early 2-0 edge. However, the (21-1) Mustangs wouldn’t score again. Detwiler went 1-for-3 and Billy Angstadt added a pair of singles. Jenkins was 1-for-1 with a couple of walks. The (15-7) Eagles were hitless until the top of the 5th. Chase Youse and Aiden Rhoades provided back-to-back singles. Jake Hafer singled to left field to pull Exeter within 2-1. Grim got a groundout to second to minimize the damage. The Eagles threatened in the top of the 6th. They had a runner on second base with one out. Grim struck out the next two batters to keep Gov. Mifflin in front. Detwiler picked up the save with two strikeouts in the 7th. Gavin Barker, the designated hitter, started the 7th with a bloop single to right field. He was stranded on second base as Rhoades flew out to right and Hafer struck out to end a tense matchup. “We knew that they were gonna be on their game tonight and give us their absolute best. Credit to them, that’s exactly what they did,” noted Hole. Each team left six runners on base. The Mustangs committed one error. They will meet Berks Catholic for the Berks League championship. That game is scheduled for 7pm on Tuesday at Owls Field.

Branson Adams-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 13:23:04 +0000

Gov. Mifflin and Wilson were tied 1-1 after three frames on Monday afternoon. Branson Adams helped to break the game open with a two-run homer to right field in the 4th. It was the first home run of his high school career. “I was just sitting dead red right there and I got that middle-in fastball. I swung as hard as I could,” explained the senior outfielder. The Mustangs put six runs on the board in the top of the 4th and cruised to a 14-3 victory. Gov. Mifflin clinched the Division 1 championship in the Berks League. The (17-1) Mustangs bounced back in a big way from Friday’s 3-2 loss to Hempfield in nine innings. “It kind of gave us a little wake-up call. Everything is not gonna be handed to us. You gotta work your butt off,” said Adams. The (11-6) Bulldogs entered the week trailing Gov. Mifflin by three games in the division with three to play. Wilson opted to send Austin Snyder, its #4 starter, to the mound. The senior righty pitched well for three innings. Each team was limited to an unearned run in the 1st. Snyder opened the 4th with walks to Billy Angstadt and Dylan Barrett. Nate Radwanski, the No. 9 hitter, laid a bunt down the third base line that Snyder threw away. That error made it 2-1 with nobody out. Bryce Detwiler followed with a two-run single to center before Adams launched his home run. After a double by catcher Travis Jenkins, Matt Koehler delivered a RBI single through a drawn-in infield. That was plenty of support for Detwiler. The UConn commit allowed three unearned runs on four hits over six innings. He struck out two and walked one. Detwiler tossed a complete game four-hitter when the Mustangs beat the Bulldogs 1-0 on April 2nd. A RBI infield single by Jenkins in the 5th gave Gov. Mifflin an 8-1 advantage. Wilson got a pair of runs in the 6th to pull within 8-3. Alex Ernesto knocked in one with a groundout to shortstop and Cole Lavin followed with a RBI single to center. The Mustangs responded with six runs off sophomore Ben Shaub in the 7th. Ethan Grim hammered a two-run double to left-center and Koehler drilled a two-run homer to left. Gov. Mifflin piled up 17 hits, while the Bulldogs were held to four singles. Snyder (1-2) allowed eight runs, six earned, on nine hits in 4.1 innings. He walked four and struck out one. Detwiler, Jenkins, and Koehler had three hits apiece. Adams, Grim, Barrett, and Joe Murray each added two hits. RJ Weaver pitched a clean 7th for the Mustangs with a pair of strikeouts. They’re #1 in the District 3-6A power rankings. Gov. Mifflin won the Class 5A state title last season. “I think it’s gonna be a pretty good challenge. [There are] a lot of good teams in 6A, a little different than 5A,” replied Adams. The Mustangs will wrap up the regular season against Daniel Boone and Reading. The BCIAA playoffs begin on Thursday, May 8th. Gov. Mifflin showed once again why it will be a very tough out.

Chris Hole-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 15:05:12 +0000

Gov. Mifflin and Hempfield squared off in a battle of defending state champions on Friday night. If that wasn’t enough, both teams were undefeated and it was Hall of Fame night in Shillington. “I don’t think we’ve ever been part of a bigger regular season game, definitely an intriguing matchup,” said Mustangs’ head coach Chris Hole. Camden Hulock drilled a 3-run homer to left in the 9th and the Black Knights held on for a thrilling 3-2 victory. Gov. Mifflin left 13 runners on base. “We just didn’t capitalize and that’s baseball,” noted Hole. Ethan Grim put on a show for the MLB scouts in attendance. The hard-throwing Virginia Tech commit struck out the first five batters he faced. Grim finished with 14 strikeouts and one walk over seven innings. The 6’1, 195-pound righty only allowed one hit. “He’s incredible, just incredible. He threw every pitch that Travis [Jenkins] called beautifully. He had his slider working, his change, his curve. He kept a fantastic hitting team off-balance,” emphasized Hole. Hempfield entered the contest with a .344 team batting average. Grim has piled up a staggering 56 strikeouts in 28 innings this season. Brody Gebhard (2-0, 0.61) was also outstanding on the mound. The senior limited the (16-1) Mustangs to three hits over six frames. He struck out five, walked two, and hit two batters. Gebhard is no stranger to big games. He went the distance in the PIAA-6A Championship last year. The Black Knights defeated La Salle College High School 3-2 for their first state title. Gov. Mifflin also earned its first state championship a season ago. The Mustangs beat Hollidaysburg 2-1 in the PIAA-5A Final. Gov. Mifflin had men on second and third with one out in the 3rd when Grim hit a grounder to third base. Dylan Jackson knocked the ball down and threw out Bryce Detwiler at the plate. Hempfield catcher Josh Toole, a Coastal Carolina commit, was shaken up, but stayed in the game. Matt Koehler grounded out to first base to end the threat. Southpaw Jonathan O’Maille (4-0, 0.88) took over for Gebhard after the 6th. Billy Angstadt and Dylan Barrett provided back-to-back singles with one out in the 7th. O’Maille got two pop outs to keep it scoreless. The Mustangs loaded the bases with two outs in the 8th. O’Maille struck out Angstadt to keep the (14-0) Black Knights in it. In the top of the 9th, Brayden Hostetter and Toole drew walks from Jenkins with two outs. Hulock then ripped a 3-run shot to left field. It was only the second hit all night for Hempfield. Jenkins had four strikeouts and two walks over the final two innings. Gov. Mifflin added to the drama in the bottom of the 9th. The Mustangs loaded the bases with one out. Jenkins hit a RBI groundout to second for their first run. After Grim was intentionally walked to load the bases, Koehler drew a walk to make it 3-2. Designated hitter Cam Zurawski struck out to end the marathon. “So proud of our boys, the way that they battled to the very end. Credit to Hempfield as well…two great teams going at it and couldn’t ask for more,” stated Hole. O’Maille gave up two runs on four hits and five walks in three innings. He struck out four and picked up the win in relief. Detwiler, a UConn commit, delivered three of Gov. Mifflin’s seven hits. “He stays very balanced up there. He doesn’t try to do too much. He’s a lot like Tyler Minick. He recognizes what pitchers are going to do to him,” explained Hole. Minick is having a big season at UConn. He leads the team with 14 HR, 47 RBI, and a .364 batting average. Koehler went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks. Barrett was 1-for-3 and reached base twice. The Mustangs travel to rival Wilson on Monday afternoon. “It’s Wilson, they’ll be focused,” replied Hole. Ed Williamson, Dan Batz, Steve Murray, and current assistant coach Kurt Henry were recognized on the field before Friday’s game. They make up the inaugural class of the Gov. Mifflin Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bryce Detwiler-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:13:05 +0000

Bryce Detwiler and Ben Kulp squared off in a classic pitcher’s duel on Wednesday afternoon in Shillington. “We got to know each other a little bit in the offseason. Going out and pitching against your friend, it’s a good experience. He’s definitely got a lot better. I think he has like five pitches so it’s tough when you’re a hitter,” said Detwiler. Gov. Mifflin beat Wilson 1-0 in the first meeting this season between the rivals. The Bulldogs won all three matchups with the Mustangs last year. “It feels like a playoff game every single time that we play. Both teams bring their best,” emphasized Detwiler. The UConn commit fired a complete game shutout with seven strikeouts and one walk. He went the distance on 84 pitches. The 6’2, 215-pound senior was a first team All-State selection a season ago. Detwiler limited Wilson to four hits. The (3-2) Bulldogs left two runners on base in the first and second innings. Sophomore outfielder Tim Lengle and senior Nick Herron had back-to-back singles to open the second frame. However, Detwiler got a pop-up, a strikeout, and a groundout to end the threat. He allowed just one hit, a single to Kulp, the rest of the way. Detwiler’s fastball is in the high-80s. He’s working on a changeup to go along with his curveball and slider. Detwiler is more well known for the damage that he does at the plate. The 2024 Berks County Player of the Year hit a double to right field in the bottom of the first, but was stranded on third base. The (8-0) Mustangs managed just two more hits against Kulp. The 6’2, 215-pound junior is throwing in the low-90s. He was an All-Division pick as a sophomore when he struck out 50 over 44 innings with a 3.02 ERA. Branson Adams lofted a bloop single down the left field line in the bottom of the 6th. He advanced to second with one out on an errant pickoff throw. Kulp struck out Ethan Grim, Gov. Mifflin’s cleanup hitter, with Adams on third to end the inning. Grim, a Virginia Tech commit, is one of the top pitchers in the state. The rain picked up significantly in the 7th. Matt Koehler ripped a double to right-center to begin the bottom half of the frame. “He had an amazing at-bat. He was fouling off pitches. I knew Kulp was gonna keep coming with the fastball. Matt put a good swing on a fastball and that started everything,” explained Detwiler. Bill Underwood, the BCIAA Coach of the Year last spring, brought in senior righty Christo Hunsicker. Kulp finished with six strikeouts and two walks. He also hit one batter over 98 pitches. Despite tossing six scoreless innings, Kulp got a no decision. Dylan Barrett was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Reese Hohl’s bunt was fielded by Hunsicker who got a force out at third base. Nate Radwanski then struck out. Aden Reiter, the No. 9 hitter, drew a walk which brought Detwiler to the plate. “With bases loaded and the winning run on third, I knew they had to come to me so I was sitting dead red,” noted Detwiler. He worked a full count before Hunsicker missed outside with a fastball. The walk brought in Barrett with the lone run of the game. There were only seven combined hits, four by the Bulldogs. They left six runners on base. The Mustangs are back in Class 6A this year after winning the PIAA-5A championship last season. They remain unbeaten through eight contests. “I’m definitely happy with how we’re playing. I’m just hoping that we can keep it going,” said Detwiler.

Ian Fleming-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 13:17:01 +0000

When Exeter and Gov. Mifflin met in the regular season, the Eagles cruised to a 69-52 victory on January 14. Ian Fleming, a 6’ junior, was injured and didn’t play. “That gave me a little more momentum, a little more energy since I didn’t get to compete the first time,” said Fleming. The Mustangs’ guard erupted for a career-high 20 points in a 68-52 win over Exeter in the BCIAA quarterfinals on Monday. “It feels amazing. The coaches, teammates put trust in me to score,” replied Fleming. Gov. Mifflin trailed 10-8 after the opening quarter. Fleming, who was averaging 7 ppg., provided eight points in a pivotal second period. The third-seeded Mustangs ended the half on a 9-0 run which gave them a 33-24 advantage. A layup by Fleming was followed by a steal and bucket by Stephen Mayo in the final seconds. “That gave us a lot of confidence. We felt like that was a big momentum shifter,” noted Fleming. The sixth-seeded Eagles never recovered. They made just one shot in the third quarter and fell behind 46-32 entering the last period. Exeter connected only one time from beyond the arc through the first 24 minutes. Brady Murray (64), Aidan Dauble (36), and Carter Redding (22) combined for 122 triples during the regular season. “We definitely had to close out on every shot, especially their main shooters. Coaches preach closing out, closing out, closing out,” explained Fleming. Gov. Mifflin also valued the basketball with only five turnovers, while the Eagles turned it over 15 times. Matt Koehler finished with 18 points including a dozen in the fourth quarter. The 6’3 senior made two of his team’s three 3-pointers. Andrew Galantuomo and Jahmair Johnson added 11 and 10 points respectively. The (16-7) Mustangs were 17-for-21 from the foul line. Murray led Exeter with 15 points. The 6’2 senior was limited to five points until the final period. Murray knocked down three of their four shots from long range. Braylon Reinert, a physical 6’4 sophomore, scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half. Dauble, who entered the night averaging nearly 17 ppg., was held to eight. Redding picked up two fouls in the first four and a-half minutes. The senior point guard chipped in with nine points. The (12-11) Eagles went 16-of-19 from the free throw stripe. They will now wait for the District 3-5A tournament to begin on Tuesday, February 18. Gov. Mifflin advanced to the Berks County semifinals against defending champion Wilson. The rivals will square off on Wednesday at 5:30pm. Fleming is looking forward to playing at Santander Arena in Reading. “It’s very cool…it’s gonna be a good experience,” he said.