4/11/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Looking to keep their momentum rolling, Lackawanna College baseball will host their rivals from Division I, Monroe College, for a single nine-inning clash on Tuesday, April 11^th in Scranton, PA.
 
The game is set for a 5:00pm ET start at the Scranton HS baseball field on the campus at Scranton HS, directly behind Scranton's Memorial Stadium. There will be a video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
Previously, the Falcons and Mustangs met for a doubleheader on March 18^th in New Rochelle, NY, where Monroe kept the Falcons' bats under wraps in a convincing doubleheader sweep, 5-2 and 8-1. Lackawanna managed just four hits across two games, and struck out a combined 22 times. You can read the recap HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (18-12) has won eleven of its last 14 games, and went 6-1 last week, with its only loss coming in game two to UConn Avery Point on Saturday in Groton, CT. The Falcons managed a split of the two games against the Pointers, winning game one 6-2 and dropping game two in a 5-4 loss in nine innings. The Pointers won the game on a literal walk-off, getting a bases loaded walk to bring home the game winning run. The Falcons forced the game to extras with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, rallying from a 4-2 deficit. You can read the recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are hitting .324 on the year so far, posting a combined .963 OPS, with a .445 on-base percentage. The Falcons have scored 261 runs, while giving up 1193, and have scored ten or more runs in 14 games this season, 13 of which have been wins. Lackawanna College has 107 extra-base hits, including 63 doubles and 26 homeruns, and the Falcons have been deadly on the base paths, going 103-for-108 on steals this year. Lackawanna has drawn 172 walks this season, but has struck out 200 times. The Falcons pitching staff holds a 7.38 ERA so far this season, giving up 193 runs, 168 earned, on 209 hits in 205 innings. The Falcons have struck out 230 batters and are holding their opponents to a .258 batting average this season.
 
Corner infielder Ian Murphy (West Deptford, NJ) is a .396 hitter this year, and leads the Falcons with 38 total hits on the year. Murphy has a 1.139 OPS on the season in 28 games, and is slugging at .656 for the Falcons this season. Murphy is tied with two other players for the team lead at five homeruns, and he has a team-best 38 RBI on the year, collecting 15 extra base hits and scoring 27 runs, second on the team this year. Murphy has also drawn 13 walks this season, tied for sixth on the squad. Murphy has 12 multi-hit games this season, and went a combined 3-for-9 with two runs scored, a double, and an RBI against UCAP in two games on Saturday. He was a combined 1-for-5 against Monroe in the doubleheader last month.  
 
Outfielder Zachary Walsh (Spring Brook Twp., PA) holds a .379 batting average so far this season, and is second on the team with 33 hits. Walsh has a 1.235 OPS, and has scored a team-high 37 runs. Walsh has 21 RBI, and 15 extra base hits this season, including five homers, tied with Murphy and another Falcons for first on the team. He has drawn a team-best 27 walks, and has stolen 31 total bases this year, also first on the team. Walsh has a .534 on-base percentage, but has struck out 24 times, second-worst 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 eight multi-hit games this year, and was a combined 5-for-8 with six runs scored and five RBI, plus a double and a homerun, in two games against Monroe CC on Friday. He did not play against Avery Point on Sunday. He was a combined 1-for-5 with a triple against Monroe College in the doubleheader last month.
 
Shortstop Brayden D'Amico (Bethlehem, PA) has a .353 batting average in his 28 games this year. D'Amico has a .997 OPS, and has 30 hits, third on the team this year. D'Amico has scored 21 runs, tied for fifth on the squad, and has eight doubles this season, driving in 25 runs this year, second on the Falcons. D'Amico has a .491 on-base percentage, getting hit by a team-high eight pitches and drawing 18 walks, second on the team. D'Amico has nine multi-hit games, and was a combined 3-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI in two games against UCAP on Saturday. He was 1-for-4 in two games against Monroe College last month.     
 
Outfielder Christian Rush (Perkasie, PA) has the most at-bats (105) and holds a .276 batting average through 30 games on the year. Rush has a .842 OPS, with two triples, five homeruns, and 23 RBI on the year. Rush is tied with Murphy and Walsh for first on the team in homeruns, and is tied for third on the team in RBI. His 25 runs scored and 29 hits are third and fourth on the team, respectively. Rush has 15 stolen bases this season, second on the team. He has seven multi-hit games this year, and was a combined 2-for-7 with three runs scored and a double in two games against UCAP on Saturday. He went a combined 1-for-5 in two games against Monroe last month.   
 
Utility player Eric Ludwick (Bethlehem, PA) is averaging .253 on the year, with an OPS at .739 on the year. Ludwick has 22 hits on the season, scoring 22 runs, and he has driven in 23 RBI, tied with Rush for third on the team this season. Ludwick has ten walks this season, one of nine Falcons players with double-digit walks. Ludwick has seven extra base hits, with two homeruns, three doubles, and two triples this year. Ludwick has six multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 2-for-9 with three RBI against UConn Avery Point on Saturday. He was 0-for-5 in two games against Monroe last month.  
 
Catcher and DH Michael Miller (Lafayette Hill, PA) is hitting .478 in his 20 games this year, and has an OPS of 1.351. Miller's 22 hits are tied with Ludwick for fifth on the team, and he's scored 16 runs on the year. Miller has seven extra base hits this season, with three homeruns and four doubles on the year. He's driven in ten RBI this year, and has a slugging percentage at .761, with a .590 on-base percentage. He's drawn ten walks and has been hit by four pitches so far this season. Miller has six multi-hit games, with three of them being perfect outings. Miller was a combined 2-for-7 with a double in two games against UCAP on Saturday. He was 0-for-3 in the doubleheader at Monroe last month.  
 
Utility player Spencer Butz (York, PA) is hitting .313 on the year in his 24 games, with 16 starts this season. Butz has a 1.070 OPS, and has a .476 on-base percentage this season. Butz has 20 total hits, and has 19 RBI this season. He's also scored 21 runs for the Falcons this year. Butz has nine extra base hits, and has drawn 14 walks, while getting hit by six pitches this season. Butz has five multi-hit games this season. In two games against UCAP, he was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, coming on a homerun. Butz played one of the two games against Monroe last month, going 0-for-4.   
 
Catcher Cole Casamento (Limerick, PA) has 18 total hits and is hitting .375 in 21 games this season. Casamento has 12 runs scored on the year, and holds a .944 OPS. Casamento has six doubles this year, with 12 RBI, and has drawn six walks, with a .444 on-base percentage. Cole has four multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 0-for-3 in two games against UCAP this past Saturday. He was 0-for-2 in one game last month against Monroe.   
 
Second baseman Giovanni Lopez (Olyphant, PA) has 17 total hits and a .283 batting average. Lopez has scored 15 runs this season in 24 games, and has a pair of doubles for eleven RBI. Lopez has drawn three walks, and has stolen five bases this year. He has five multi-hit games, with two coming in his last four appearances. Lopez played in one game over the weekend, going 0-for-2 against Monroe CC on Friday. He played in just one game against Monroe College last month, also going 0-for-2.  
 
On the mound, the Falcons are led by Kyle Scott (Westminster, MD), who is 5-2 on the year in eight 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 3.34 ERA in 35 innings pitched, giving up 18 runs, 13 earned, on 27 hits, while striking out a team-best 59 batters and walking 18. Scott has held his opponents to .206 on the season. Scott has four games where he has struck out ten or more batters this season. In his last start, Scott was stellar, tossing a season-best 14 strikeouts and holding the Monroe Tribunes to just two hits in a 12-0 victory in five innings.     
 
Aiden Starn (Pennsville, NJ) has pitched 26.2 innings so far this season, and has a 3-2 record with a 7.09 ERA this year. He's allowed 24 runs, 21 earned, on 31 hits, with 30 strikeouts and 18 walks this year. Starn went four innings in his last start, giving up three runs, three earned, on just one hit, while striking out five but also walking five against UConn Avery Point this past Sunday. Starn didn't get a decision in what eventually was a 7-6 win for the Falcons.    
 
Matthew McElligott (Columbus, OH) has thrown 17.1 innings of work this year in a team-high ten appearances, with two starts this season. He's got a 7.79 ERA, giving up 16 runs, 15 earned, on 14 hits, while striking out 21 batters and walking 18. McElligott is holding his opponents to a .203 batting average on the year. He has gotten the start in his last two appearances, including his last on Saturday in game one against UConn Avery Point. McElligott had one of his better outings, giving up just one run on one hit in three innings, striking out a pair, leaving with the lead but not getting the decision.
 
Nathan Russell (Drexel Hill, PA) has thrown 16.2 innings of work so far this season, making nine appearances, all in relief, posting a 5.94 ERA and going 1-0 this season, with a save. Russell has given up eleven runs on 15 hits, while striking out 12 and walking eleven this year. Russell's opponents are averaging .242 at the dish against him this year. Russell went two innings of relief on Saturday in game one against UConn Avery Point, striking out a pair and giving up just one hit to get the two-inning save.    
 
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.   
 
Reliever Jace Cunnane (Clarkstown, NY) has thrown 15 innings this season, posting a 4.80 ERA in eight appearances. He's given up eight runs on 13 hits, while striking out 14 and walking just four batters this year. Cunnane is holding opponents to a .220 batting average this season. He was roughed up in the beginning and the end of his last outing, giving up five runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of relief at the end of the game against Monroe CC in game two on Friday. Cunnane struck out four, and had the Falcons up 20-14 in the bottom of the seventh, but gave up three runs before needing to be relieved. He still came away with the win, as the Falcons closed things out.
 
Reliever Ty Federici (Lehman, PA) has made eight appearances and is 2-2 with an 8.31 ERA so far this season. In his 13 innings pitched, Federici has allowed 15 runs, 12 earned, on 21 hits, while striking out 12 and walking five. Batters have hit him hard this season, with a .350 batting average against him. Federici has had three good outings as of late, pitching one inning of relief last Sunday where he gave up one hit, getting the win against Lehigh Carbon last week, pitching four innings of scoreless relief and striking out a season-high seven, then pitching 0.2 innings of scoreless relief against Monroe CC to preserve the 20-17 win for the Falcons in game two on Friday.  
 
Lackawanna College is coached by Mike McCarry, now in 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 112-69 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 Monroe CC
Monroe College (20-11) has been on a tear since starting the season 2-8, going 18-3 since then. The Mustangs have gone 11-2 since knocking off Lackawanna College last month, and most recently took down a Region XIX foe on the road at Mercer County CC, sweeping past the Vikings with victories of 7-5 and 10-7 this past Saturday. Both games featured some late-inning heroics, as the Mustangs scored four runs in the top of the seventh of game one to steal it from the Vikings, and then recovered after blowing a 7-0 lead with three runs in the sixth to recapture the lead and pull away for the win in game two.   
 
As a team this year, the Mustangs are hitting .296 on the year, with a .819 OPS. They have 181 runs on 264 hits, with 77 extra base hits, including 57 doubles this season. The Mustangs have 33 stolen bases on 44 attempts, and have drawn 128 walks while striking out 219 times this year. The pitching staff has a collective 6.14 ERA, giving up 189 runs, 150 earned, in 220 innings pitched, with 257 strikeouts and 151 walks on the year. Opponents are hitting .248 against the Mustangs this year, and have 68 extra base hits.
 
Ronald Almanzar is averaging .354 on the year, with a 1.015 OPS and a team-high 34 hits this season. Almanzar is third on the team with 19 runs this year, and has 19 RBI and 15 extra base hits, tied for the team lead with nine doubles and three homeruns. Almanzar leads the team in slugging percentage at .604 on the year. He's drawn seven walks this season, but also has a team-worst 24 strikeouts this year. Almanzar has eight multi-hit games on the year, three in his last three games. He was a combined 5-for-9 with a run scored, three RBI, and a triple against Mercer on Saturday. Almanzar was 2-for-6 with a double and an RBI against the Falcons last month.  
 
Diego Urreta is hitting .375 on the year, with 33 total hits, second on the team, and 30 runs scored, tops on the squad. Urreta has a 1.061 OPS, with a team-high .538 on-base percentage. Urreta has eleven extra base hits, with nine doubles and two triples, and has driven in 18 runs this season. Urreta has also drawn a team-high 28 walks this year, and has 19 strikeouts. He has ten multi-hit games this year, including both games against Mercer on Saturday, where he was a combined 6-for-8 with three runs scored, two RBI, and a pair of doubles. Against Lackawanna, he was a combined 2-for-4 with three runs scored, three RBI, and a double last month.  
 
Jeremy De La Mota has 30 total hits, third on the squad, and has a .341 batting average on the year. De La Mota has a 1.010 OPS, and has scored 22 runs, second on the team. De La Mota has six doubles, a triple, and four homers for 22 RBI, the team-high in runs driven in. He has drawn ten walks and has a .442 on-base percentage. De La Mota has seven multi-hit games so far this season. He was a combined 2-for-9 with a run scored, four RBI, and a homerun against Mercer in two games on Saturday. Against the Falcons last month, he was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBI, and a homerun.  
 
Pedro Crespo has 27 total hits and is hitting .297 on the year for the Mustangs, scoring 14 runs in his 28 games this year. Crespo has a .734 OPS, and has ten RBI on two doubles, a triple, and a homerun this year. Crespo has drawn six walks and has five stolen bases for the Mustangs on the year. Crespo has seven multi-hit games on the year, three in his last five games. He was a combined 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI in two games against Mercer on Saturday, and was a combined 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI against Lackawanna College last month.
 
Gilbert Gomez has 23 total hits and is hitting .295 in 27 games this season, scoring 17 runs for the Mustangs. Gomez has eleven RBI on two doubles and two triples, and has six stolen bases, second on the team. Gomez has drawn nine walks this season, but is second-worst on the team with 23 strikeouts this year. Gomez has six multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 2-for-6 with three runs scored, an RBI, and a double against Mercer on Saturday. In two games against Lackawanna last month, he was 2-for-6 with a run scored, an RBI, and a triple.
 
Andres Castro is hitting .272 on the year, with 22 hits in 26 games this season. He's got 15 runs scored, and has ten RBI on the year, with three doubles. Castro has drawn ten walks this season, and has been hit by five pitches. He leads the Mustangs with nine stolen bases this year. Castro has six multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 1-for-6 with an RBI in two games against Mercer. He went 2-for-7 in two games against Lackawanna last month.
 
Jordy Batista is hitting .282 on the year, with 20 total hits in 24 games. Batista has a .736 OPS, and has ten RBI on six doubles this year, while scoring eight runs of his own. Batista has nine walks drawn, but has struck out 20 times this season. Batista has five multi-hit games on the year. He was 0-for-3 in one game against Mercer on Saturday. He played in both games last month against Lackawanna, going 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI against the Falcons.
 
On the bump, Andrelis Payamps leads the Mustangs with 39 innings pitched this year, going 4-3 in his eight appearances, with a 4.85 ERA. Payamps has allowed 30 runs, 21 earned, on 29 hits, while striking out a team-high 55 batters and walking 27 opponents on the year. Batters are hitting .195 against Payamps this year. His best game this year came against Hagerstown back on March 31^st, where he struck out a season-high eleven and allowed just one run on three hits in a 3-1 victory. In his last start, coming on Saturday against Mercer, he gave up five runs on four hits in 4.1 innings, striking out five, but he didn't get a decision, as the Mustangs rallied with four runs in the seventh. Payamps appeared against Lackawanna in game one of the doubleheader last month, pitching six innings and giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits, while striking out nine in the 5-2 victory for Monroe.  
 
Je-andrick Lourens has gone 36.2 innings on the year, allowing 20 runs, eleven earned, on 32 hits, while striking out 41 batters this season. He's 4-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven appearances, all starts. Lourens has walked 20 batters, and his opponents are hitting .235 against him on the year. Lourens won his last start, giving up two runs on three hits and striking out a season-high ten in a 23-2 victory over SUNY Sullivan back on April 4^th.
 
Carlos Peguero has made nine appearances, six of them starts, and is 3-1 with a 2.38 ERA this year. In 34 innings, he's given up 12 runs, nine earned, on 18 hits, while striking out 39 and walking 21 so far this year. Peguero's opponents have hit .153 against him this year. He's also got two saves this year. Peguero's last appearance was against Mercer, where he was great through four innings, but gave up seven runs in the fifth on his way to a no decision in a game Monroe rallied to win 10-7. He was masterful in his two previous starts, including a complete game one-hitter against Lackawanna, where he gave up just one unearned run and struck out a season-best 12.  
 
Samuel Herrera has made nine appearances, five starts, going 2-2 with a 4.82 ERA. Herrera, in 28 innings pitched, has given up 24 runs, 15 earned, on 26 hits, while striking out 32 and walking 13, with his opponents hitting .250 against him this year. Herrera last appeared against RCSJ-Gloucester, giving up nine runs, just two earned, on four hits in four innings, getting tagged with the loss in a 19-7 loss at the nationally ranked DIII Roadrunners.  
 
The Mustangs are led by head coach Elliott Ayala, now in his eighth season with the Monroe program, and his fourth as the head coach. Ayala joined Monroe in January 2013 as the assistant coach for the softball team, before joining the baseball staff in 2014. Ayala, a Bronx native, played a season for Northeast Texas CC before becoming a 23^rd round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1998. He spent six seasons with the Brewers organization, then went to the independent ranks, playing in the Northern, Frontier, and Can-Am Leagues before joining the Somerset Patriots in 2006, where he played for six seasons and won back-to-back Atlantic League titles.  
 
Game Details
The game between the Falcons and the Mustangs is set for a 5:00pm ET start at the Scranton HS baseball field on the campus at Scranton HS, directly behind Scranton's Memorial Stadium. There will be a video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
Next up for the Falcons is the first of a three-game series in Region XIX play, against the top-team in the division, Delaware Tech. The Falcons will play game one on the road in Georgetown, DE on Friday, April 14^th, at 3:00pm ET.