SOFTBALL
WILLIAMSPORT — Lycoming senior Holly Lansberry (Curwensville) was named Commonwealth Conference Pitcher of the Week after notching two wins and a save with a 1.31 earned run average for 21.1 innings in the Central Park Complex circles during last week’s National Collegiate Sports Invitational at North Myrtle Beach, SC.
The 5-2 right-hander is the first Warrior to receive the accolade since Lycoming joined the conference in 2008.
Lansberry, who registered three solid starts and made two relief appearances, also was selected female Warrior of the Week for the third time in her career.
She also started five games in right field and, as the leadoff batter, contributed four runs batted in and seven runs scored to the Lycoming offense in the 5-3 getaway.
Lansberry’s right arm and bat were instrumental in Lycoming opening the season with three consecutive victories March 4 and 5.
She kept Mary Washington (VA) off the scoreboard for 6.2 innings, scattered eight hits and logged five strikeouts in a complete-game 7-2 victory and delivered what proved to be the game-winning hit, a two-run single in the fourth inning, in a 4-2 win over LaRoche on Day One.
The next day, Lansberry relieved in the seventh inning with Lycoming leading Mary Washington 7-5 and got the last two outs to strand runners at second and third for her second career save. She also singled and walked and scored twice for the Warriors.
Her second start, in the nightcap against Mount Aloysius, resulted in a no-decision. She matched her career-high with 11 strikeouts while walking five and allowing seven hits and three runs, two earned, in eight innings. At the plate, she singled, walked, scored two runs and drove in one for the Warriors, who lost 4-3 when Mount Aloysius capitalized on the International Tie-Breaker Rule for a run in the ninth.
On Thursday, Lansberry hurled a three-hitter in shutting out Mount Saint Mary (NY) 11-0, racking up nine strikeouts in five innings.
She was summoned in relief in a 3-3 tie with Robert Morris-Springfield with two runners aboard and one out in the sixth inning, surrendering two hits that chased home the winning run before she got the final two outs.
For the week, Lansberry gave up 20 hits, only one for extra bases, and five walks while recording 27 strikeouts, ranking in the Commonwealth Conference’s top five in that statistic as well as wins, innings pitched and ERA.
Lansberry entered the season among Lycoming’s all-time leaders in most pitching categories and now is tied for second in saves, third in complete games (38) and tied for fourth in wins (27) and shutouts (5).
She’s among the top three in appearances, starts, innings pitched and strikeouts.
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BASEBALL
FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Three-year veteran Mike Moyer (Clearfield) launched his senior season for Penn State Behrend in sparkling fashion Wednesday, pitching a three-hitter with nine strikeouts through seven innings in a 6-0 victory over Martin Luther (MN) College at the Lawnwood Complex.
Matt Parnes worked the last two innings to complete the combined shutout that was the second of Moyer’s career.
The right-hander, who retired the first 13 batters he faced and did not allow any runner to reach second base, was named Enterprise Rent-A-Car Athlete of the Week at Penn State Behrend.
Junior relief pitcher Chad Zurat (Clearfield) appeared in four games for the Lions (5-3) and split two decisions.
He picked up the win against Misericordia on March 5, escaping a one-out, bases-loaded jam with a pair of comebackers in the top of the eighth inning and then benefiting from two runs by the Lions in the bottom of the frame. He gave up one hit and struck out one in the ninth to seal the 4-2 victory.
Zurat was tagged with the loss Saturday when Muhlenberg rallied for five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 7-6. He entered the game in the seventh to protect a 4-2 lead and set down six of seven batters before giving up five consecutive hits in the ninth, departing with the Lions still ahead 6-4 and the bases loaded. Connor Semple also was unable to earn a save, surrendering two singles and a sacrifice fly.
Zurat also pitched one inning in a 4-2 loss to Elizabethtown March 4 and 1.2 innings in a 4-0 loss to Susquehanna Friday.
He ended the Spring Break Trip with a 7.11 earned run average, eight hits allowed, seven strikeouts and three walks  for 6.1 innings.
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CLARION — Sophomore shortstop Derek Danver (Clearfield) singled in two of Clarion’s four losses last week to raise his batting average to .231 after six games.
He is 3-for-13 with two runs scored.
Sophomore second baseman Brett Sutika (Grampian/Curwensville Area High School) was hitless in two at-bats in both of his two starts. He is 0-for-6.
In his second start on the mound, junior left-hander Ben McGary (Curwensville) absorbed a tough 4-2 loss to Indiana University of Pennsylvania at Johnstown’s Point Stadium Sunday. He allowed only three hits and two earned runs in five innings, striking out two and walking three.
McGary is 0-2 with a 7.88 earned run average for eight innings. He’s given up eight hits and nine runs, seven earned, with seven strikeouts and eight walks.
The Golden Eagles (0-6) dropped both non-conference doubleheaders against future Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference foes, 10-0 and 3-1 at California and 22-5 in the nightcap against IUP.
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GYMNASTICS
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Senior Scott Rosenthal (Clearfield) struggled to a sub-par 12.900 score on the still rings for Penn State in a 421.250-414.500 exhibition win over the Puerto Rico National Team Friday night.
The Nittany Lions had a season-low 70.600 total in that event.
Rosenthal and his classmates will be honored prior to Saturday’s 7 p.m. Senior Night and Big 10 Conference meet against Michigan in Rec Hall.
