Grove City College Athletics

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team closed the 2026 season Saturday afternoon by dropping an 11-2 verdict to second-seeded Washington & Jefferson in the championship game of the Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament, held at Ross Memorial Park.

Fifth-seeded Grove City (22-18) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when senior second baseman Nick Sampson (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) singled, advanced to third on a book-rule double by senior first baseman Colin Marinpetro (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) and then came home when junior left fielder Dan Luko (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) reached on an error. 

Senior pitcher Kenny Lavrich (Franklin, Pa./Cranberry) and freshman Graham Romer (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany) maintained the 1-0 lead until the fifth inning. W&J (32-11) pulled ahead with a four-run fifth inning, however, then added four more runs in the sixth inning.

Luko recorded his second run batted in of the game in the eighth inning when he singled in junior center fielder David Chandler (Leesburg, Va./St. John's).

Luko, Marinpetro and Sampson all went 2 for 4.

Lavrich pitched a scoreless first inning while Romer followed by pitching the next five innings. He took the setback. Junior Bryce Trischler (Mars, Pa./Shady Side Academy) pitched two innings in relief and permitted three runs. 

Chandler, Marinpetro and freshman pitcher Wyatt Hopson (Middletown, Md./Middletown) earned All-Tournament Team recognition. Chandler went 9 for 20 (.450) with seven runs scored during Grove City's five-game tournament run. Marinpetro went 8 for 21 (.381) with three doubles and five runs batted in. Hopson earned the relief win Friday night against Chatham by throwing nine innings out of the bullpen in a 7-5, 10-inning win. He retired the final 23 batters.

Marinpetro finished the season with 66 hits, one shy of the Grove City single-season record he set last year.

Grove City will lose Lavrich, Marinpetro, Sampson, shortstop Raymond Stierer (Sewickley, Pa./Eden Christian) and outfielder Trey Wagner (Mars, Pa./Mars) to graduation. Grove City won 110 games over the last four seasons and reached the conference tournament title game in 2024, 2025 and 2026. The Wolverines won the conference crown last year.