Hempfield baseball player Brandon Coughlin verbals to Lehigh

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, December 14, 2020 | 8:33 PM

Brandon Coughlin was a junior varsity player at Hempfield in 2019, the last time the Spartans played a baseball game.

Due to the cancellation of the 2020 season over the covid-19 pandemic, Coughlin has yet to play in a varsity game.

But that hasn’t stopped him from earning a Division I college scholarship.

Coughlin, a junior outfielder and pitcher, announced a commitment to Lehigh of the Patriot League.

He also considered Millersville, which has a Division II program.

“It means the world to me,” Coughlin said. “I feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity. I have dreamed of playing Division I baseball since I was a kid. Lehigh is such a great school academically, so it makes it even more meaningful to me.”

Coughlin joins senior teammate Phil Fox as a Division I commit. Fox is headed to Gardner Webb.

Hempfield senior Christian Zilli will play at Division II Seton Hill.

Couglin played summer baseball for Flood City Elite and has played in front of college scouts at Prep Baseball Report Pennsylvania showcase events.

“Travel ball has had a very big impact on my recruiting,” he said. “I played in the Future Games in Dubois and represented Team PA in August which was a great experience as well.”

Coughlin is expected to help the Spartans in more ways than one this spring.

“He is a hard worker and a talented player,” Hempfield coach Tim Buzzard said. “He has good speed/arm combo and has the chance to compete as a pitcher and/or outfielder at the high school and college level.”

????Commitment Watch????

2022 OF/RHP Brandon Coughlin (Hempfield Area) has verbally committed to @LehighBaseball #congrats

Coughlin is the 1️⃣2️⃣2️⃣nd commit from the 2020 PA State Games. He is also the 7th #TeamPA member from the 2020 #PBRFutureGames to make a decision.#pbrfamily pic.twitter.com/4ONnVeMG9P

— PBR Pennsylvania (@pbrpennsylvania) December 14, 2020

I am extremely excited and blessed to announce my commitment to Lehigh University. I would like to thank God, my coaches, and my family for making this whole thing possible. #gomountainhawks pic.twitter.com/ljFf8tPs2H

— Brandon Coughlin (@BrandonCough7) December 15, 2020

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Hempfield