Starting from a young age, athletes in Greencastle are trained to compete in the sports arena, leading to both competence and confidence at the high school level and beyond.
This rings especially true on the baseball diamond, where ex-Blue Devils not only played at the college level this season, but dominated, as well.
Greencastle’s championship pedigree was put on full display on the baseball diamond, highlighted by the efforts of players like Adam Horst, who helped pitch Frederick Community College to a spot in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II World Series, or Carter Reid, whose strong presence at the plate guided Messiah University to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Division III Championships. Three players on the Hagerstown CC roster – Aiden Grudzinski, Briggs Remenick and Andrew Kerns – paved the way for the Hawks to make an appearance at the NJCAA West Region 20 Tournament.
We already reported last month on Penn State University Mont Alto’s phenomenal baseball season that saw the Lions play to a runner-up finish at the United Stated Collegiate Athletic Association Small College World Series, but do you know who led the team in batting? You guessed it, a Blue Devils grad: Caiden Smith.
These are just a few of the 39 athletes with Greencastle ties that competed collegiately this spring. In College Corner this month, we’ll take a closer look at these baseball stars while also shinining the spotlight on softball and track.
In the months to come, College Corner will rotate coverage to Chambersburg and Waynesboro, before circling back to Greencastle. We will continue wrapping up the spring season before shifting our focus toward fall sports.
Are we missing anybody? Additions for College Corner can be sent to Andy Sandrik via email at [email protected].
Baseball
Caiden Smith, Senior, PSU Mont Alto
Smith led Mont Alto in batting average this season and was a key player in the Lions’ run to a berth in the USCAA Small College World Series championship game.
A 5-fooo-8 utility player, Smith played in 49 games this spring and batted .358 (63 for 176) with 14 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 57 runs, 37 RBI, and one stolen base. Defensively, Smith sported a perfect fielding percentage.
Smith was crucial in the postseason, as recorded hits in nine of 12 games and batted .333 (14 for 42) with two home runs. His best game came on May 15, when he went 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI to lead Mont Alto to an 11-9 victory over PSU Du Bois, a win which propelled the Lions to a berth in the national title tit.
Smith wraps up a brilliant four-year career at Mont Alto that saw him appear in 139 games and bat .329 (134 of 407) with 23 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs, 111 runs, 102 RBI, and five stolen bases.
The Lions wrap up their season at 35-18 (16-4 PSUAC).
Lance Overcash, freshman, PSU Mont Alto
Overcash, a Greencastle native who went to Global Vision Christian, saw action in six games as a pitcher this season.
The 5-foot-6, 160-pound right-hander posted an 0-1 record with an 8.76 ERA, striking out eight batters over 12 1/3 innings of work.
Adam Horst, sophomore, Frederick CC
Frederick’s path to a spot in the NJCAA Division II Baseball World Series would have been much more narrow without the services of Horst, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound right-handed pitcher.
Horst worked a team-high 59 2/3 innings and posted a 5-1 record with a 2.41 ERA. He walked 17 batters and struck out 66.
With Horst guiding the pitching staff, the Cougars powered to a Region 20 championship before going 0-2 at the World Series. Horst helped fuel Frederick’s postseason run by picking up a relief victory in the Cougars’ 6-4 win over Hagerstown CC on May 12.
Frederick wraps up its season at 51-13 (26-8 MD JUCO).
Riley Bohrer, freshman, Frederick CC
Bohrer, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound right-handed pitcher, appeared in three games for the Cougars this season, striking out two batters over 2 1/3 innings of work.
Carter Reid, sophomore, Messiah
Reid was a part-time player for Messiah this season, but he swung the bat so well he never stayed out of the lineup for too long.
Reid, a 5-foot-7, 170-pound catcher/infielder, appeared in 29 of 55 games for the Falcons, including four starts. He batted .371 (13 for 35) with a double, three home runs, 12 runs, 15 RBI, and six stolen bases.
Reid warmed up for the postseason by launching a home run in a 12-6 victory over Arcadia on April 29. Just over two weeks later at NCAA Regionals on May 16, Reid helped propel his team to a 15-0 win over Randolph-Macon by going 1 for 2 with a run and an RBI.
Messiah (39-16, 18-3 MAC Commonwealth) went on to compete at the NCAA Division III Championship series and finished as the national runner-up.
Jace Szaflarski, sophomore, Lock Haven
It was a tough season on the diamond for Lock Haven, but you can’t point the finger at Szaflarski, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound right-handed relief pitcher.
Szaflarski worked 15 1/3 innings to the tune of a 1.17 ERA, striking out 16 batters. He appeared in 13 games this spring and allowed the opposition to score in just one of those games. Szaflarski concluded his season with 7 2/3 scoreless innings.
Szaflarski recorded seven saves, the most recent of which came on May 2, when he pitched 1 1/3 scoreless frames and struck out two batters.
Lock Haven finished its season at 17-31 (7-20 PSAC).
Aidan Grudzinski, sophomore, Hagerstown CC
Grudzinski was a key member of a Hagerstown squad that advanced all the way to the NJCAA West Region 20 Tournament this spring.
A 6-foot, 170-pound outfielder, Grudzinski competed in 49 games and batted .301 (47 for 156) with six doubles, two triples, three home runs, 34 runs, 38 RBI, and 17 stolen bases.
Grudzinski had a knack for collecting hits in bunches, recording 12 multi-hit games this season. His most recent outburst came on May 6, when he went 4 for 5 with a double, triple, three runs, and two RBI in an 8-5 win over Allegheny County CC. It was that victory that propeled the Hawks to the Final Four of the Western Conference.
Hagerstown (42-18, 19-15 MD JUCO) finally saw its season come to end in the West Region tourney with a pair of losses to Frederick CC on May 11-12.
Briggs Remenick, freshman, Hagerstown CC
Remenick, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound infielder, racked up some valuable on-the-job experience in his first year of college baseball.
Remenick competed in 33 games and batted .265 (13 for 49) with two doubles, three triples, 24 runs, nine RBI, and 10 stolen bases. His biggest game of the season came on May 2, when he went 3 for 3 with a triple and three RBI in a 6-3 victory over Westmoreland CC.
Andrew Kerns, freshman, Hagerstown CC
Kerns, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound right-handed pitcher, was a regular in Hagerstown’s pitching rotation this season.
He appeared in 13 games, including 11 starts, and posted a 4-4 record with a 5.08 ERA. Kerns worked 44 1/3 innings and struck out 47 batters.
His most recent victory on the mound came on April 24, when he pitched five scoreless innings and struck out six batters in a 10-0 win over Allegheny County CC.
Connor Rohm, junior, Juniata
Rohm, a 5-foot-10 right-handed pitcher, pitched in 11 games for Juniata this season, including two starts.
He posted a 1-1 record with an 8.04 ERA while striking out 16 batters over 31 1/3 innings. Rohm’s most recent quality start came on April 18, when he allowed two runs over five innings and struck out four batters in a 10-6 loss to Drew.
The Eagles end their season at 10-29 (3-21 Landmark Conference).
Ethan Ford, freshman, Shepherd
Ford, a 170-pound catcher and pitcher, saw action in 10 games this season.
He was 0 for 3 at the plate this spring and on the mound, he posted a 7.94 ERA and struck out two batters over 5 2/3 innings of work.
Shepherd finishes its campaign at 25-25 (12-16 PSAC East).
Landon Huth, freshman, Seton Hill
Huth, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound right-handed pitcher, was inactive for Seton Hill this season.
The Griffins played to a record of 40-18 (21-7 PSAC).
Chase Cassera, freshman, Chesapeake
Cassera, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound infield player, was inactive for Chesapeake this season.
The Skipjacks wrap up their spring at 33-20 (26-12 MD JUCO).
Outdoor track
Taryn Parks, graduate, North Carolina
Parks, the Tar Heels’ top runner in the 1,500, competed in seven meets this spring, culminating with the NCAA Division I Championships on June 11-14.
At the NCAAs, Parks finished 21st in the 1,500 with a time of 4:15.19.
She warmed up for the national meet by running the 1,500 at both the ACC Championships on May 15-17 and the NCAA Division I East First Round on May 28-31. Parks finished fourth in 4:13.59 at the ACC meet, before posting preliminary times of 4:10.77 and 4:13.61 at the East First Round.
Parks’ best time in the 1,500 was a 4:09.84, which led her to a seventh-place finish at the Wake Forest Invitational on April 17-18. She also nailed down a win in the 1,500 this spring when she blasted off for a 4:13.28 at the Duke Twilight on 4:13.28.
Parks concludes a brilliant career that saw her win two ACC Indoor titles in the mile in 2022 and 2023.
Piper Linn, freshman, Connecticut
It was a successful spring for Linn, a pole vaulter who wrapped up her season with a Top 8 finish at the Big East Outdoor Championships on May 15-17. There, she posted a mark of 11-4.5 to finish in seventh.
Linn competed in six meets this season, with her top vault and placement coming at the UConn Dog Fight on April 4. It was in this meet where she cleared 12-4 to take third place.
Claire Paci, freshman, Connecticut
Paci, a distance runner, got her feet wet at the college level this season with participation in four meets, including the Big East Championships on May 15-17 to conclude her season.
Paci kicked off her outdoor campaign with a win in the 3,000 in 9:52.76 at the UConn Dog Fight on April 4. Paci then ran the 1,500 for a PR time of 4:35.42 to take 18th place at the Crimson Tide Invitational on April 11-12.
Another PR followed at the Penn Relays on April 24-26, when Paci blasted through the 5,000 in 16:53.15.
Paci finished her season at the conference meet by finishing the 5,000 in 17:24.83 for 12th place.
Conner Wright, freshman, Mount Saint Mary’s
Wright, a javelin thrower, has competed in one invitational since our last update.
Throwing at the George Mason Dalton Ebanks Invitational on April 4-5, Wright launched the javelin for a mark of 153-4 to land 10th place.
Timothy Ehko, junior, Geneva
The javelin-throwing Ehko concludes his season with competition in five meets, including the PAC Outdoor Championships on May 1-2.
At the conference meet, he popped a throw of 154-10 to finish in ninth place.
Ehko warmed up for the PAC meet by landing his second Top 5 finish of the season at the Grove City Invitational on April 16. There, he posted a 153-1 for fifth place.
Katherine Board, freshman, Moravian
Board wrapped up her first season of college track with a couple of PRs and a Top 8 finish at the Landmark Outdoor Championships on May 3-4.
She began to heat up for the conference meet with PR efforts at the Muhlenberg Invitational on April 5 and the Coach P Invite on April 18. Board zoomed to a time of 5:26.03 in the 1,500 for 20th place at Muhlenberg. The Coach P meet saw Board explode for a 40:42.64 in the 10,000 to earn a second-place finish, her highest placement of the season.
Board’s season came to a conclusion at the Landmark meet, which saw her take eighth in the 10,000 (42:02.39) and 16th in the 5,000 (19:37.31).
Seth Stouffer, sophomore, Indiana (Pa.)
Stouffer, a sprinter, has taken on one invite since our last update.
He competed at the Bison Outdoor Classic on April 12-14, taking 51st in the 100 with a PR time of 11.08, while also guiding Indiana’s 4×100 squad to a 16th-place finish in 42.83.
Ashton Botzan, sophomore, Indiana (Pa.)
Botzan was flying high in the pole vault this spring with competition in six meets, including the PSAC Championships on May 8-10 to wrap up his season.
Botzan prepped for the conference meet by landing back-to-back Top 10 finishes at the Bucknell Team Challenge on April 19 and the Paul Kaiser Classic on April 26. His vault of 14-3.25 at the Paul Kaiser meet was a PR.
Botzan concluded his campaign at PSACs with a mark of 13-9.75 to secure 14th place.
Hayden Parks, freshman, Buffalo
Parks finished his first season of college track with competition at the UB Alumni Invitational on April 18 and the Cardinal Classic on April 26.
At the UB meet, he posted a PR of 15:30.86 in the 5,000 to earn the first Top 10 finish of his outdoor career. Parks then took on the 1,500 at the Cardinal Classic, clocking a 4:09.70 for 26th.
Aidan Horan, sophomore, West Liberty
Horan concluded his season with competition in three April invitationals.
A thrower, Horan’s best placement of the season came at the Bison Classic Invitational on April 13. There, he took fourth in the discus (109-10) and sixth in the shot put (34-9.5).
Horan’s campaign came to an end at the John Papa Invitational on April 17 with a discus throw of 107-0 to take 31st.
Shavari Maharaj, sophomore, Hofstra
Maharaj competed in her second, and final, meet of the season at the Vassar April Twilight on April 26. There, she competed in the 1,500 and finished in 6:14.67 for 22nd place.
Weber Long, junior, Wake Forest
Long, a distance specialist, has been inactive since our last update. He concludes his spring with an appearance in one invitational.
Isaac Boyer, freshman, Delaware Valley
Distance ace Boyer finished his outdoor season with appearances in seven meets and a trip to the medal stand at the ECAC D-III Championships on May 14.
Boyer surged to a PR in the 1,500 at the Ursinus Track Festival on April 4-5, finishing in 4:57.63 to take 60th. Another PR, this time in the 5,000, followed at the Widener University Paul Donahue Invitational. There, Boyer ran for a 17:45.65 to take 102nd place.
Boyer took on both of those events at the ECACs, taking seventh in the 5,000 (19:04.77) and 11th in 1,500 (5:11.92).
Kyle Baker, R-freshman, Shippensburg
Baker, a distance specialist, had a wet and wild conclusion to his season at the PSAC Championships on May 8-10.
Competing in the 3,000 steeplechase, Baker splashed his way to an 11th-place finish in 9:51.50. The time was a PR.
He warmed up for the conference meet by taking on the steeplechase for the first time at the Paul Kaiser Classic on April 26. There, he posted a time 10:01.36 to place seventh.
Baker captured two wins this season, both of which came on April 16 at the SU Mid-Week PR Bonanza. He conquered the 1,500 in 4:14.52 and guided Ship’s 4×400 squad to victory in 3:29.69, while also posting a time of 2:03.69 in the 800 for an eighth-place finish.
Claire Coons, junior, Millersville
Coons, a sprinter, competed in one meet this spring.
She took on the WCU Last Chance on May 2, completing the 100 in 13.60 for 11th place.
Softball
Alexis Jones, freshman, Hagerstown CC
Jones got a wealth of experience and had some success in her first season of college softball.
A catcher, Jones appeared in 29 of 31 for the Hawks and batted .289 (22 for 76) with seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 20 runs, seven RBI, and two stolen bases. She piled up six games with multiple hits, the most recent of which came on April 21, when she went 2 for 4 and scored three runs in a 23-1 victory over Garrett College.
Hagerstown concludes its season at 11-20 (7-9 MD JUCO).
Brooke Buhrman, freshman, Hagerstown CC
Burhman, an outfielder from Greencastle who attended Boyd J. Michael III Technical, had a remarkable first season in the college ranks.
She played in all 31 games for the Hawks and batted .479 (46 for 96) with 10 doubles, seven triples, eight home runs, 31 runs, 39 RBI, and 13 stolen bases.
Buhrman wrapped up her season on a 12-game hitting streak, collecting multiple hits in nine of those contests. She kept her hitting streak alive on the last day of the season on May 4 by going 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored in a 5-4 loss to College of Southern Maryland.
Makayla Jerin, freshman, California (Pa.)
Jerin had a breakout first season for the Vulcans this spring.
A 5-foot-8 infield player, Jerin played in 48 games, including 44 starts, and batted .370 (51 for 138) with 13 doubles, 19 runs, and 29 RBI. She caught fire down the stretch, wrapping up with hits in 10 of her last 13 games, including eight contests with multiple hits. Jerin’s most recent multi-hit game came on April 30, when she went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI in a 9-8 win over Gannon.
The Vulcans conclude their campaign at 18-33 (14-14 PSAC).
Sydney Orndorff, sophomore, Rhode Island
Orndorff turned in a quality season during her first campaign for Rhode Island.
Orndorff, an outfielder/catcher who transferred in from Saint Peter’s, played in 40 games this spring, including 36 starts. She batted .302 (32 for 106) with two triples, 11 runs, 14 RBI, and two stolen bases.
Orndorff had her best game of the season on April 4, when she went 5 for 5 with three runs scored in an 8-7 loss to Saint Joseph’s.
The Rams wrap up at 14-35 (7-18 Atlantic 10).
Abigail Cunningham, junior, Penn State Mont Alto
With Cunningham’s steady bat in the lineup, Mont Alto advanced all the way to the USCAA Small College World Series the season.
Cunningham, a 5-foot-5 utility player, appeared in 35 games for the Lions and batted .359 (33 for 92) with three doubles, two triples, 24 runs, 15 RBI, and five stolen bases. She had a solid stretch of play from April 15 to May 3, a period of time which saw her connect for hits in 13 of 14 games.
Mont Alto (22-15, 10-4 PSUAC) finished its season after going 0-2 at the World Series.
Abby Stouffer, sophomore, Grove City
Stouffer, a 5-foot-1 infield player, was a consistent run scorer for a Grove City squad that won more than 25 games this season.
Stouffer appeared in 28 of 39 games, including five starts, and batted .111 (1 for 9) with a triple, 17 runs, one RBI, and two stolen bases.
The Wolverines (26-13, 15-5 PAC) saw their season come to an end with a 2-2 showing at the PAC Championships.
Golf
Timothy Ehko, senior, Geneva
Ehko started in every invitational this spring and landed a pair of Top 10 finishes in the process.
On March 31, Ehko guided his team to a championship at the Geneva Invitational. Ehko shot a team-best 78-78 (+6) to finish in a tie for third place.
One week later on April 7, Ehko posted a 15-over for 33rd place at the W&J Peter C. Rossin Memorial Invitational, before finishing 45th with an 89 at the Thiel Invitational on April 12.
Ehko capped off his season at the PAC Spring Championships on April 25-26, carding an 88-89-77-81-335 for 33rd place.
Sydney Barnes, sophomore, Millersville
Barnes competed in four April invitationals this spring and finished her season with a selection to the All-American Scholar Team by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA)
She took 21st at the Kutztown Spring Invitational on April 6, before finishing 20th at the Millersville Invitational on April 12. Barnes placed 27th at the Bloomsburg Husky Spring Invitational on April 17, before capping her season on April 19 with a 17th-place showing at the East Stroudsburg Invitational.
In the classroom Barnes, a Biology Major, posted a 3.77 GPA to earn All-American Scholar status for the second season in a row.
Cooper Swam, freshman, York College
Swam was inactive for York this season.
The Spartans rolled to the team championship at the MAC Commonwealth Championships on May 3-4.
Hunt seat
Madison Shanholtz, sophomore, Wilson
Shaholtz, a Pre-Novice rider for the Phoenix, was inactive for the team this spring.
Equestrian
Kaylee Papa, sophomore, Emory & Henry College
Papa, an Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association competitor for the Wasps, was inactive for the team this season.
