On Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, Quakertown senior Matthew Marsten was recognized for committing to compete in baseball at Bloomsburg University.
Matthew Marsten – Bloomsburg University (Baseball)
Major: Mathematics
Reasons for choosing Bloomsburg: “The opportunity to continue playing baseball and study mathematics.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in baseball at the collegiate level? “I have always enjoyed playing baseball and could see myself continuing baseball through college.
“The thought of (playing in) college never really dawned on me until 10th grade when I participated in showcases and tournaments held at colleges/universities.”
Coach Jon Pallone says: “Matthew has put in a lot of hard work in season and out of season to get where he is. His junior year was a great year for him and the team. He had many good games, but some of the highlights included his relief appearance against Abington, which was a state playoff team. He threw six innings in relief - eight strikeouts, only one earned run. He threw a complete game against William Tennent, seven innings pitched, 10 strikeouts only one earned run. A complete game against Hatboro with playoffs on the line – seven innings pitched, eight strikeouts, one earned run. Then in probably one of our biggest ever upset victories in district playoffs against Pennsbury, he had a great start against several Division 1 hitters in that lineup and set us up for a win against a very good Pennsbury team. He held his composure and competed every bit of the way.
“Matt did an awesome job for us this year on the mound and at the plate. He certainly battled the entire time and loved competing every minute. Before the league games started, we discussed that we may have Matt just pitch and that he’d really need to hit in order to crack the lineup. He took that challenge and not only forced his way in the lineup but into the four spot. He hit .600 with runners in scoring position. His mental approach was phenomenal when we needed it most. He never let up more than three runs in any league game, and usually, it was less than two. That means every game he pitched - he gave us a chance to win. You can’t ask for much more than that. I’m really glad he was selected to the PA Coaches Association All-State team.
“Also, to Matthew’s credit, baseball is an extremely difficult sport to play at the collegiate level, especially because of the timeline. As a spring sport, it’s later than a lot of the other ones. The timeline is a little later, so it takes a lot of perseverance. It was very difficult for him to do, and he was able to do that. Coach (Mark) Collins at Bloomsburg is getting a fierce competitor., and I look forward to seeing what he'll do at Bloomsburg.”
About Matt:
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: Top Gun: Maverick
Favorite music/artist: Pop/The Weekend
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