Panthers 6-0 over break

Baseball opens MCAC season with four-game sweep

Men’s baseball enjoyed a successful spring break campaign as they represented YC on the road going 6-0 during the break.

Due to weather and field conditions the venue for Tuesday’s games was moved to Topeka, Kan., where the Panthers defeated Tabor College 3-0 in the early afternoon match-up and then won 7-2 over Central Methodist (Mo.) in game two. Five pitchers were used in the first game with Julio Angulo picking up the win. York bats were held to only five hits, led by Tyler Helms who went two-for-three.

In the second game, the offense came alive as 11 hits were recorded in the 7-2 victory including home runs by Helms and Josh Nuyten. Although five Panthers once again shared the mound, the winning pitcher was Tom Korn, who threw for two innings.

The final games of the break were also conference openers as the Panthers got a four-game sweep over College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo., with winning scores of 10-8, 8-0, 16-2, and 8-1. Winning pitchers were Matt Blaemire (5 innings), Tyler Molder (7), Josh Knoll (6), and Korn (7). Against Ozarks, the York bats produced 45 hits averaging .319 as a team.

Abend	Molder

For their play during the six-game stretch, Alec Abend was named MCAC Player of the Week and Tyler Molder was named MCAC Pitcher of the Week. Abend a senior outfielder from Carmel, Calif., hit .529 (9-for-17) last week with three doubles, a home run, six runs scored and 11 RBI. Molder, a native of Reno, Nev., picked up a complete-game shutout and struck out seven in York's 8-0 win over College of the Ozarks.  He also pitched a scoreless inning of relief in the 3-0 win over Tabor College.

The Panthers are now 18-7 on the season, 4-0 in conference play. Weather permitting, the home opener for York will be this weekend as the Panthers take on MCAC opponent Waldorf College at Levitt Stadium on Friday, March 22 at 1 p.m. for two games. The two teams will also play a twin bill on Saturday with the first pitch at 12 noon.

In the preseason Coaches Poll, York received 65 points putting them just outside the NAIA's top 25. They finished the 2012 season 42-16, winning their 3rd consecutive MCAC title and earning an invitation to the opening round of the NAIA Championships. Coach Harlan and Associate Head Coach Brian Walth enter their tenth year directing the program, averaging 35 wins per year while amassing an overall record of 280-159. The first poll of the season will be released on March 26.