For the 3rd season in row the PSU DuBois baseball team is in the PSUAC Championship game at the end of the conference season. This year the achilles heel for DuBois was the #1 seed from Mont Alto. Having lost 3 games to Mont Alto in the regular season, and 1 early in the playoffs, DUBois would have to take them down 2 times in this double elimination tournament. Having won last night, DuBois put themselves in a winner take all position in the championship game. Not only were these 2 teams playing for the PSUAC crown, but also for the #2 seed in next weeks USCAA World Series.
Coach Calliari called on Braiden Blair to start from the mound. Mont Alto would get the 1st run on the board in the bottom of the 1st inning. DuBois came right back with a run of their own in the top of the 2nd thanks to Thayne Morgan's double that scored Daniel Stauffer.
Mont Alto would take the lead back with another run in the bottom of the 2nd, but DuBois was able to score 2 more in the 3rd off of a Logan Wagner single that scored Stauffer, and Talon Falls to go up 3-2.
Then the flood gates open for DuBois, and their leaders took over. Stauffer would hit a 3 run home run to get the team fired up. DuBois would score 5 runs in each of the next 2 innings, and add 3 in the top of the 6th. Mont Alto would score another 2 runs, but DuBois wasn't going to go down on this day. They would be crowned the conference champions for the 3rd time in as many seasons.
Senior catcher, Joseph Dipietro went 4 for 5 from the plate, Cory Lehman was 3 for 4, and Logan Wagner would go 3 for 3 with 3 RBI's. Stauffer went 2 for 2 with 3 runs and 4 RBI's on the game. Tanner Labenne had a 3 RBI game, and Dipietro would add 2 RBI's for the cause.
Blair went 5 innings for the win, allowing only 5 hits and 2 runs. Freshman, Taylor Boland came in for an inning of relief, had 1 strike out and threw only 6 pitches. Jacob Allen came in for the 7th inning to finish the game before DuBois was named the 3 time PSUAC Champions.
DuBois will be the #2 seed in the USCAA World Series next week. Labenne will represent DuBois in the home run derby on Sunday before games start on Monday. Game times will be announced later in the week from the USCAA office.
