Keith Lepionka was a three-time All-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) selection for the Behrend baseball team. He helped the team win its first-ever AMCC Championship (2003) and capture back-to-back ECAC titles. Lepionka led the Lions to a 68-18 record in his final two seasons, hitting .369 and smacking 55 hits his senior year. The first baseman graduated tied for second all-time in home runs (15), second in RBIs (142) and doubles (30), third in runs (131), and fourth in hits (167) and walks (66).

In 2000, the team won 22 games, the third most wins in school history at that time. The Lions set seven team records. Those same records would get shattered during Lepionka’s junior year. The newcomer tallied 27 hits in 22 games, recorded 24 runs, eight doubles and three home runs. On March 10, he drove in six runs to tie for third for most RBIs in a game in program history.

That next year, Lepionka earned his first of three All-Conference accolades. He played in every game, posting 37 hits and scoring 28 runs to go with five home runs.

Lepionka spoke softly and carried a big stick in his final two seasons with the Lions. In 2002, the team broke school records in virtually every offensive category and was regionally ranked most of the year. Against Case Western, he drove in all of Behrend’s runs in a 5-2 win in game one going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in the seventh.  Lepionka nearly doubled his hits and runs from his freshman year (48, 45). He teamed up with Jason Karas for a pair of RBI singles to break a 1-all tie and help the Lions post a 3-1 win over Franklin & Marshall to win the ECAC South Region Championship. Lepionka also drove in the go-ahead run in a 9-6 ECAC semifinal win over Delaware Valley. He capped his junior year with All-AMCC second-team honors. His 301 total chances that season are the third most in program history.

Lepionka’s power and ability to earn extra-base hits was instrumental in the program’s first championship run with back-to-back ECAC titles and the first-ever AMCC Championship in 2003. Lepionka went 2-for-4 with four RBIs including a two-run triple to lead Behrend over Altoona in the opening round of the AMCC Tournament. He then smacked the game-tying hit against La Roche with two strikes and two outs, helping Behrend win the league crown. The Lions went on to capture the ECAC title once again. Lepionka saved his best for last, recording 55 hits, 48 RBIs, 14 doubles and five home runs to earn his third All-Conference nod.