With lights-out pitching, solid defense, and an opportunistic offense, the Chambersburg baseball squad is off to its best start in years.
Excitement is in the air for the Trojans, who last had a winning team in 2018. Coming off a a signature win over rival Central Dauphin, Chambersburg is out of the gates with a 2-0 record.
If the Trojans can take care of business at Shippensburg on Friday afternoon, the program will be off to its first 3-0 start since the 2013 season.
But don’t expect the host Greyhounds — a squad which has posted three winning seasons over the last four years — to make things easy. With senior shortstop Brady Maciejewski paving the way, Shippensburg has disposed of two of its first three opponents. It will take a big effort from Chambersburg and senior leader Ryne Mills to surpass these Greyhounds.
We’ve selected this high-powered matchup as our Game of the Week.
In the weeks and months to come throughout the high school sports season, we plan on spotlighting multiple teams and sports with our Game of the Week. Any big upcoming contests we should know about? Send suggestions to Andy Sandrik via email at [email protected].
Chambersburg at Shippensburg
First pitch: Friday, 4:15 p.m., at Shippensburg
Records: Chambersburg enters with a 2-0 record, while Shippensburg checks in at 2-1.
Last game: The Trojans topped Central Dauphin, 2-0, while the Greyhounds are coming off a 5-1 win over West Perry
Last meeting: Shippensburg knocked off Chambersburg, 3-1, in last year’s matchup.
Meet the Trojans: A strong start to the season has coach Scott Folmar’s Chambersburg squad believing it can pursue its first winning season since 2018 … The unbeaten Trojans have outscored two opponents by a combined 6-3 score, which doesn’t include a rain-delayed game with James Buchanan last week that Chambersburg was leading 4-0 … Ranked No. 3 in the latest District 3-6A power rankings, the Trojans are led by the bat and the arm of senior Ryne Mills, an All-Colonial Division Honorable Mention last spring. Mills is batting .400 (2 for 5) with a double, run, and RBI. On the mound he’s worked 11.2 innings to the tune of a 1-0 record and a 0.00 ERA with 11 strikeouts … Mills will not be available to pitch against Shippensburg after throwing 6.2 innings on Wednesday … Look for the Trojans to turn to either Brady Truett, who was two innings into a shutout over James Buchanan before rains arrived, or Devon Nalewak, a hurler who has totaled 2.1 innings and is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and three strikeouts … Truett and Konner McMullen, who are each batting .500, will be counted on to help fuel a batting lineup that also includes Brycen Murray (.400, 2 RBI), Aaron Vasquez (.333, double), and Ceagan Truett (.286) … A win over the Greyhounds could go a long way in propelling Chambersburg toward a return trip to the District 3 playoffs, where the program has won more championships (11) than any of its peers.
Meet the Greyhounds: Under the direction of first-year head coach Tyler Ocker, Shippensburg is aiming to bounce back from last year’s 7-12 campaign and post its third winning season in four years … So far things are going according to plan for the Greyhounds, who are off to a winning start and check in at No. 6 in the latest District 3-5A power rankings … Shippensburg graduated its lone Colonial Division All-Star in Elijah Bailey, now playing football at Clarion, but the Greyhounds have held their own with a group that has outscored three opponents by a 13-12 margin … Shippensburg is led by shortstop/right-handed pitcher Brady Maciejewski. The senior is batting .500 (4 for 8) with one double, one home run, three runs, and three RBI. On the mound, he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts … Maciejewski tossed seven innings on Wednesday, so he will not be available to pitch against Chambersburg, meaning the Greyhounds will likely turn to one of five pitchers: Brayden Ochs (2 innings, 0.00 ERA, 3 strikeouts), Hunter Smith (2.1 innings, 9.00 ERA), Braiden Carroll (2.1 innings, 12.00 ERA), Mason Watson (1.2 innings, 0.00 ERA, 2 strikeouts), and Lucas Brown (1.2 innings, 4.20 ERA, 2 strikeouts) … Without their ace on the mound, Shippensburg will need an uptick in production from its offense, which includes the bats of Patrick Eichelberger (.333, double), Brown (.286, 2 doubles, 2 RBI), Watson (.222, 2 runs), Drayden Dinish (.200), Ochs, and Raymond Mowery.
Sandrik’s pick: Chambersburg by 2
