Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Hempfield grad Uschock to finish softball career at Shippensburg

Maddie Uschock is rebooting her college softball career.

The former Hempfield ace is leaving Dominican, a Division II program in Orangeburg, N.Y., and will transfer to Shippensburg.

Uschock, who just completed her junior year, said she needed a change.

“Despite really loving my friends, teammates and professors, the environment wasn’t healthy for me,” she said. “Specifically with softball.”

She had surgery on her shoulder during her sophomore season and was committed to making a full comeback. But something did not seem right, which made her rethink her surroundings.

“At the end of the day, I evaluated what was best for me and if I could be getting more out of my academics and my collegiate career,” she said. “I got on the (transfer) portal to see what other opportunities might be out there, and now I couldn’t be more excited about my decision to transfer.

“I can already tell the coaches (at Shippensburg) are some awesome women, and I’m looking forward to joining their program.”

Uschock, who has three years of athletic eligibility left, appeared in 28 games in 2019, including 22 starts, and posted a record of 11-11 with a 2.81 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 137 innings.

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Baseball

Mercyhurst: Grad student relief pitcher Michael Krauza (Franklin Regional) was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association Division II All-Region First Team and also received an ABCA second-team All-American nod.

Krauza, a St. Bonaventure graduate, adds his latest honor to these: All-PSAC West First Team, NCBWA All-Region First Team, D2CCA All-Region First Team, and NCBWA All-American Honorable Mention. In 54 innings, Krauza struck out 71 and walked four. His 17.75-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio led Division II. He posted a 2.67 ERA.

Krauza recently signed a professional contract with the independent Houston Apollos of the American Association of Professional Baseball Clubs league.

Seton Hill: Three team members were named to the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NCAA Division II All-Region Teams.

Grad student outfielder Tommy Pellis (Greensburg Central Catholic) was honored as the region’s player of the year for a third time and was named a third-team All-American,

Add those accolades to his NCBWA and D2CCA Atlantic Regional player of the year awards.

All three outfits also selected him to their first teams.

Senior outfielder Derek Orndorff also made the ABCA/Rawlings first team, and senior pitcher Ben Vicini was named to the second team. Heading into the College World Series in Cary, N.C., Pellis was hitting .371 with 53 hits and just as many runs. He and Orndorff (.367) each had 42 RBIs, and Pellis had 14 home runs, one behind Orndorff.

Vicini was 6-1 as a starter with a 4.12 ERA and had struck out 67 in 54.2 innings.

Washington & Jefferson: Sophomore Tyler Horvat (Penn-Trafford) was honored for his multiple contributions to the Presidents this season by being named to the D3Baseball.Com All-America First Team and the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. III All-America Second Team.

Horvat, an outfielder and pitcher, was one of just 15 players in Division III selected to the first team. He already had earned Presidents’ Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year and PAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

Horvat is the first W&J player to receive first-team All-America status since Tim Boal in 1978.

Horvat was 9-0 on the mound with a 1.80 ERA in 70 innings. He had 71 strikeouts and limited opponents to a .184 batting average. As the team’s leadoff hitter, he posted a .366 average with 17 extra-base hits and 34 RBIs and stole 11 bases and scored 34 times.

He also was selected to the Mideast ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Mideast Region Team.

W&J (37-3) finished 1-2 at the NCAA regionals in High Point, N.C.

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Men’s track and field

Seton Hill: Junior Sam Hartman, a recent two-time national championship winner, placed fifth in the 400-meter hurdles at the Music City Track Carnival in Nashville, Tenn. He finished in 50.92 seconds.

Hartman won the 110 hurdles in 13.68 seconds before capturing the 400 hurdles in 50.50 seconds at the NCAA Division II championships.