Mustangs Open Spring Season with Loss to PSU-DuBois

DuBois, PA – CMCC Baseball had a mixed bag of results in its spring season opener on the road against Penn State University-DuBois. The Mustangs took the lead in game one of the doubleheader before falling on a walk-off single 9-8, but were shutout 11-0 in game two in just five innings by the team that spent several weeks last season ranked #1 overall in the USCAA. The games were the first of three series against PSU teams for Central Maine during its spring break road trip through Pennsylvania.

"For it being only our second time on an outdoor field this spring, I was very pleased," said head coach Ryan Palmer. "We hit the ball very well and for the most part, pitched well. It's always nice to play one of the best teams in the USCAA right off the bat."

Game One: 9-8 L

Game one saw CMCC return to Showers Field, the site of their last spring season victory, which came in the 2025 USCAA Small College World Series. The Mustangs had fond memories of a 10-2 win over Florida National University and got their bats working again midway through the game.

It was a blustery day making for tricky conditions fielding fly balls. Both defenses managed to keep each other off the scoreboard for the first three innings. Nittany Lions starting pitcher Zach Tiracorda retired the Mustangs in order for the first nine outs. Penn State-DuBois got runners into scoring position in each of the first three innings but could not get anyone across the plate, stranding four runners on base. Owen Scott came on in relief of Camden Miller in the bottom of the third for Central Maine to finish off the inning after the sophomore transfer from Bismarck State College struck out four of his 11 batters faced.

The second time through the order, CMCC found instant success. Dawson Babineau led off the top of the fourth with a single that fell in between the left fielder, shortstop, and right fielder. Cody Cleaveland followed that up by crushing a high fastball over the 366-foot fence in left-center field. The two-run blast was Cleaveland's second home run in as many games at Showers Field.

Garren post made it three straight hits right after, launching a fly ball off the wall to dead center, but being held to a long single. Tiracorda recovered to strike out Caleb Oickle and Brendan Mahaney. However, he would not get out of the inning without surrendering another run. Newcomer Augustino Bonadie gave the Mustangs a 3-0 lead with a bit of luck. The pitcher and infielder out of Moncton, NB launched a high, fly ball to right that swirled over the head of Tanner Kephart and dropped for an RBI double.

He was not the only one to have trouble with the tricky outfield conditions. The Nittany Lions responded with five runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 5-3 lead. Josh Stout hung a fly ball up in the wind that eluded Babineau in center field for the team's first run. With the bases loaded and one out, Tiracorda helped his own cause by blasting a grand slam home run to right, retaking the lead.

Down 6-3 in the top of the sixth, CMCC's bats came to life against PSU's relief pitchers. After Post was hit by a pitch, Bonadie went opposite field for a two-run homer to right, cutting the deficit to one. Zac Gorman and Jake Calver drew walks before Ty Bernier tripled off the wall to take the lead. He scored one batter later on a lined shot past the shortstop by Cleaveland. It was the Richmond, ME native's third hit and third RBI of the game to make it 8-6.

Penn State-DuBois once again had an immediate response though. Lukas Colton tied things up with a two-out, two-RBI line drive up the middle off Bonadie. In the final inning, Central Maine went down in order, giving the hosts a chance to win it. Kephart came through for the Nittany Lions with another two-out piece of hitting. After Aaron Miller hit a double off the wall, Kepart dropped a base hit into shallow center. Babineau charged down the high bounce looking to throw the runner out at the plate but lost the ball on the transfer allowing the walk-off run to trot home.

Each team had three players finish with multiple RBIs. Cleaveland and Bonadie each recorded three for the Mustangs with Bernier picking up two on his lone hit. Tiracorda led the Nittany Lions with four RBIs from his grand slam with Kephart and Stout each driving in a pair. Bonadie was tagged with the loss in his Central Maine debut while Josh Ross recorded the win in relief.

Game Two: 11-0 L

There was not much joy to be had for CMCC in game two, as the Mustangs were swept by an opponent for the first time all season. Cleaveland made the start on the mound, surrendering five runs in the bottom of the first and struggling to find the strike zone. He settled down for a clean second inning before making way to Joshua Gallik who kept PSU-DuBois off the board in the third.

The Nittany Lions had another big inning in the fourth, tagging Gallik for four runs including a home run by Grant Lillard, before Mathew Charrette replaced him. RBI doubles by Kaleb Stetler and Ricky Clark gave the hosts enough runs to close out game two early.

Post and Calver were the only two Central Maine players to deliver a hit. Post's came in the top of the first off of starting pitcher Zach Witherow who three four strong innings, striking out six, to pick up the win. Calver singled off relief pitcher Austin Mitchell in the top of the fifth, shortly before the end of the game.

Central Maine drops to 13-4 overall after their strong fall campaign, while Penn State-DuBois stays undefeated at 7-0. The Mustangs were scheduled to continue their road trip against another Penn State team in Mont Alto on Tuesday, but that series has been pushed back a day due to inclement weather. First pitch on Wednesday is now scheduled for 1:00 pm.