Mont Alto Baseball Primed and Ready for the USCAA Small College World Series

Mont Alto Baseball Primed and Ready for the USCAA Small College World Series
May 15, 2021

 By: Matthew Gelhard, Student Assistant of Mont Alto Athletics Communications

MONT ALTO, Pa. - The Penn State Mont Alto baseball team has earned a trip to the 2021 USCAA Small College World Series hosted in DuBois, PA at Showers Field from May 16-20.

The United States Small College Athletic Association (USCAA) selects the top eight schools in the country for a double elimination tournament to crown a champion. The bracket can be found on the USCAA Baseball Championship website. 

No. 4 Penn State Mont Alto faces No. 5 Wright State– Lake Campus on Monday, May 17 at 10 a.m. to kick off the action at the World Series. This will be the opening game of the entire five-day double elimination tournament. 

What you need to know before action kicks off on Monday: 

  • This is the Nittany Lion's third bid to the World Series in the past five years (2017, 2019, 2021) and the highest seeding (seeded at No. 4) in the school's history. 

  • With an outstanding 24-5 overall record the team achieved the highest winning percentage in school history (.828) and is one win away from tying the school's all-time record in wins. 

  • The squad included Hayden Kissel (Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg Area) being named PSUAC West Player of the Year and Zach Garlin (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) recognized as both the PSUAC West Pitcher and Newcomer of the Year.  

  • The Nittany Lions had a total of seven student-athletes named PSUAC All-Conference led by head coach Shawn Kissel, who was named PSUAC Coach of the Year as voted on by his peers. 

  • Leadoff hitter and junior shortstop Jared Pine (Mercersburg, Pa. / James Buchanan) flashes a .488 batting average followed by junior Chance McClure (Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg Area) (.417) and sophomore Tyler Moreland (Spring Mills, W.Va. / Spring Mills) (.409), both were not hesitant to drive Pine in. 

  • Freshman Jarrett Goodyear (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) will represent Mont Alto in the USCAA Home Run Derby on Sunday night, he boasts four home runs this spring. 

  • Almost three-forths of the roster contain underclassmen, with three seniors graduating this spring.