muhlenberg – Berks Sports Report https://berkssportsreport.com Paul Roberts Sat, 03 May 2025 18:55:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 Bulldogs Shut Down the Muhls https://berkssportsreport.com/bulldogs-shut-down-the-muhls/ Sat, 03 May 2025 18:52:11 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4900 On Senior Night, it was a junior who stole the show at Owls Field in the Berks County High School Baseball Showcase. Ben Kulp allowed just three hits over five innings as Wilson defeated Muhlenberg 6-0 on Friday. The 6’2, 215-pound righty racked up nine strikeouts. “Kulp had a lively fastball, was throwing his curveball for a strike, and then coming back with a nice split,” explained head coach Bill Underwood. Kulp (4-2) walked just two while throwing 81 pitches. He entered the day with a 0.93 ERA. It was a different story for Muhls’ senior Aaden Lopez. He gave up five runs on five hits and four walks. Lopez (1-3) only lasted two innings. He has issued 36 walks in 21.1 innings this season. The (13-6) Bulldogs got a pair of runs in the 1st on RBI singles by Alex Ernesto and Nick Herron. Ernesto went 1-for-1 with two walks and a run. Herron provided two of Wilson’s seven hits. The Bulldogs added three runs in the 2nd to go up 5-0. After a bunt base hit by Colby Kostelac, Tyler Herbein followed with a bloop single down the right field line. The throw into second base got away and rolled all the way to the fence on the left field line. The throwing error put Wilson in front 3-0. An RBI single to left by leadoff hitter Jack Gabel made it 4-0. He would later come around to score on a wild pitch by Lopez. Gabel, a junior shortstop who’s committed to West Chester, knocked in another run in the 3rd on a groundout to third base. Sophomore Ryan Rosenberry hit three batters and walked another in that inning. Kaden Ballas pitched the last two frames for the Bulldogs. The senior limited the (11-8) Muhls to one hit. Ballas had two strikeouts and one walk. “With a six run lead, Ballas did what he needed and that was to throw strikes,” said Underwood. Cole Moody and Eli Keller had two hits apiece for Muhlenberg, which was playing its fifth game in six days. The Muhls are likely out of contention for the BCIAA playoffs. Meanwhile, Wilson is headed to the Berks County playoffs after finishing second in Division 1. The Bulldogs are the defending county champions. The BCIAA quarterfinals are on Thursday, May 8th with doubleheaders at Owls Field and Muhlenberg.

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Eli Keller-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/eli-keller-muhlenberg/ Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:42:52 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4863 Due to the weather forecast, Thursday’s baseball game between Wilson and Muhlenberg was changed from 7pm to 4:15pm. That turned out to be a great decision. The Bulldogs and Muhls kept going and going and going. “I don’t know if this thing is gonna end. We might be going to 10 o’clock…I think this is the longest game I ever played in. It was something else,” said Muhlenberg senior shortstop Eli Keller. The marathon Division 1 battle lasted 12 innings and just over four hours. Keller’s sacrifice fly to left field scored Gavin Moody in a 1-0 win at Laureldale. “Before I went up, Coach K looked at me and he said, ‘You’re built for this moment.’ I was looking for a fastball and he gave me a high inside fastball,” explained Keller. Brian Kopetsky picked up his 359th career victory over 26 seasons as the Muhls’ head coach. Moody, a junior center fielder, led off the bottom of the 12th by ripping a double to left-center. No. 9 hitter Kaleb Mendoza followed with a bunt that first baseman Ben Kulp opted to throw to third base. Moody retreated to second base which put two men on with nobody out. After the runners advanced on a wild pitch by Austin Snyder, Marvin Frias was intentionally walked to load the bases for Keller. “Stepping up in these big moments means everything to me,” he remarked. The throw from left field was high as Moody slid head-first into home plate with the lone run. The (5-4) Muhls snapped a three-game slide and ended Wilson’s three-game winning streak. Ryan Kemp, who had only pitched one-third of an inning all season, earned the win. The senior righty allowed four hits and a walk over three frames. “In such a big game and such a big moment, he definitely stepped up to the plate,” emphasized Keller. Kemp struck out three. He replaced Ethan Weiler, an All-Division selection last year. Weiler gave up six hits and a walk in six innings. Ryan Rosenberry got the start for Muhlenberg. The sophomore worked around two hits, three walks, and two hit batters. He had a pair of strikeouts over three frames. Jack Gabel tossed six shutout innings for the (6-3) Bulldogs. The junior used a sharp curveball and 83-85 mph fastball to strike out eight. He limited the Muhls to four hits with three walks. Snyder took the loss, but was terrific in relief on a cold and windy night. The senior allowed just two hits over 5.1 innings. He finished with five strikeouts. Both teams have struggled at times offensively. Muhlenberg entered the contest with a .229 team batting average, while Wilson was hitting .269. The Bulldogs had twice as many hits as the Muhls, twelve to six, but Wilson left a staggering twenty men on base. In the 4th, the Bulldogs had a man on third with one out and didn’t score. Muhlenberg left the bases juiced in the bottom half of that frame. In the top of the 9th, Tim Lengle lined out sharply to right field with two runners on to end the threat. Wilson had a golden opportunity in the top of the 11th with men on second and third and no outs. Once again, however, they couldn’t cash in. In the 12th, the Bulldogs put runners on second and third with one out. Kemp wiggled out of that jam too with a strikeout and a pop-up to third base. Junior catcher Gabe Spohn had three hits. Ryan Marmolejos, Alex Ernesto, Stanley Maoury, and Gabel added two hits apiece. Junior catcher Cooper Burr and Moody each had a pair of hits for the Muhls. “This was definitely a big stepping stone for us…This win will give us a lot of momentum and a lot of energy,” said Keller.

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Weshly Rosario-Reading https://berkssportsreport.com/weshly-rosario-reading/ Fri, 24 Jan 2025 14:44:39 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4701 Weshly Rosario is known for his great court vision and flashy passes. On Thursday evening, the 6’ junior guard decided to flip the script. “I changed today because they know I pass the basketball so I was looking more to score,” he explained. Rosario finished with a career-high 28 points in Reading’s 88-80 victory over Muhlenberg at the Geigle Complex. He had eleven points in the fourth quarter including two pivotal plays. With three and a-half minutes remaining, Rosario drilled a 3-pointer from the right corner to put the Red Knights on top 73-67. On their next possession, he converted a three-point play for a 76-67 advantage. Xavier Beatty provided the exclamation point with a one-handed dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy. “Oh my God, that was crazy. That was amazing. I got excited,” said Rosario. Beatty, a 6’3 senior forward, contributed a dozen points off the bench. Reading raced out to a 7-0 lead. Blake Adams, a 6’9 junior transfer from Nativity, picked up two fouls in 90 seconds. However, the Red Knights were still in front 21-18 after the opening quarter. Adams was playing in just his fourth game after winning an appeal on his eligibility. The Muhls reeled off the last eight points of the first half and trimmed their deficit to 40-39 at the break. The offensive explosion continued in the second half. Reading had a 63-57 edge after the third quarter. A total of 48 points were scored in the final eight minutes. Michael Miller hit a triple with 5:45 left to bring Muhlenberg within 68-66. The 6’ junior forward made four of the Muhls’ eleven treys. Miller, who averages seven points, ended up with 14. All-County guard Shermar Killen dropped a team-high 23 points and LJ Armstrong added 18. Jayden Kantner was a spark off the bench with 15 points. Both teams were very good from the free throw line. Reading went 30-for-36, while Muhlenberg was 17-for-23. Rosario attacked the basket repeatedly and was rewarded. He shot 14-of-15 from the charity stripe. Rosario also sank both of the Red Knights’ 3-pointers. He was setting up his teammates as well. Rosario dished out nine assists. Reading prefers to create off the dribble than dial long distance. Sophomore guard Jostin DeCastro provided 20 points and senior Kahlil Samuel finished with 15. The (13-5, 5-4) Muhls saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. The (8-10, 4-4) Red Knights have won four in a row, including an impressive 44-41 victory over Central Dauphin on Saturday. After a tough start to the season, Reading is in desperation mode to qualify for the Berks County playoffs. The Red Knights have the lowest power ranking of the five teams in Division 1. They’re behind Wilson, Berks Catholic, Muhlenberg, and Gov. Mifflin with four games to go. Reading hasn’t missed the BCIAA tournament since 1997. “We talk about it every day. If we go to County’s, they better be ready because we’re coming for everybody,” stated Rosario.

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Matt Flowers-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/matt-flowers-muhlenberg-7/ Fri, 17 Jan 2025 17:13:41 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4690 Exeter put up 69 points in a 17-point win over Gov. Mifflin on Tuesday. The Eagles upset Berks Catholic last week at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. Muhlenberg head coach Matt Flowers knew he was facing a hot team on Thursday night in Reiffton. The Muhls’ pressure defense forced 19 turnovers in a 59-50 victory. “Everything was triggered by our uptempo pace on the defensive end. We weren’t fouling. We were playing team defense which is what we preach,” explained Flowers. The Eagles committed 13 turnovers in the first half and trailed 27-17 at the break. Eli Hemmings provided a spark in the third quarter with nine points. The 6’3 sophomore finished with 13 points and was a key figure on defense. “He’s one of our go-to guys and he’s been trending in the right direction. His shot wasn’t going down in the beginning of the season, but he put in more work and more work and now it’s going down,” said Flowers. Exeter was within 37-32 in the third period, but Muhlenberg closed the quarter on a 9-to-2 run. A three-point play by Shermar Killen made it 51-38 with 4:07 left. The All-County guard scored a game-high 22 points including eight in the fourth quarter. “He utilizes his body very well. He’s a rebounding machine. He can get downhill. He can knock down the 3. He’s a really good all-around player…and he took pride in the weight room,” stated Flowers. A layup by 6’4 sophomore Braylon Reinert brought the Eagles within 53-48 with 1:45 remaining. That basket capped a 10-to-2 run by Exeter and got the crowd back into the game. Jayden Ware’s layup made it 55-50 with 53 seconds to go. After Jayden Kantner went 1-for-2 from the free throw line, Ware’s pull-up jumper rattled out. Killen sank a pair of foul shots with 27 seconds to play to increase the Muhls’ advantage to 58-50. The (7-8, 4-2) Eagles committed their final turnover on the ensuing possession. Aidan Dauble came alive in the second half. The 6’2 junior jammed eleven of his eighteen points into the third quarter. Dauble was 9-for-15 from the free throw stripe. He worked tirelessly on the glass to get second chance opportunities. Exeter ended up 16-of-25 from the line, while Muhlenberg was 10-of-13. Brady Murray, a 6’2 senior guard, added 14 points and Reinert provided eight for the Eagles. Michael Miller contributed ten points to the (11-4, 4-3) Muhls. “He’s been Mr. Consistent all season. He does things that need to get done,” noted Flowers. Muhlenberg committed 13 of its 18 turnovers in the second half, but went 7-of-9 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to hold on. Jadin Perez came off the bench and hit two of the Muhls’ three triples in the first half. Murray drilled three of Exeter’s four 3-pointers. He has 46 treys this year. Carter Redding, who was averaging 10 ppg., batted foul trouble and was limited to one point. The Eagles remain atop the Division 2 standings. Muhlenberg is in a tight race in Division 1 with Wilson, Berks Catholic, and Gov. Mifflin. The Bulldogs are in first place with a (6-1) league record. “It’s wide open,” emphasized Flowers.

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Zach Suski-Berks Catholic https://berkssportsreport.com/zach-suski-berks-catholic/ Sat, 21 Dec 2024 05:44:50 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4651 Zach Suski was disappointed with how he played last week. The 6’ senior at Berks Catholic has bounced back in a big way. Suski scored 20 points in a 73-52 win at Reading on Tuesday. He topped that performance by pouring in a career-high 34 points against Muhlenberg on Friday night. The Saints held off the Muhls 65-61 at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. “I don’t really know what to say. I’m just happy how I played,” replied Suski. He knocked down two of Berks Catholic’s six 3-pointers and went 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Suski, who’s the quarterback of the Saints’ football team, came into the night averaging 10 points per game. He had 18 in the first half versus Muhlenberg. Berks Catholic raced out to a 14-4 advantage. Brady Altimar drilled a 40-foot shot at the buzzer to make it 19-7 after the opening quarter. Suski provided seven points in the first eight minutes. The (6-1) Saints expanded their cushion to 28-11 in the second period. They didn’t commit a single turnover over the first ten minutes and were in front 32-22 at halftime. The Muhls didn’t go down quietly. Senior guards Jayden Kantner and Shermar Killen combined for 15 points in the third quarter. Killen picked up two fouls in the first six minutes and then got his third foul with 1:09 remaining in the second quarter. The All-County pick was limited to two points in the first half, but finished with 14. Kantner ended up with a team-high 26 points. He attacked the basket repeatedly and was 10-of-11 from the foul line. Muhlenberg, which has played just one home game this season, trailed 49-42 after the third quarter. Kingston McKoy started the final period with a trey. The highly-touted 6’2 junior guard provided Berks Catholic with 16 points. Altimar chipped in with eight points. A fast break layup by Killen pulled the (6-3) Muhls within 56-53 with 3:45 left. Suski responded with a three-point play after getting a pass from McKoy in transition. McKoy was a third team All-State selection in Class 4A a season ago. “Everyone focuses on him, sometimes double-team him. I’m just right there for the layup,” explained Suski. Kantner sank a pair of free throws with two minutes to play, but Suski converted another layup for a 61-57 edge. An inside basket by junior forward Michael Miller made it 63-61 in the final minute. On the ensuing possession, McKoy broke Muhlenberg’s press and fired a diagonal pass from half-court to Suski for a layup. That shot came with 30 seconds left and ended the scoring. The Saints were 10-of-12 from the charity stripe, while the Muhls went 12-of-14. “It’s tough. Every game is gonna be a good game. Every game you gotta play like a playoff game,” said Suski about moving up from Division 2 to Division 1 of the Berks Conference. He added, “The atmosphere is way better than last year. The season has been fun so far.” Scoring 54 total points in back-to-back games is also fun.

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Shermar Killen-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/shermar-killen-muhlenberg/ Fri, 13 Dec 2024 15:36:45 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4636 Shermar Killen was motivated by Tuesday’s loss at Gov. Mifflin. The 6’2 senior guard was limited to three points in the second half as Muhlenberg fell 77-73 to the Mustangs. Killen wasn’t going to let that happen again on Thursday night in front of a sold-out crowd in Laureldale. He erupted for 28 points in an intense 70-58 victory over Reading. “It’s a rivalry game. My coaches always tell me they need me. My teammates tell me they need me. I just want to be the best I can be for them,” he said. Killen is a physical guard who loves to attack the basket. He was 10-for-10 from the free throw line. “The kid took a lot of pride in the offseason in the weight room and conditioning…We rode his back and he delivered,” replied head coach Matt Flowers. Killen’s career-high of 29 points came against the same opponent in the same gym on January 9th. The Muhls beat Reading 87-74 in double overtime on that night. This one wasn’t as close, although the Red Knights were on fire early. They raced out to a 19-7 advantage on Jostin DeCastro’s three-point play with 2:42 left in the opening quarter. The 6’2 sophomore guard jammed all 17 of his points into the first half, including 13 in the first period. Reading was in front 28-18 after eight minutes and 37-22 midway through the second quarter. Killen, an All-County selection last season, scored nine points in the second quarter and brought Muhlenberg within 37-34 at halftime. During the break, the Muhls discussed their defensive game plan and made a key adjustment. “We figured it out. We were playing a little too close to them so they were able to blow by us,” explained Killen. Muhlenberg backed off slightly and the (1-4) Red Knights managed just 21 points in the second half. They didn’t make any 3-point shots. The (5-2) Muhls outscored them 21-10 in the third quarter. Killen provided ten points in that period. Muhlenberg took its first lead with 4:45 remaining in the third quarter on a layup by talented 6’3 sophomore Eli Hemmings. Reading was scoreless for the first three minutes and ten seconds of the fourth quarter. The Red Knights fell behind 59-47. Weshly Rosario finished with 14 points and sophomore guard Jeremiah Camara added a dozen. Reading committed 18 turnovers, while the Muhls only had nine. Senior guard Jayden Kantner contributed ten points for Muhlenberg. Hemmings and sophomore guard LJ Armstrong chipped in with eight points apiece. The Muhls were 17-of-24 from the foul line. Jadin Perez, the son of current Muhlenberg assistant coach Rick Perez, came off the bench and hit two of his team’s three triples. The Red Knights ended up 14-of-16 from the charity stripe, but they only made three field goals in the final period. Meanwhile, Killen has big expectations for the Muhls after going (16-12) a season ago. “I feel like we’re gonna make a long county [playoff] run, a long district run, and a long state run,” he said.

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“Roberts Rankings”-Football https://berkssportsreport.com/roberts-rankings-football-56/ Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:41:39 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4477 Once again, the top five teams in my poll won last week. Those squads have a combined record of (33-2)! Gov. Mifflin gave unbeaten Conestoga Valley a battle. The Mustangs stay at #6 after a tough 28-21 loss. Honestly, I’m not sure which team to put at #8. I settled on Muhlenberg after Cameron Small set a school record with 346 rushing yards at Exeter. The Muhls were within 27-22 of the Eagles late in the second quarter. Hamburg dropped out of my rankings following a 24-17 loss at Pequea Valley.

Exeter takes on Hempfield this week at Don Thomas Stadium. The Eagles will be without quarterback Riley Martinez. The 6’3 junior suffered a leg injury against Muhlenberg and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks. Martinez has completed 69% of his passes with 14 touchdowns and just one interception. Hopefully, he has a speedy recovery. The (3-4) Black Knights fell at Wilson 38-14 last Friday.

The Bulldogs meet Penn Manor at Millersville University in Week 8. Wilson is (33-0) all-time versus the Comets. Penn Manor has one win so far in 2024.

I’ll be back in Elverson this Friday for an epic Section 4 battle between Twin Valley and Wyomissing. These are two of the top Class 4A teams in Pennsylvania. The Raiders have outscored their opponents 342-40 this year. The Spartans only blemish was in Week 2 against the Haverford School.

Conrad Weiser squares off with Warwick in Robesonia on Friday. The (4-3) Warriors have won four of their last five contests. They’ve allowed just 73 points all season. The Scouts are off to their best start since 2011. Nick Schoener was the starting quarterback that year. He’s now the QB coach at Conrad Weiser.

Gov. Mifflin entertains Lebanon in Shillington. The Cedars’ losing streak is up to 39 games. Mustangs’ fullback Grady Garner surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the season last week. The 200-pound senior has 15 touchdown runs in seven games.

Schuylkill Valley travels up Route 61 to “Hawk Hill” for the 50th edition of the Frost Bowl. The rivalry is even at (24-24-1). The Panthers stand alone atop the Section 5 standings after winning four in a row.

Muhlenberg is on the road again this Friday. The Muhls face Ephrata. After reaching the District 3-5A championship game last fall, the Mounts sit at (3-4) this year.

Without further ado, here is my Berks County high school football poll. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow!

“The Great 8”

1.Exeter (7-0)

2.Wilson (6-1)

3.Twin Valley (7-0)

4.Wyomissing (6-1)

5.Conrad Weiser (7-0)

6.Gov. Mifflin (3-4)

7.Schuylkill Valley (5-2)

8.Muhlenberg (3-4)

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Troy Godinet-Reading https://berkssportsreport.com/troy-godinet-reading-2/ Sat, 31 Aug 2024 06:17:16 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4405 It may not have been pretty, but the “Battle of the Border” trophy is staying at Reading High. The (1-1) Red Knights defeated rival Muhlenberg 34-20 at Shirk Stadium. “We’re still working on building the culture here, but these kids have worked extremely hard. I’m proud of them. I love them,” said head coach Troy Godinet. The former All-County linebacker at Reading saw his defense allow just six points in the second half. The (1-1) Muhls failed to score on their final four possessions. Each team committed three turnovers and more than ten penalties. Gabriel Laws provided the first and last touchdowns of the night. His 12-yard run off the left side capped a 55-yard drive and put the Red Knights on top 7-0 just three minutes into the contest. Laws, a 210-pound senior linebacker, powered his way into the end zone from two yards out with 11:22 remaining. That touchdown gave Reading a 14-point cushion. “He is the emotional leader of this team. That kid has worked his tail off…He’s one of the reasons I applied for this job,” stated Godinet. Laws finished with 69 yards on ten carries. Kayson Fritz was nearly perfect through the air. The 6’1, 200-pound senior went 11-of-12 for 126 yards. Fritz also ran for 111 yards on 16 carries. After a 31-yard completion down the left sideline to 6’2 senior Xavier Beatty, Fritz ran seven yards for a score and a 14-6 edge in the second quarter. An interception by senior cornerback Alexis Alvarado set up the Red Knights at Muhlenberg’s 25-yard line. Fritz found Jared Santos over the middle for a 24-yard touchdown with 23 seconds to go before halftime. Santos, a 5’10 senior, made a terrific leaping grab for a 21-14 lead. Reading opened the second half by marching 66 yards in just five plays. A 1-yard score by Alvarado made it 27-14. He had 68 yards on 13 carries. “He’s just a competitive kid. He’s gonna bounce back. He’s battled a tremendous amount of adversity over this past year. He’s a great kid,” replied Godinet. The Red Knights outgained the Muhls 392-to-306. Reading transfer Cameron Small grinded out 170 yards and 3TD on 29 carries. Small, a 182-pound junior, sprinted 16 yards up the middle for a touchdown with 7:38 left in the third quarter. That pulled the Muhls within 27-20. Head coach Rob Flowers turned to freshman quarterback Adriel Baez in the fourth period. Starting QB Christian Coley ended up 8-of-18 for 63 yards and a pick. Baez was intercepted by Jeremiah Camara midway through the final quarter. The Red Knights have won three straight in the series with Muhlenberg. “It’s a great rivalry. The kids know each other. The communities come out,” said Godinet.

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Brian Kopetsky-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/brian-kopetsky-muhlenberg-5/ Sat, 18 May 2024 15:23:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4244 Muhlenberg and Manheim Central are very familiar with each other. They’ve met in the District 3 playoffs three times in the past four years. They also squared off in the 2024 season opener with the Barons winning 4-3. Brian Kopetsky, who’s in his 25th year as the Muhls’ head coach, expected a tight game and that’s exactly what he got. Eli Keller sprinted home with the winning run on a wild pitch in the 9th for a 6-5 victory. “Keller is one of our best baserunners, he’s aggressive. There was no hesitation, there was no flinch. He was gone as soon as he saw the ball hit the dirt,” noted Kopetsky. Muhlenberg advanced to the District 3-5A quarterfinals at second-seeded Mechanicsburg on Monday at 4:30pm. Manheim Central finished (13-9). The seventh-seeded Muhls scored three runs on three hits and an error in the second frame. Sophomore Gavin Moody hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Lincoln High and Cam Burr followed with RBI singles. Burr, a two-time All-County selection, got the start on the mound. The Kutztown University commit allowed a three-run homer to left by Mount St. Mary’s commit Nolan Book in the 3rd. Muhlenberg responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Aaden Lopez crushed a RBI double to center. He stole third base and scored on a bunt by Josh Smeltzer with two outs. The tenth-seeded Barons got one run back on a two-out error by High at third base. A sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Carter Kyle tied it at 5-5 in the 6th. Smeltzer tossed three scoreless innings of relief. The senior southpaw gave up just one hit with two strikeouts. “His fastball has a lot of tail on it…You get a lot of fly balls out of Smeltzer,” said Kopetsky. Book walked Keller and Shane Rosenberry to begin the bottom of the 9th. Those were the only free passes issued by Manheim Central’s four pitchers. Kevin Rodriguez hit a bloop single to load the bases with nobody out. Keller then raced home to end the tense first round matchup. Rodriguez, who missed about two weeks with a broken hand, had four of the Muhls’ twelve hits. Smeltzer and High contributed two hits apiece. Barons’ starter Chase Travitz was charged with five runs, three earned, on six hits over three innings. Kyle Mylin fired 2.1 innings of shutout relief and Trevor Lowe got two key outs in the 6th. Book took over on the hill in the seventh frame. Muhlenberg got the leadoff hitter on base in the 7th and 8th innings, but couldn’t score. Book struck out three. Burr allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits over six innings. The Muhls’ seniors may have arrived at prom a little late on Friday, but they kept their season alive. “It does show a lot about their character that they’re willing to fight and battle all the way to the end,” stated Kopetsky.

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Cam Burr-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/cam-burr-muhlenberg-2/ Tue, 30 Apr 2024 13:23:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4206 It doesn’t matter how many games you’ve seen, you never know exactly what will happen when you head to the ballpark. Wilson and Muhlenberg squared off in a key Division 1 battle on Monday night in Laureldale. The outcome wasn’t determined until Tuesday morning after the PIAA made an interpretation. Cam Burr was sent to the mound with a man on first base and nobody out in the top of the 7th inning. The Muhls were up 3-2. However, the All-County selection had thrown 90 pitches on Friday which requires three days of rest. Longtime Muhlenberg coach Brian Kopetsky said he simply got caught up in the emotion of the game. He had Burr intentionally walk Nick Fiorini and then brought in sophomore righty Cole Moody. Muhlenberg contacted the BCIAA after the game to explain what happened. The BCIAA notified the PIAA and a rules interpreter deemed that since Burr didn’t actually throw a pitch, there was no violation. An intentional walk doesn’t require a pitch to be thrown. Moody made a terrific sliding catch of Cooper Kennedy’s bunt. The 6’2, 200-pound sophomore then fired to second base for a pivotal double play. “Oh my God, talk about being an athlete there. I don’t know how much better you could draw that one up,” emphasized Burr. Moody ended the tense affair by striking out designated hitter Ben Kulp who had homered in the 2nd inning. The (11-5, 7-3) Muhls and the (11-6, 7-3) Bulldogs are tied for second place in the division. They’re one game behind Gov. Mifflin. Burr scored on a safety squeeze bunt by Gavin Moody in the bottom of the 1st inning. Matt VanOstenbridge put Wilson in front 2-1 in the 5th with a RBI single to right field. VanOstenbridge, who was coming off a no-hitter against Exeter, didn’t allow a hit through five frames on Monday. Sophomore Cooper Burr, Cam’s younger brother, got Muhlenberg’s first hit in the 6th inning. No. 9 hitter Anthony Cipolla followed with another single. Cam Burr, a Kutztown University commit, singled to right to even the score at 2-2. “He was throwing me a lot of off-speed, a lot of junk. It was definitely an approach to sit back and drive it the other way,” explained Burr. Gavin Moody knocked in Cipolla with a sacrifice fly to center to give Muhlenberg a 3-2 edge. The inning came to a close with Kaleb Mendoza getting thrown out at the plate on an attempted double steal. Christo Hunsicker started the 7th with a bloop single to center field. That’s when Burr replaced Ethan Weiler on the hill. Weiler (3-1) allowed ten hits, but just a pair of runs. The 6’2 junior struck out three and walked one. VanOstenbridge gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits and a walk. The Penn State commit had seven strikeouts. The southpaw entered the night with a (3-0) record and a 0.52 ERA. Fiorini and C.J. Fernandez had two hits apiece for Wilson. The Muhls rallied late after dropping three of their previous four contests. “It just shows our character and that we can get through anything as a team. We’re the comeback kids,” stated Burr.

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