DUBOIS, Pa. — Day three of competition in the Small College World Series began for DuBois with Nolan Walters, a senior from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, on the pitching mound against Bucks County Community College (BCCC). A combination of a strike out, catch in right field by Thanye Morgan, and a tag-out at home brought DuBois up to bat in the first inning.

A fast throw by catcher Cory Lehman to shortstop Colby Bodtorf prevented a steal at second by BCCC and gained the second out for DuBois in the second. The game remained scoreless going into the third inning.

Interference at first base by BCCC caused the batter to be out and forcing the runner to return to first, which was as far as he’d get this inning with Walters striking out the next two batters.

BCCC scored the first run of the game with a ground hit to right field. With bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, Taylor Boland, a sophomore from Saint Marys, Pennsylvania, came in to pitch, allowing two additional runs before bringing DuBois up to bat. Colby Bodtorf stepped up to the plate with bases loaded and two outs to walk, bringing in Penn State DuBois’ first run of the game.

Senior pitcher, Morgan Bell entered the game in the top of the fifth for three caught looking strike-outs. With bases loaded, Brett Beith hit a single to bring in two runs and tie the game in the bottom of the fifth, forcing a pitching change for BCCC. Dan Stauffer smashed a hit to left field for a three run double, taking the lead for Penn State DuBois.

Another senior pitcher, Stauffer took the mound at the top of the sixth. Two runs allowed after heated argument between BCCC coaches/players and the umpires. Two additional runs tied the game 7-7 with BCCC hitting to a left center pocket.

Penn State DuBois held BCCC to 7 in the top of the seventh. BCCC intentionally walked Stauffer, loading the bases and bringing up Brandon Sicheri to the plate. Three balls, one strike, and two outs, tied at 7, Sicheri gets a walk to bring in the 8th run to win the game and continue to the last game of the day. 

As clouds continued to roll in, Penn State DuBois baseball began their second game of the day as the home team with freshmen, Connor Cherry on the hill against The Apprentice School from Newport News, Virginia, in another elimination game.

After four runs for The Apprentice School, freshmen pitcher Jeff Romano from Twinsburg, Ohio, came in to pitch for Penn State DuBois. Once again, Brett Beith the beast made a rolling catch in centerfield to end the half with no additional runs scored by TAS.

A pitching change was made in the top of the fifth to bring shortstop, Colby Bodtorf in, holding The Apprentice School to no additional runs in the fifth and sixth.

Going into the seventh, Penn State DuBois would need to hold The Apprentice School at five and score 6 to be able to earn the win, which they were unable to do. Penn State DuBois baseball ended their 2022 USCAA Small College World Series run after a solid season, falling to The Apprentice School, 7-0 final.

As a solid baseball season comes to an end, Penn State DuBois head coach Tom Calliari aims for more than just wins on the ball field. "The most important thing we need to remember is use these moments to help young adults become better people first. Baseball is meaningless when it comes to helping these young men grow."