MIDDLETOWN, Pa.- Penn State Harrisburg followed up its record-setting season a year ago with another strong campaign in 2012. The Lions finished 18-20 overall and 12-8 in North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) play. Thanks to their solid outing this spring, the blue and white earned a berth in the league's championship tournament as the South Division's number two seed. The Lions also enjoyed some postseason accolades when junior pitcher/outfielder Kara Boyd (Alexandria, PA/Juniata Valley), freshman outfielder/pitcher Gabby Wolfe (New Milford, PA/Blue Ridge) and senior catcher/outfielder Emily Pae (Harrisburg, PA/Susquehanna Township) earned NEAC all-conference first-team honors. This weekend, the ladies travel to Keuka looking to take home the trophy and earn an automatic NCAA Division III Tourney bid.
Below is a list of the opponents Penn State Harrisburg will have to contend with in the NEAC tournament. The competitors from the North Division are listed first, followed by the Lions' fellow teams from the South.
NORTH
KEUKA (19-11 overall, 18-2 NEAC)
The Storm earned the North Division's number one seed thanks to finishing with a better conference record than league-rival SUNYIT by just one game. Senior Elly Disbrow earned the NEAC's Co-Player of the Year award while sophomore pitcher Danielle Gravel earned Pitcher of the Year status. Sophomore Jessica Bandrowski was named Rookie of the Year while Head Coach Jamie Burke was voted the league's Coach of the Year by her peers. Keuka was well represented on the all-conference teams as well, as five ladies were named to the first team while a sixth player earned second-team honors. Penn State Harrisburg did not face the Storm during the regular season.
SUNYIT (23-10 overall, 17-3 NEAC)
The Wildcats missed earning home-field advantage by the slimmest of margins. The North's number two seed, SUNYIT has been very impressive this spring. Junior Lyndsey Brognano was named the league's Co-Player of the Year and a total of seven Wildcat players were named as all-conference selections. Five ladies were voted to the first-team while two more earned second-team recognition. Penn State Harrisburg faced SUNYIT just once this year, during both teams' spring break trips to Myrtle Beach, SC. The Wildcats bested the Lions 10-5 in a hard-fought contest. Boyd pitched four innings after pitching a complete seven inning game just hours earlier. Leading 3-2 midway through the matchup, SUNYIT got five runs in the bottom of the fifth to seal the victory. Pae and junior transfer Kristyan Gates (Hanover, PA/Hanover) were strong at the plate. The Harrisburg native went 2-3 with two runs scored while Gates went 2-4 with two runs of her own scored.
CAZENOVIA (9-25 overall, 8-12 NEAC)
Another set of Wildcats will be taking part in the NEAC's championship tournament this weekend. Cazenovia beat out SUNY Cobleskill and Wells in the standings by two games to earn the North Division's number three seed. Two players in freshman Jenna Kraegar and sophomore Alexandra Dickson were named to the league's all-conference second team. Penn State Harrisburg and Cazenovia avoided did not play each other during the 2012 regular season. The two teams will face off in a first round matchup Friday afternoon.
SOUTH
WILSON (25-2 overall, 20-0 NEAC)
The South Division's top seed, the Phoenix had an outstanding 2012, finishing the season undefeated in league play and with just two losses on the year. Junior Tara Fields was named the conference's Player of the Year while senior hurler Leigh Roche earned the NEAC's Pitcher of the Year honor. Wilson had four players named to the all-conference first team and two more were represented on the second-team. The Lions were 0-4 against Wilson during the regular season but pushed the Phoenix to the brink of defeat in the teams' last meeting on Apr. 27. Penn State Harrisburg dropped a tight 5-4 extra inning contest after leading for much of the game. Senior pitcher Brittany Kringer (Hazleton, PA/Hazleton) was awesome on the rubber for the blue and white, throwing a complete eight inning game and giving up just six hits and two earned runs to a squad that scored double-digit runs 14 times this spring. Boyd went 2-4 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored. Pae also went 2-4 and drove in a run.
PENN STATE BERKS (12-24 overall, 12-8 NEAC)
Penn State Berks started the season slow before getting on a roll when it mattered most, earning the South's number three seed. Junior Marissa Ruggiero was named to the NEAC's all-conference first team while junior Devon Denker and freshman Kaylie Vrabel earned second-team status. The blue and white split the season series with the opposing Lions, picking up 7-3 and 10-2 wins while falling 3-0 and 9-3. Wolfe was stout at the plate in the Lions' first win on Mar. 28, going 3-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Senior shortstop Paige Zechman (Robesania, PA/Conrad Weiser) and Gates both went 2-4 with an RBI apiece. Boyd had a great day inside the circle, pitching a complete seven inning game while giving up just two hits and three runs to go along with her ten strikeouts. Gates was strong in the ladies' second victory on Apr. 17, going 2-3 with a run scored while Kringer went 2-3 with two RBIs. Boyd was 1-3 and scored a game-high two runs. Kringer picked up the win on the rubber.
Penn State Harrisburg's first postseason contest takes place Friday, May 4 against Cazenovia. The 2012 NEAC tournament bracket can be viewed in its entirety here. Live stats will be available here, courtesy of Keuka College.