Despite Losses, BB is ready for Playoffs

The Penn State Fayette baseball team dropped four Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) games over the weekend, but the team has still qualified for the PSUAC playoffs which begin Saturday.

Friday, Fayette (11-16 overall, 8-7 PSUAC) lost at PSUAC West division champion Penn State DuBois (21-10, 14-1), 8-5, before heading home and being swept by them, 13-5 and 11-6.  Sunday, Fayette dropped a 7-5, eight inning game to Penn State Greater Allegheny (10-19, 6-9).

"We played hard and battled with a powerhouse of a team in DuBois," said first-year coach Ryan Encapera. "We didn't help ourselves and gave them some extra outs that led to runs that sealed up the lead in each game with them.  Our bats kept us in each game and Zim (Nate Zimcosky) had a streak of plate appearances in the series where he was on base every time.  They couldn't get him out."

In the series opener Friday, Zimcosky (Uniontown, PA/Laurel Highlands HS) and Burns (Uniontown, PA/Laurel Highlands HS) led Fayette with two hits each.

Cade Warrick (Mill Run, PA/Connellsville HS) and Kyle Ridley (Connellsville, PA/Connellsville HS) both collected two hits in Saturday's first game, with Warrick and Kade Musgrove (Dunbar, PA/Connellsville HS) both homering.

During Saturday's nightcap, Zimcosky led Fayette with four hits while Andrew Despot (Moon, PA/Moon Area HS) had two of Fayette's five doubles.

Burns (home run, double and single) and Zimcosky (three singles) paced Fayette with three hits each in Sunday's game, with Burns driving in four runs.  Despot and Matt Morgan (Eighty-Four, PA/Ringgold HS) each had two singles for Fayette.

"It was a hard-fought game Sunday," Encapera of the effort against Greater Allegheny. "Getting down early didn't help but we battled back with some clutch hits.  (Josh) Burns hit a huge home run to tie the game.  Kaleb Scott shut them down after the first and owned them until they scratched two across in the eighth."

Fayette will now prepare for the PSUAC tournament which kicks off Saturday.

"I am proud of the guys for their effort this week and all year," Encapera said. "We faced obstacles and adversity and came out reaching one of our preseason goals of making the PSUAC playoffs."

For more information on the Penn State Fayette baseball team, go to https://www.psathletics.com/sports/bsb/index or follow the team on Instagram @fayetteathletics.

For more information on the PSUAC baseball playoffs, go to https://psuacsports.com/sports/bsb/index.