Just like holding the perfect poker hand, the Palmerton baseball team knew it had a true ace in the hole every time senior standout Cameron Pengelly took the mound.

Whenever Pengelly was on the hill for the Bombers, the odds tilted heavily in their favor as he shut down opposing hitters all season long.

Pengelly’s ability to overpower opposing lineups, paired with a record-setting senior campaign, has earned him the Lehigh Valley Health Network/Times News Baseball Player of the Year honor.

Simply put, Pengelly’s performance on the mound ranks among the most dominant in recent Times News area history.

A four-year varsity standout for the Bombers, Pengelly elevated his game to an entirely new level in 2026.

He finished the season with a 7-1 record, a 1.32 ERA, a 0.967 WHIP and held opposing hitters to a .177 batting average. The hard-throwing right-hander was a true workhorse, logging 79 2/3 innings and striking out 121 batters.

After a strong junior campaign, Pengelly significantly increased his strikeout production, fanning 43 more hitters than he did the previous season. He tied the school’s single-game strikeout record with 15 twice, both in shutout victories over Wilson and Tamaqua. His 121 strikeouts also established a new single-season school record.

“He was just really dominant. His strikeouts really increased, and he brought some of his walks down. It’s not like he walked a lot of hitters before, but he cut that down even more and eliminated free passes. He just really put it all together this year,” said Palmerton manager Tyler Svetik. “He’s a physical pitcher. He worked hard in the offseason to get stronger, and that showed. He has a tight fastball that’s in the 80s, and he has a curveball, slider and a change-up. Overall, he’s just a great kid. Cares about his academics, teammates and his community. And what really set him apart was his preparation. He was always in the training room, making sure he was ready. He was always stretching. He just always wanted to be the best that he could be.”

Baseball is a sport driven by numbers, and Pengelly leaves the diamond on Fireline Road with his name firmly cemented in the Palmerton record books. In addition to the records already mentioned, he set new marks for career strikeouts (245), career wins (20), career innings pitched (186 1/3) and single-season innings pitched (79 2/3). He also threw two no-hitters during his career — one against Tamaqua on March 31, 2026, and another against Pen Argyl on April 15, 2024. Pengelly also contributed at the plate, batting .377 with a .531 on-base percentage, 23 hits and 11 RBIs.

“Coming into my senior year, there’s no doubt that I had goals in mind that I wanted to accomplish. I knew there were some pretty special things within my reach. So I knew the offseason would be important; every offseason is. But I trained really hard in the gym and I really dedicated myself. I think that showed because I gained some good velocity on my fastball and I was able to get some more strikeouts this season,” said Pengelly. “I think I also got stronger mentally. I came into the season with a lot of confidence; my confidence was really off the charts. It’s your senior season, so you know you’re at the top of the chain and that you have to perform for your teammates.”

Playing varsity baseball for four years meant sharing the field with plenty of talented teammates, and that was certainly the case for Pengelly. He’s grateful for the moments and memories he built alongside them. Over the past two seasons, during which he led the Bombers in innings pitched, Palmerton posted a combined 29-18 record while Pengelly compiled an impressive 17-3 mark.

“I trusted every single one of my teammates out there, especially when I was pitching. One of my best friends on the team, who I grew up playing baseball with, was my shortstop this season, and he knew I would get a lot of rollover hits to his side, and he was always there. All my teammates always did a great job behind me,” said Pengelly. “I especially want to thank the senior class when I was a freshman. That was a talented group, and a handful of those guys went on to play college baseball, so I learned a lot from them. And then, of course, I want to thank my coaches for everything they have done for me. Coach Svetik was great, and we’re still in constant contact. I also want to thank Coach Frieler, who was my travel coach with the Shockers.”

Pengelly now moves on from Palmerton to the PSAC, where he will pitch for Bloomsburg this spring.

“I’m excited for the challenge. I know the PSAC is tough and they have a lot of good teams, but I’m excited to be at Bloomsburg and I’m thrilled for the next chapter,” said Pengelly. “I also want to thank my family for all they have done for me. My parents and my sisters are always showing support and coming to my games. We talk a lot of baseball in my house, and I’m grateful for the family that I have because I’ve been able to follow this dream, and they have been behind me the whole way.”