3/20/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Looking to get back on track, Lackawanna College baseball is ready to open its home slate for the 2023 season on Tuesday, March 21^st, when the SUNY Sullivan Generals come to NEPA.
 
First pitch is set for 3:00pm ET on Tuesday afternoon, from Bruno Ferretti Memorial Fields in nearby Exeter, PA at Wyoming Area HS. You can watch along via the Lackawanna College Falcons Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (7-9) comes into the afternoon on a three-game slump, having most recently dropped a doubleheader on Saturday at Monroe College in New Rochelle, NY. The Falcons are at their best when the offense is humming, but the Mustangs shut the Falcons down over the weekend, holding Lackawanna College to just four combined hits across two games, with 22 strikeouts in wins of 5-2 and 8-1. You can read the recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are hitting .279 on the year so far, posting a combined .925 OPS, with a .423 on-base percentage. The Falcons have scored 113 runs, while giving up 116, and have scored ten or more runs in eight games this season, seven of which have been wins. Lackawanna College has 54 extra-base hits, including 29 doubles and 16 homeruns, and the Falcons have been deadly on the base paths, going 46-for-48 on steals this year. The Lackawanna pitching staff holds an 8.60 ERA so far this season, giving up 116 runs, 100 earned, on 117 hits in 104.2 innings. The Falcons have struck out 119 batters and are holding their opponents to a .279 batting average this season.
 
Brayden D'Amico (Bethlehem, PA) leads the Falcons with a .389 batting average in his 14 games this year. D'Amico has a 1.170 OPS, and has 14 hits, third on the team this year. D'Amico has scored nine runs, tied for fourth on the squad, and has a team-high six doubles to drive in eleven runs this year. D'Amico has a .531 on-base percentage, getting hit by a team-high four pitches and drawing eight walks this season. D'Amico has four multi-hit games, and was a combined 1-for-4 this past weekend against Monroe, scoring a run for the Falcons.
 
Ian Murphy (West Deptford, NJ) is a .356 hitter this year, with a 1.186 OPS on the season in 14 games. Murphy leads the Falcons with four homeruns and 21 RBI on the year, posting a .733 slugging percentage this season. He's got 16 hits, tied for first on the team this season, and has 12 runs scored, second on the squad. He's got nine extra base hits this year, with five doubles in addition to his four homers. Murphy has also drawn seven walks this season. Murphy has four multi-hit games this season, and was 1-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in two games against Monroe this weekend.  
 
Zachary Walsh (Spring Brook Twp, PA) holds a .333 batting average so far this season. Walsh has a 1.146 OPS, and has scored a team-high 18 runs, while putting up 16 hits, tied with Murphy for first on the team. Walsh has seven RBI, and eight extra base hits this season. He has drawn a team-best 13 walks, and has stolen 18 total bases this year, also first on the team. Walsh has a .500 on-base percentage, but has struck out 16 times, second on the team this year. He had five steals in the first game of the year against SWVCC, drawing three walks and scoring four runs in the shutout win. Walsh has three multi-hit games this year, and was a combined 1-for-5 with a triple in the two games against Monroe.  
 
Eric Ludwick (Bethlehem, PA) is averaging .308 on the year, with an OPS at .878 on the year. Ludwick has 12 hits on the season, scoring eleven runs, third on the squad, and driving in nine RBI, fourth on the team this season. Ludwick has a homerun, two doubles, and a triple this year, and a .391 OBP. Ludwick has four multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 0-for-5 with a run scored in the two losses to Monroe over the weekend.  
 
Michael Miller (Lafayette Hill, PA) is hitting .591 in his ten games this year, and has an OPS of 1.735. Miller's 13 hits are tied for fourth on the team, and he's scored eight runs on the year. Of Miller's 13 hits, four have been for extra bases, with three homeruns and a double on the year. He's driven in five RBI this year, and has a slugging percentage at 1.045, with a .690 on-base percentage. He's drawn five walks and has been hit by a pair of pitches so far this season. Miller has four multi-hit games, with three of them being perfect outings. Miller was 0-for-3 in two games against Monroe over the weekend.    
 
Spencer Butz (York, PA) is hitting .333 on the year in his eleven games, with six starts this season. Butz has a 1.173 OPS, and has a .476 on-base percentage this season. Butz is second on the Falcons in RBI (12), and has six extra base hits, including two doubles, triples, and homeruns, each, this year. Butz has eleven total hits, and has scored eight runs this season. He's also drawn seven walks, tied for fifth on the team. Butz has three multi-hit games this season, but was 0-for-7 over the weekend against Monroe in the two losses.   
 
George Castro (Philadelphia, PA), a third-year player for the Falcons, and is hitting .205 on the year. Castro has a .688 OPS, and has drawn ten walks, second on the team, for a .380 OBP this year. Castro, in 14 games, has eight hits on the year, and has three extra base hits, with two doubles and a triple. Castro had a six-game hitting streak snapped against Wake Tech. Castro has hit a rough patch, going 2-for-22 in his last seven games. He was 0-for-5 in two games against Monroe this weekend.   
 
Christian Rush (Perkasie, PA) has the most at-bats (61) and holds a .213 batting average through 16 games on the year. Rush has a .651 OPS, with two triples, two homeruns, and seven RBI to his name this year. His nine runs scored and 13 hits are both tied for fourth on the team this season. Rush was 3-for-5 with three runs, a triple, and two RBI in the season opener against SWVCC, then had a solo homer in the game two win. Rush has three multi-hit games this year, and was a combined 1-for-5 with an RBI in two games against Monroe.   
 
On the mound, the Falcons are led by Kyle Scott (Westminster, MD), who is 2-2 on the year in five starts. He went five innings against SWVCC in the season opener, striking out ten batters and allowing just two hits in what became a shutout 12-0 win for the Falcons. Scott was the Region XIX Pitcher of the Year in 2021, and battled through injuries last season to still be named to the Region XIX second-team. Scott has a 4.00 ERA in 18 innings pitched, giving up ten runs, eight earned, on 15 hits, while striking out a team-best 28 batters and walking nine. Scott has held his opponents to .224 on the season. In his last start, Scott went four innings, giving up three runs on five hits and striking out five batters, but picking up the loss against Monroe in game one on Saturday.  
 
Aiden Starn (Pennsville, NJ) has pitched 17.2 innings so far this season, and has a 3-2 record with an 8.66 ERA this year. He's allowed 20 runs, 17 earned, on 24 hits, with 19 strikeouts this year. Starn went three innings in his last start, coming in game two against Monroe, where he gave up four runs on six hits and struck out three in what became an 8-1 loss for the Falcons.   
 
Keon Burkholder (Williamsport, PA) has thrown 12.2 innings so far this season. Burkholder is 1-2 with a 5.68 ERA in his five appearances, giving up nine runs on 13 hits, with eleven strikeouts so far this season. Opponents are hitting .277 against Burkholder on the year. Burkholder got the win in the game against Florence-Darlington two weekends ago, pitching three innings and allowing two runs on just one hit and two strikeouts. In his last outing, Burkholder got tagged with the loss last Sunday against Bryant & Stratton, throwing four innings in a starting role, giving up five runs on six hits and striking out three, but walking four.  
 
Nathan Russell (Drexel Hill, PA) has thrown 8.2 innings of work so far this season, making five appearances, all in relief, posting a 7.27 ERA and giving up seven runs on seven hits. Russell's opponents are averaging .226 at the dish against him this year. Russell threw an inning of relief against Monroe on Saturday, giving up three runs on two hits and two walks.
 
Matthew McElligott (Columbus, OH) has thrown eight innings of work this year in six appearances, all in relief. He's got a 5.63 ERA, giving up six runs, five earned, on five hits, while striking out 13 batters. McElligott was undone by an error in his last appearance, giving up an unearned run on a hit, while striking out a batter, in one inning of work against Monroe.   
 
The Falcons are coached by Mike McCarry, entering his fifth season at the helm for the Falcons. McCarry has taken the Falcons to the NJCAA DII World Series twice in the last four years, taking the Falcons to Region 19 crowns in 2019 and 2021, on their way to the World Series tournament in Enid, OK. McCarry, who played under Jamie Shevchik at nearby Keystone College in the early 2000's, has been coaching baseball since 2006, having spent time at Central Bucks West HS, then moved onto the collegiate ranks a few years later when he arrived at LaSalle University, where he was the Head Assistant – Pitching Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. While at LaSalle, McCarry helped the Explorers develop a relationship with NJCAA schools, bringing in four NJCAA All-Americans in his time. After LaSalle, McCarry moved on to be the pitching coach at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, TX. McCarry is 101-66 in his 4+ seasons with the Falcons, winning a pair of Region 19 championships and coaching three NJCAA All-Americans, as well as several All-Region selections in his time at Lackawanna.
 
About The Opponents
SUNY Sullivan (5-7) comes into the game on a five-game skid, dropping a 29-5 decision to Harford CC in its last game this past Thursday in Bel Air, MD. The Fighting Owls scored 23 runs in the first three innings, putting up five runs in both the first and second innings before scoring 13 in the bottom of the third. Sullivan got some runs back in the fourth and sixth innings, but Harford's lead was so large that the run-rule came into effect.
 
The Generals are hitting .262 on the year, with a .726 OPS on the year. Sullivan has scored 59 runs in 12 games, 4.9 runs per contest, twice going over ten runs in a contest. The Generals have 18 extra base hits, with 12 doubles and five homers on the year, and have drawn 33 walks this year, while striking out 83 times.
 
As a staff, the Generals have a 9.18 ERA, allowing 93 runs, 69 earned, on 98 hits in 67.2 innings this year. They have 63 strikeouts and 50 walks this season, and Sullivan opponents have hit five homeruns.
 
Jacob Yager leads the Generals with ten hits on the year, compiling a .294 batting average and a .785 OPS this year. Yager has scored seven runs, tied for second on the team, and has a team-high two homers, driving in eight RBI, tied for first on the team. Yager also leads the team with 34 at-bats on the year. He's got two multi-hit games, and was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a strikeout in the loss to Harford CC last week.
 
Nicolas Nunez has eight hits this season, and leads the Generals with eight runs scored on the year. He's got a .258 batting average, and has a .722 OPS on the year. Nunez has five doubles, a team-high, and a pair of RBI on the year. He's also got two stolen bases for the Generals on the year. Nunez has two multi-hit games, and he broke a three-game hitless streak against Harford, going 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored in the loss.
 
Andi Rivas is second on the team with nine hits this year, and has a .310 batting average. Rivas has put up a .808 OPS on the year, buoyed by a strong .394 on-base percentage. Rivas has a homerun and eight RBI, tied with Yager for first on the team. He's drawn three walks this year, and has seven strikeouts. Rivas has two multi-hit games, including a perfect 4-for-4 showing against Craven CC back on March 11^th. He was 0-for-2 with a run scored against Harford this past Thursday.
 
Elquin Rodriguez has seven total hits this season, and has a .250 batting average, with a .721 OPS. Rodriguez has scored six runs on the year, and has a double and a triple for five RBI, fourth on the team so far this season. He's drawn three walks and struck out twice on the year. Rodriguez has a pair of multi-hit games this season, and was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two strikeouts in his last game against Harford CC on Thursday.
 
Jim Paredes is hitting .318 on the season, and has seven hits in 22 at-bats this year. Paredes has a .739 OPS and has driven in four RBI so far this season. Paredes has a double this year, and has drawn two walks, while striking out a team-high eight times. Paredes has two multi-hit games so far this season, and was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts on Thursday against Harford CC.
 
Carlos Herrera has seven hits on the year and six runs scored, hitting .350 so far this season. Herrera has a 1.136 OPS, and has drawn a team-high six walks so far this season to put up a .536 on-base percentage. Herrera has a pair of doubles and a homerun to drive in three RBI so far this year. Herrera has two multi-hit games on the year, with his latest coming in the last game for Sullivan, going 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.
 
In eight games this year, Austin Napoli has a .444 batting average, putting up a 1.024 OPS this year. Napoli has eight hits in eight games, knocking in six RBI and stealing a pair of bases on the season. Napoli has two multi-hit games this season, and was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk.
 
On the mound, Robert Caeners leads the Generals with eleven innings pitched on the year, giving up three runs on five hits and striking out ten batters. In his two appearances, Caeners is 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA. His win came in a 12-0 win over Craven CC, where he pitched five innings, not allowing a hit, and striking out four. In his last start, Caeners went six innings, giving up three runs on five hits and striking out six, but dropping a 3-2 decision at Montgomery County CC back on March 15^th.
 
Sean Duke has pitched 9.2 innings so far this season, going 1-2 in his three starts with a 15.83 ERA on the year. Duke has given up 18 runs, 17 earned, on 16 hits with a team-high 13 strikeouts. His win came against Montgomery County CC on March 12^th, pitching 6.1 innings and giving up one run, unearned, on one hit, and striking out seven in a 6-1 win over the Mustangs. In his last start, Duke got tagged with the loss against Harford, giving up ten runs, on ten hits, in just 1.1 innings of work.
 
Gerard Santos has appeared in three games, with two starts, pitching 8.1 innings so far for the Generals. Santos has allowed seven runs, six earned, on eleven hits, while striking out 12 batters. He's 1-1 with a 6.48 ERA this year. Santos last appeared on March 15^th against Morris, pitching one inning of relief and giving up five runs, four earned, on two hits and allowing four walks. He'd get tagged with the loss in the 18-5 decision against the Titans.
 
Jack Clifford is 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA in his three appearances this year. In eight innings pitched, Clifford has allowed five runs on nine hits, while striking out seven and walking six on the year. Clifford hasn't pitched since March 13^th, where he picked up the win in a 6-5 victory over Montco. Clifford got the start, pitching six innings and giving up five runs on eight hits, while striking out four and walking five.
 
The Generals are led by head coach Randy Delanoy, in his first season as the head of the program. Delanoy was hired in 2022, after previously serving as the assistant baseball coach with SUNY Ulster from 2017 through the 2022 season. While with Ulster, Delanoy helped the Senators to three Region 15 championships, including the most recent in 2022. Delanoy is a graduate of nearby Kingston HS, where he was a two-sport athlete, and helped Kingston get to the state semi-finals in baseball in 2011. Delanoy played two years of junior college baseball at Ulster, where he was a two-year captain for the Senators. After graduation at Ulster, he was awarded a Division I scholarship to St. Bonaventure, where he played two seasons for the Bonnies and was named as team captain in 2005. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Sports Management at St. Bonaventure and became a volunteer assistant coach with the program, before eventually joining the Ulster staff.
 
Game Details
First pitch is set for 3:00pm ET on Tuesday afternoon between Lackawanna and SUNY Sullivan, from Bruno Ferretti Memorial Fields in nearby Exeter, PA at Wyoming Area HS. You can watch along via the Lackawanna College Falcons Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
The Falcons are scheduled to start Region XIX DII play on Friday, March 24^th, when they host the County College of Morris for a nine inning, single game. The game is scheduled for 3:00pm ET, but the time and location are subject to change.