3/31/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – After getting rained out earlier this week, Lackawanna College baseball is set for a big clash in Region XIX DII play, when the Falcons travel to Newton, NJ to take on the undefeated Sussex County CC Skylanders in a pivotal three-game regional series.  
 
First pitch of the nine-inning game one is at 11:00am ET on Friday, March 31^st, at Skylands Stadium in Newton, NJ. That game time was moved up from its previous start time at 1:00pm ET. Then, on Saturday, April 1^st, the Falcons will host the Skylanders for a doubleheader starting at 12:00pm ET at Scranton HS. That doubleheader may get moved to Sunday, depending on the weather situation.
 
The game at Sussex will have a video livestream available via the Sussex County CC Athletics YouTube channel, HERE. The home doubleheader with Sussex this weekend will also have a video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE. Voice of the Falcons Mike Rickert will provide the play-by-play.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (10-10, 2-1) has won three of its last four games, including their last action, when the Falcons earned crucial split on the road at County College of Morris last Sunday, using a late rally and some crucial relief pitching in game two to come away with a 10-9 win over the Titans. You can read that recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are hitting .299 on the year so far, posting a combined .925 OPS, with a .420 on-base percentage. The Falcons have scored 146 runs, while giving up 134, and have scored ten or more runs in ten games this season, nine of which have been wins. Lackawanna College has 69 extra-base hits, including 37 doubles and 21 homeruns, and the Falcons have been deadly on the base paths, going 51-for-54 on steals this year. The Lackawanna pitching staff holds a 7.62 ERA so far this season, giving up 134 runs, 114 earned, on 144 hits in 134.2 innings. The Falcons have struck out 151 batters and are holding their opponents to a .268 batting average this season.
 
Brayden D'Amico (Bethlehem, PA) leads the Falcons with a .404 batting average in his 18 games this year. D'Amico has a 1.125 OPS, and has 21 hits, second on the team this year. D'Amico has scored 13 runs, fifth on the squad, and has a team-high seven doubles to drive in 15 runs this year, where he's second on the team in RBI. D'Amico has a .529 on-base percentage, getting hit by a team-high five pitches and drawing ten walks, third on the team. D'Amico has six multi-hit games, and was a combined 3-for-10 in three games against Morris this past weekend, scoring three runs and driving in another.
 
Zachary Walsh (Spring Brook Twp, PA) holds a .349 batting average so far this season. Walsh has a 1.173 OPS, and has scored a team-high 22 runs, while putting up 22 hits, also first on the team. Walsh has eleven RBI, and ten extra base hits this season, including four homers, tied for first on the team. He has drawn a team-best 17 walks, and has stolen 20 total bases this year, also first on the team. Walsh has a .506 on-base percentage, but has struck out 19 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 five multi-hit games this year, and was a combined 4-for-10 with three runs, two RBI, and a homerun against Morris this weekend. 
 
Ian Murphy (West Deptford, NJ) is a .333 hitter this year, with a 1.056 OPS on the season in 18 games. Murphy is tied with Walsh and another Falcon for the team lead with four homeruns, and he has a team-best 24 RBI on the year, posting a .633 slugging percentage this season. He's got 20 hits, tied for third on the team this season, and has 16 runs scored, second on the squad. He's accumulated ten extra base hits this year, with six doubles in addition to his four homers. Murphy has also drawn nine walks this season. Murphy has six multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 4-for-10 in three games against Morris, compiling four runs scored, three RBI, and a double.   
 
Spencer Butz (York, PA) is hitting .308 on the year in his 15 games, with eight starts this season. Butz has a 1.075 OPS, and has a .460 on-base percentage this season. Butz is fifth on the Falcons in RBI (12), and has six extra base hits, including two doubles, triples, and homeruns, each, this year. Butz has 12 total hits, and has scored nine runs this season. He's also drawn nine walks, tied for fourth on the team. Butz has three multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 1-for-5 in three games against Morris this past weekend.   
 
Christian Rush (Perkasie, PA) has the most at-bats (75) and holds a .267 batting average through 20 games on the year. Rush has a .824 OPS, with two triples, four homeruns, and 13 RBI on the year. Rush is tied for the team lead in homeruns, and is tied for third on the team in RBI. His 14 runs scored and 20 hits are both tied for third 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 five multi-hit games this year, and was combined 5-for-9 in three games against Morris, scoring three runs, driving in four, and hitting a two-run homerun in the second game of the doubleheader against the Titans on Sunday.  
 
Eric Ludwick (Bethlehem, PA) is averaging .264 on the year, with an OPS at .840 on the year. Ludwick has 14 hits on the season, scoring 14 runs, tied with Rush for third on the squad, and driving in 13 RBI, also tied with Rush for third on the team this season. Ludwick has six extra base hits, with two homeruns, two doubles, and two triples this year. Ludwick has four multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 1-for-10 with two runs, two RBI, and a triple in three games against Morris.   
 
Michael Miller (Lafayette Hill, PA) is hitting .500 in his 14 games this year, and has an OPS of 1.388. Miller's 16 hits fifth on the team, and he's scored nine runs on the year. Miller has four extra base hits this season, with three homeruns and a double on the year. He's driven in six RBI this year, and has a slugging percentage at .813, with a .575 on-base percentage. He's drawn five walks and has been hit by a pair of pitches so far this season. Miller has five multi-hit games, with three of them being perfect outings. Miller was a combined 1-for-7 in three games against Morris, with one RBI.     
 
George Castro (Philadelphia, PA), a third-year player for the Falcons, and is hitting .180 on the year. Castro has a .629 OPS, and has drawn 12 walks, second on the team, for a .349 OBP this year. Castro, in 18 games, has nine hits on the year, and has four extra base hits, with three doubles and a triple. Castro had a six-game hitting streak snapped against Wake Tech. Castro has struggled as of late, going just 3-for-27 in his last nine games. Castro was a combined 1-for-9 against Morris, with his one-hit a two-run double on Friday morning against the Titans.    
 
On the mound, the Falcons are led by Kyle Scott (Westminster, MD), who is 3-2 on the year in six 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 3.75 ERA in 24 innings pitched, giving up 13 runs, ten earned, on 19 hits, while striking out a team-best 38 batters and walking 12. Scott has held his opponents to .211 on the season. Scott has three games where he has struck out ten or more batters this season. In his last start, Scott went six innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits, while striking out ten in the 8-3 win over County College of Morris on Friday.   
 
Aiden Starn (Pennsville, NJ) has pitched 22.2 innings so far this season, and has a 3-2 record with a 7.15 ERA this year. He's allowed 21 runs, 18 earned, on 30 hits, with 25 strikeouts and 13 walks this year. Starn went five innings in his last start, giving up a run on six hits while striking out six on Sunday in game one against Morris, but didn't get a decision, as Morris hit a homerun off the Falcon relief to eventually win.   
 
Keon Burkholder (Williamsport, PA) has thrown 16.2 innings so far this season. Burkholder is 2-2 with a 6.48 ERA in his seven appearances, giving up 14 runs on 14 hits, with 14 strikeouts and 14 walks so far this season. Opponents are hitting .233 against Burkholder on the year. Burkholder came on in relief against Sullivan last week, pitching two scoreless innings, striking out three, but got roughed up in his last outing, lasting just two innings in a start against Morris, giving up five runs, four earned, on just one hit and four walks. Burkholder avoided a loss thanks to a late Falcons rally.   
 
Nathan Russell (Drexel Hill, PA) has thrown 9.2 innings of work so far this season, making six appearances, all in relief, posting a 6.52 ERA and giving up seven runs on eight hits. Russell has seven strikeouts, and has given up nine walks this season. Russell's opponents are averaging .229 at the dish against him this year. Russell threw an inning of scoreless relief in game one on Sunday against Morris, giving up a hit and striking out another batter.
 
Matthew McElligott (Columbus, OH) has thrown 9.1 innings of work this year in seven appearances, all in relief. He's got an 8.68 ERA, giving up ten runs, nine earned, on eleven hits, while striking out 15 batters and walking seven. McElligott had a rough relief appearance this past Sunday, giving up four runs on six hits in 1.1 innings of work in a game the Falcons came back to win against Morris.   
 
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 104-67 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
Sussex County CC (18-0, 6-0) is off to arguably its best start in program history. The Skylanders are coming into the weekend after sweeping past Lehigh Carbon CC earlier this week. The Skylanders won 8-2 and 10-4 in doubleheader action on March 26^th, and most recently won a game 20-9 over the Cougars on March 29^th. It was a game that had to be picked up after getting rained out on the 24^th, and the Skylanders held only a slim 10-9 lead after five innings, but Sussex put a hurting on Lehigh Carbon for the last two innings, scoring a combined ten runs to run away with the win. Sussex had three triples in the contest, 19 total hits, and had five different players with multiple hits.  
 
Sussex is an impressive .362 as a team from the plate this season, with a combined .969 OPS, combining a solid .481 OBP and a .488 slugging percentage, as a team. The Skylanders are averaging over ten runs per game, with 44 extra base hits, including 27 doubles and 12 triples. Sussex has drawn 111 walks, and stolen 54 bases, while striking out 95 times as a team.  
 
As a pitching staff, the Skylanders have a great 3.29 team ERA. In 126 innings of work, Sussex has given up 72 runs, 46 earned, on 105 hits, while striking out 119 batters and walking 64. The staff has five games where the Skylanders have allowed one run or less, including three shut-outs.  
 
Layton Cuvilier leads the Skylanders with 28 total hits and a .519 batting average on the year. Cuvilier has scored 21 runs, third on the team, and has two doubles and three triples for 18 RBI, third on the team. Cuvilier has a 1.238 OPS, boosted by his .667 slugging percentage and a .507 OPS. Cuvilier has five walks and four strikeouts, while stealing a team-high 15 bases on the year. Cuvilier has ten multi-hit games this season, five of which have been in his last five contests. In three games against Lehigh Carbon, he was a combined 8-for-11, scoring seven runs, driving in six, and hitting a triple. In Wednesday's win, he was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a triple, and three RBI, while stealing a season-high three bases.   
 
Logan Kobis has 27 total hits and a .429 batting average. Kobis leads the Skylanders with 27 runs scored, and also leads the team in extra base hits with 14. Kobis has team-highs in doubles (7) and triples (5), and is second on the team with a pair of homers. He has a 1.294 OPS, and has driven in 17 runs, fourth on the team. He's drawn eight walks, and has nine steals, second on the team. He's got eight multi-hit games, including three of his last four, and was a combined 6-for-13, with six runs scored, two triples and a double, and two RBI. In Wednesday's game, he was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a pair of triples, and two RBI.  
 
Terryn Babcock has 23 total hits, and leads the Skylanders with 21 RBI on the season. Babcock has scored 18 runs this year, and has eight extra base hits, including four doubles and a team-high three homeruns. Babcock has a 1.211 OPS, with a .704 slugging percentage and a .507 OBP. Babcock has drawn eleven walks, fourth on the team, but has also struck out 12 times, tied for second on the team. Babcock has eight multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 4-for-11 in three games against Lehigh Carbon. He was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI in the game on Wednesday.  
 
Jake Wagner has 20 total hits, and is hitting .385 this year, with 24 runs scored, second on the team. Wagner has 14 RBI, and has drawn a team-best 23 walks. He's got a .989 OPS, with a stellar .566 OBP. Wagner has eight steals this year, tied for third on the team. He's got six multi-hit games this year, and was 3-for-8 in three games against Lehigh Carbon, driving in a run and scoring four runs himself, while drawing four walks. Wagner was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI in the win over Lehigh Carbon on Wednesday, also getting on base twice on walks.
 
Ryan Bongiorno has 19 total hits this year, and is averaging .322 on the year. Bongiorno has 17 runs scored this season, and an OPS at .818, but has driven in 20 runs, second on the team. Bongiorno has three doubles and a triple to his name this year, with nine drawn walks and three steals. Bongiorno has three multi-hit games, all occurring in his last six games. He was a combined 4-for-11 in three games against Lehigh Carbon, scoring a pair of runs and driving home five. On Wednesday, he was 3-for-5 with a run scored and three RBI in the win over Lehigh Carbon.  
 
Bradyn Shaffer has 16 total hits, scoring 18 runs and holding a .320 batting average this season. He's got a .793 OPS, and has 14 RBI with a double to his credit this season. He's drawn nine walks, and stolen one base this season. Shaffer has four multi-hit games, and was a combined 4-for-8 in three games against Lehigh Carbon, scoring five runs and driving home five runs. He was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI, plus a walk, in the 20-9 win on Wednesday.
 
Lorenzo Curbelo has 16 total hits, and has scored 18 runs this season, holding a .333 batting average on the year. Curbello has a .871 OPS, with five doubles and 13 RBI this season. He's also drawn nine walks and has stolen eight bases this year, tied with Jake Wagner for third on the team. He's got three multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 4-for-10 in three games against Lehigh Carbon, scoring five runs and driving in four RBI, drawing two walks and stealing three bases. He was 1-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI in the win over Lehigh Carbon on Wednesday.
 
On the bump, Tanner MacLean leads the Skylanders in innings pitched, and is 2-0 in three starts and five appearances with a 0.86 ERA. In 21 innings pitched, MacLean has allowed just four runs, two earned, on 16 hits, striking out a team-high 30 batters and walking just two. He's averaging nearly 13 strikeouts per nine innings. He had a season-high 12 strikeouts in an 11-0 win over North Central Missouri College, allowing just one hit in six innings. In his last start, back on March 26^th against Lehigh Carbon, he gave up two runs, one earned, on seven hits in six innings, striking out seven batters in the 8-2 win.   
 
Sota Inden is 3-0 in five appearances, with a 1.42 ERA, pitching 19 innings so far this season. Inden has allowed four runs, three earned, on eleven hits, with 19 strikeouts, second on the team, and just six walks. Inden has started in his last two appearances, winning both games. He's thrown for seven innings in each of his last starts, including the March 22^nd 16-1 win for Sussex over Rockland, allowing one run, unearned, on three hits, while striking out four. Inden struck out a season-high nine on March 16^th with the win over Clark State College, allowing no runs and just two hits.   
 
Hunter Canning is 3-0 in six appearances, with a 5.40 ERA. He's made four starts this season. Canning has thrown 18.1 innings, and given up 16 runs, eleven earned, on 17 hits, while striking out 17, but walking a team-high 14. He's earned the win in two of his last three appearances, but didn't get a decision against Lehigh Carbon in the second game of a doubleheader on March 26^th. He went three innings in his start, giving up three runs on three hits, with four strikeouts and three walks. The Skylanders pulled out the 10-4 win.  
 
Jax Nyberg is 3-0 in six appearances, with a 1.20 ERA. Nyberg, in 15 innings, has given up seven runs, two earned, on 14 hits, while striking out 18 batters, with eight walks this season. Nyberg has earned a win in his last two appearances, both in relief, including his latest on Wednesday, going two innings and giving up two hits, while striking out three in the 20-9 win.
 
Jaxon Forbes has eight appearances, a team-high, and is 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA and three saves this season. Forbes Forbes has not allowed a run in his last five appearances, pitching a combined 5.1 innings, and giving up just three hits, while striking out eight batters. His last save situation came against Mohawk, when he gave up two hits in two innings of relief. His last appearance was an inning against Lehigh Carbon on March 26^th, giving up one hit and striking out two batters in the 10-4 win over the Cougars.  
 
The head coach for Sussex is Ramadan Mehmedi, now into his tenth season at the helm of the Skylanders. Mehmedi served as an assistant from 2010 through 2012, before taking over as head coach in the fall of 2013. Mehmedi, a Sussex grad and former baseball player for the Skylanders, went to NJCU after his time at Sussex, still playing baseball at the NCAA level. Mehmedi has an overall record of 145-175, and helped guide the Skylanders to the Region XIX playoffs last season, before falling to Lackawanna College.  
 
 
Game Details
First pitch of the nine-inning game one is at 11:00am ET on Friday, March 31^st, at Skylands Stadium in Newton, NJ. That game time was moved up from its previous start time at 1:00pm ET. Then, on Saturday, April 1^st, the Falcons will host the Skylanders for a doubleheader starting at 12:00pm ET at Scranton HS. That doubleheader may get moved to Sunday, depending on the weather situation.
 
The game at Sussex will have a video livestream available via the Sussex County CC Athletics YouTube channel, HERE. The home doubleheader with Sussex this weekend will also have a video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE. Voice of the Falcons Mike Rickert will provide the play-by-play.
 
If Saturday's game goes ahead as scheduled, the Falcons will be hosting the UConn Avery Point Pointers on Sunday, April 2^nd, at 12:00pm ET for a doubleheader at Scranton HS.