Westmoreland County campus clippings: Seton Hill among nation's best in the field

If defense wins championships, it might be a good time for Seton Hill to start shopping ring-fitters.

The Griffins baseball team has a dragnet defense that is keeping opposing offenses off the field and smothering rallies.

Through 37 games, Seton Hill was ranked sixth in the country in NCAA Division II with a .979 fielding percentage. It was second in the PSAC to East Stroudsburg (.984).

The Griffins had made only 27 errors, which also was sixth in the division nationally. The Griffins had turned 23 double plays, caught 13 potential bases-stealers and had only three passed balls.

The middle infield and third base are occupied by Westmoreland County players.

Freshman Joe Fiedor (Hempfield) is becoming an everyday starter at second base, and senior Owen Sabol (Norwin) and senior Jack Oberdorf (Greensburg Salem) are mainstays at shortstop and third base.

Another freshman, Jack Whalen (Norwin), is the regular center fielder.

Senior catcher Vincenzo Rauso had not made an error in 219 chances and had 206 putouts, second most to first baseman Logan Vietmeier, a grad student who had one error in 303 chances.

Seton Hill (32-8, 19-0), which clinched a PSAC playoff spot, moved into the No. 24 spot in the NCBWA Division II Top 25 last week.

Baseball

Allegheny: Senior second baseman Sullivan Schueltz (Ligonier Valley) went 3 for 5 with four runs scored as the Gators hammered Geneva, 14-6.

Cal (Pa.): Freshman relief pitcher Jake Kramer (Hempfield) came on to earn his fifth save of the season, striking out three in two innings, as the Vulcans beat Fairmont State, 12-8.

Redshirt freshman Luke Treloar (Franklin Regional) does not have a decision in a pair of appearances this season. He has a 1.38 ERA over 4 1/3 innings.

Mercyhurst: Sophomore Eric Chorba (Norwin) went 2 for 2 with a double and two runs as the Lakers topped Cal (Pa.), 9-2.

Tennessee: Freshman Jake Kendro (Norwin) was batting .231 in 19 games for the Volunteers. He made five starts and had three doubles, a home run and four RBIs.

Washington & Jefferson: As usual, senior Tyler Horvat (Penn-Trafford) did a little of everything as the Presidents swept two games from Bethany.

He went 3 for 5 with a triple and an RBI single in a 7-4 win, then pitched a complete-game two-hitter with eight strikeouts. He moved to 9-2 with his sixth complete game of the season.

Horvat was named the PAC Pitcher of the Week.

Waynesburg: Freshman Ethan Erhard (Hempfield) worked four innings and gave up six runs on seven hits, but did not get a loss in a 15-14 loss to Thiel.

Erhard was 2-3 with a 5.96 ERA in 10 appearances, including six starts.

Westmoreland County Community College: Sophomore Dom Koch (Yough) reached 100 career hits for the Wolfpack.

Koch was leading the team with a .394 batting average and 39 hits through 32 games. His 30 RBIs also led the Wolfpack (9-23).

Yale: Junior Jake Williams (Franklin Regional) was hitting .286 through 30 starts and was tied for the team lead with 34 hits. He had five doubles, a home run, 18 RBIs and 19 runs scored.

Men’s golf

Cal (Pa.): Junior Aidan Bushey (Derry) tied for 21st at 12-over-par 154 (76-78) at the Cecil C. Spadafora Invitational at Indiana Country Club. He played as an individual and made 24 pars in 36 holes.

Notre Dame: Senior Palmer Jackson (Franklin Regional) finished at 2-under 211 to tie for 20th at the Thunderbird Collegiate Collegiate in Arizona. He shot 2-under 69, with five birdies, in the final round.

He made 17 birdies and an eagle in the 54-hole event.

Washington & Jefferson: Sophomore Cade Patterson (Penn-Trafford) earned spring medalist honors at the PAC championship with a 3-over par 143, which included a 2-under 68 in the final round at Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman, Ohio.

W&J won the team title by one stroke over Allegheny. The 72-hole event was split over two seasons.

Westminster: Senior Sam Napper (Mt. Pleasant) tied for fifth place at the PAC championship at Mill Creek Golf Course in Ohio.

The spring leg of the event saw Napper shoot 80 and 76 to add to his 156 from the first two rounds in the fall.

Women’s lacrosse

Grove City: Sophomore midfielder Mara Polczynski (Norwin) had three goals, caused five turnovers, had three draw controls and five ground balls in a 15-13 victory over Thiel.

Saint Vincent: Senior midfielder Kaylee Bandow registered her 100th career goal as the Bearcats defeated Thiel, 24-14, in a PAC game.

Bandow had five goals and seven assists in the win, and freshman Carolina Walters added three goals and three assists.

In a 16-8 win over Bethany, junior Maggie Edwards (Norwin) tallied five goals and six ground balls on the way to her 100th career point.

Seton Hill: Grad goalkeeper Kyleigh Hessian made her 200th career save as the Griffins took care of Lock Haven, 18-8, for their 10th straight win.