Parkland High School Baseball

Seven former Parkland High School baseball players reunited on the college diamond this weekend for the Division II Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup between East Stroudsburg University and Bloomsburg University.  ESU players Mike Tenaglia (PHS, 2010), Andy Brandstetter (PHS, 2010), Matt Smith (PHS, 2010), and Nick Rabasco (PHS, 2012) squared off against Bloomsburg's Casey Cooperman (PHS, 2010), Matt Hurd (PHS, 2012), and Damin Muth (PHS, 2013).  ESU and Bloomsburg split the 4-game weekend series with two of the four games going to extra innings. 

Cooperman, a Bloomsburg senior, is enjoying the best year of his college career on the mound.  He pitched a complete game shutout in Friday's opening game against ESU allowing five hits and striking out three.  Cooperman currently has a season record of 5-4 with an outstanding 1.67 ERA.  Sophomore pitcher Hurd recently earned his first win of the season pitching two scoreless innings in relief against Clarion.  Bloomsburg's Muth is making a big impact as a freshman.  Muth has reached base in 27 straight games and is one of the top hitters in the PSAC.  He is currently hitting .405 with a .511 on-base percentage.

As ESU's first baseman, senior Tenaglia is batting .262 with two homeruns.  Senior and starting pitcher Smith currently holds a record of 2-3 with a 4.58 ERA.  Both Tenaglia and Smith transferred to ESU from Northampton CC starting their junior year.  Redshirt-junior and outfielder Brandstetter is batting .316 on the season and made an outstanding defensive play this weekend when he gunned down the potential winning run with a perfect throw to homeplate from left field.   Division I transfer and sophomore second baseman Rabasco is playing his first year at ESU and currently holds a .356 batting average along with a .431 on-base percentage and 25 runs scored.

Senior pitcher Gabe Mosser earned his fifth win of the season on the mound with a dominating performance against division rival Whitehall.  Mosser pitched a complete game shutout allowing only two Whitehall base hits, walked one, and struck out nine.  Much like his teammate Alex Flynn the day before, Mosser allowed just four Whitehall batters to reach base, one of those coming on a Parkland fielding error.  Mosser retired the first nine Whitehall batters in a row to start the game, including striking out the side in order in the 3rd inning. 

At the plate, it was another game where the Trojan bats had difficulties getting going.  Senior Zach Miiller (2-for-3, 2 RBI, run) was the exception today collecting two of the three Parkland base hits.  In the bottom of the second inning Parkland went up 1-0 when Miiller singled up the middle to bring home Zach Merkle, who had reached on a hit-by-pitch.  The Trojan bats were silent until Miiller came to the plate again in the 4th inning when he singled up the middle again to plate pinch runner Tyler Bruno.  Bruno was pinch running for Hudson Rabenold who had reached base on a hit-by-pitch.  In the same inning, Miiller scored the Trojan's third run when Justin Afflerbach (1-for 1, BB, HBP, RBI) singled through the left side and give the Trojans the 3-0 lead and the win by the same score. 

The defensive play of the game came in the 6th inning with a Whitehall base runner on first base.  A line drive up the middle was snagged for the out by diving second baseman Alex Flynn who quickly got to his feet and threw to first base for the double play that ended the inning.  The Trojans are undefeated in conference play with a 6-0 record, while holding a season record of 9-1.