4/18/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College baseball hopes to keep things going in a positive direction with a few mid-week clashes in cross divisional action in Region XIX.
 
First up on Tuesday, April 18^th, the Falcons are set to host the Salem Community College Mighty Oaks for a single, nine-inning game starting at 3:30pm ET. That game will take place at the baseball field at Scranton HS, and will have a video livestream available via lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE and the Region XIX sports network.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (21-13) has gone 14-4 in its last 18 games, and the Falcons are fresh off a three-game sweep over Delaware Tech CC this past weekend, winning 15-7 in nine innings last Friday, and sweeping the doubleheader 4-2 and 6-5 on Sunday afternoon at home. The Falcons benefited from a strong pitching performance in game one, and a late comeback in game two, capped by a walk-off sac fly in the bottom of the seventh to win the game. You can read the recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are hitting .323 on the year so far, posting a combined .958 OPS, with a .442 on-base percentage. The Falcons have scored 299 runs, while giving up 222, and have scored ten or more runs in 16 games this season, 14 of which have been wins. Lackawanna College has 121 extra-base hits, including 70 doubles and 28 homeruns, and the Falcons have been deadly on the base paths, going 114-for-120 on steals this year. Lackawanna has drawn 195 walks this season, but has struck out 230 times. The Falcons pitching staff holds a 7.33 ERA so far this season, giving up 222 runs, 193 earned, on 248 hits in 237 innings. The Falcons have struck out 256 batters and are holding their opponents to a .262 batting average this season.
 
Corner infielder Ian Murphy (West Deptford, NJ) is a .387 hitter this year, and leads the Falcons with 43 total hits on the year. Murphy has a 1.096 OPS on the season in 32 games, and is slugging at .622 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 39 RBI on the year, collecting 16 extra base hits and scoring 34 runs, second on the team this year. Murphy has also drawn 15 walks this season, tied for fifth on the squad, and is one of eleven Falcons with ten or more walks. Murphy has 14 multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 3-for-10 with four runs and an RBI in three games against Delaware Tech.
 
Outfielder Zachary Walsh (Spring Brook Twp., PA) holds a .384 batting average so far this season, and is second on the team with 38 hits. Walsh has a 1.197 OPS, and has scored a team-high 39 runs. Walsh has 24 RBI, and 15 extra base hits this season, including five homers, tied with Murphy and another Falcon for first on the team. He has drawn a team-best 28 walks, and has stolen 31 total bases this year, also first on the team. Walsh has a .530 on-base percentage, but has struck out 27 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 eleven multi-hit games this year, and was a combined 5-for-12 with two runs scored and three RBI in three games against Delaware Tech over the weekend.  
 
Shortstop Brayden D'Amico (Bethlehem, PA) has a .361 batting average in his 31 games this year. D'Amico has a .975 OPS, and has 35 hits, third on the team this year. D'Amico has scored 23 runs, tied for sixth on the squad, and has eight doubles this season, driving in 27 runs this year, third on the Falcons. D'Amico has a .480 on-base percentage, getting hit by a team-high eight pitches and drawing 18 walks, second on the team. D'Amico has ten multi-hit games this season. He was a combined 5-for-12 with two RBI and two runs scored in three games against Delaware Tech.
 
Outfielder Christian Rush (Perkasie, PA) has the most at-bats (119) and holds a .286 batting average through 34 games on the year, compiling 34 hits, fourth on the team. Rush has a .893 OPS, with a team-high four triples, five homeruns, and 30 RBI on the year. Rush is tied with Murphy and Walsh for first on the team in homeruns, and is second in RBI behind Murphy this year. His 30 runs scored are third on the team this year. Rush has 17 stolen bases this season, second on the team. He has nine multi-hit games this year, and was a combined 3-for-9 with two triples, seven RBI, and four runs scored over the weekend against Delaware Tech.    
 
Catcher and DH Michael Miller (Lafayette Hill, PA) is hitting .484 in his 24 games this year, and has an OPS of 1.360. Miller's 30 hits are fifth on the team, and he's scored 20 runs on the year. Miller has eleven extra base hits this season, with four homeruns and seven doubles on the year. He's driven in 19 RBI this year, and has a slugging percentage at .790, with a .570 on-base percentage. He's drawn eleven walks and has been hit by four pitches so far this season. Miller has nine multi-hit games, three in his last four games, and was a combined 5-for-12 with five RBI, two runs scored, a pair of doubles and a homerun in three games against Delaware Tech this weekend.  
 
Utility player Eric Ludwick (Bethlehem, PA) is averaging .247 on the year, with an OPS at .740 on the year. Ludwick has 24 hits on the season, scoring 28 runs, and he has driven in 24 RBI, tied with Walsh for fourth on the team this season. Ludwick has 14 walks this season, one of eleven Falcons players with double-digit walks. Ludwick has eight extra base hits, with two homeruns, four doubles, and two triples this year. Ludwick has six multi-hit games on the year, and went a combined 1-for-7 with two runs scored and an RBI in two games against Delaware Tech this weekend.
 
Utility player Spencer Butz (York, PA) is hitting .310 on the year in his 26 games, with 18 starts this season. Butz has a 1.073 OPS, and has a .467 on-base percentage this season. Butz has 22 total hits, and has 22 RBI this season. He's also scored 23 runs for the Falcons this year. Butz has ten extra base hits, including three triples and four homeruns, and has drawn 15 walks, while getting hit by six pitches this season. Butz has five multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 2-for-7 with two runs scored, three RBI, and a homerun in two games against Delaware Tech this weekend.  
 
Catcher Cole Casamento (Limerick, PA) has 20 total hits and is hitting .357 in 25 games this season. Casamento has 14 runs scored on the year, and holds a .893 OPS. Casamento has six doubles this year, with 12 RBI, and has drawn seven walks, with a .429 on-base percentage. Casamento also has five stolen bases this season. Cole has four multi-hit games this season, and went a combined 2-for-4 with two runs scored, including the game-winner on Sunday, in three games against Delaware Tech this past weekend.   
 
On the mound, the Falcons are led by Kyle Scott (Westminster, MD), who is 6-2 on the year in nine 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 3.21 ERA in 42 innings pitched, giving up 20 runs, 15 earned, on 31 hits, while striking out a team-best 67 batters and walking 20. Scott has held his opponents to .197 on the season. Scott has four games where he has struck out ten or more batters this season. Scott has won his last four starts, and tossed a season-high 14 strikeouts in a 12-0 win over Monroe CC back on April 7^th. In his last start, he held Del Tech to two runs on four hits in a complete game performance, striking out eight to get the Falcons the win.      
 
Aiden Starn (Pennsville, NJ) has pitched 31.2 innings so far this season, and has a 2-2 record with a 6.54 ERA this year. He's allowed 27 runs, 23 earned, on 38 hits, with 33 strikeouts and 18 walks this year. Batters are hitting .295 against Starn in his eight appearances. Starn hasn't gotten the decision in his last two starts, including on Sunday against Delaware Tech, where he gave up three runs, two earned, on seven hits in five innings, while striking out three. The Falcons eventually won that game in a walk-off in the seventh.  
 
Nathan Russell (Drexel Hill, PA) has thrown 19.2 innings of work so far this season, making eleven appearances, all in relief, posting a 5.95 ERA and going 2-0 this season, with a save. Russell has given up 13 runs on 18 hits, while striking out 14 and walking 12 this year. Russell's opponents are averaging .247 at the dish against him this year. Russell pitched a scoreless inning of relief on Friday against Delaware Tech, then pitched two innings on Sunday in game two of a doubleheader. He gave up two runs on two hits and struck out a pair, but the Falcons managed to get him the win with the walk-off in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Matthew McElligott (Columbus, OH) has thrown 18.1 innings of work this year in a team-high eleven appearances, with two starts this season. He's got a 7.36 ERA, giving up 16 runs, 15 earned, on 14 hits, while striking out 22 batters and walking 20. McElligott is holding his opponents to a .194 batting average on the year. He has gotten the start in two of his last three appearances, including last 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. In his last appearance, he pitched around two walks and got a strikeout to end a scoreless inning of relief against Monroe in the eighth inning last Tuesday.
 
Reliever Jace Cunnane (Clarkstown, NY) has thrown 18 innings this season, posting a 4.00 ERA in nine appearances, going 2-0. He's given up ten runs on 16 hits, while striking out 15 and walking just five batters this year. Cunnane is holding opponents to a .219 batting average this season. Cunnane pitched three innings of relief in his last appearance, this past Friday against Del Tech, giving up two runs, both unearned, on three hits with a strikeout.
 
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 got roughed up in his last outing, lasting just two innings in a start against Morris back on March 26^th, giving up five runs, four earned, on just one hit and four walks. Burkholder avoided a loss thanks to a late Falcons rally.   
 
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 last 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 115-70 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
Salem CC (11-20) comes into the contest after playing a nine-inning game against Atlantic Cape CC on Monday at home, dropping it 9-2. The Bucs blew open a tight 3-2 contest with six runs in the ninth to pull away from the Mighty Oaks. Before that, the Mighty Oaks played an uneven three-game series against Bergen CC, dropping a 13-2 decision, winning a 21-2 game, then falling 15-13 in the final game of the series. In game one, the Oaks fell behind 11-2 after four innings, and couldn't make up the gap, ending the game early in seven innings. In the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday, Salem got its revenge, rocketing out to an 8-2 lead after four and dropping ten runs on the Bulldogs in the fifth in what eventually became a 21-2 win. That left the rubber match, which was back-and-forth. Salem took a 4-2 lead into the fourth, but Bergen scored the next nine runs to go up 11-4. After Salem scored one in the bottom of the fifth, Bergen added four more to take a 15-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth. Salem then made a furious rally, scoring five in the sixth and three in the bottom of the seventh to get within two, but the Bulldogs managed to hold off the Mighty Oaks for the win.
 
Salem is averaging 6.4 runs per game this year, and, through the 24 games with statistics, the Mighty Oaks are averaging around .282 at the plate, with a collective .781 OPS this season. The games with stats do not include the last six games, dating back to last week. The Mighty Oaks have 36 extra base hits heading into that stretch, with 18 doubles and 14 homeruns. Through 24 games, they had struck out 199 times and walked 114 on the year. As a pitching staff, the Mighty Oaks had a collective 7.64 ERA, with 107 strikeouts and 100 walks.
 
Nick Toms, through his 22 appearances entering last week, had a .486 batting average and an impressive 1.509 OPS, buoyed by his .929 slugging and a .580 OBP. Toms led the team in hits (34), runs (27), doubles (11), homers (6), extra base hits (18), RBI (19), and stolen bases (13), while also drawing 17 walks, second on the team.  He had eleven multi-hit games entering last week, and was a combined 3-for-5 with five runs scored, three RBI, a double and a homer against RCSJ Cumberland back on April 7^th and 8^th.
 
Entering last week, Nick Davis had a .308 batting average through 24 games, compiling 24 hits and scoring eleven runs. His 14 RBI was third on the team, but his 21 strikeouts were a team worst. Davis had seven multi-hit games entering last week, and was a combined 3-for-11 with a run scored, four RBI, and four strikeouts in three games against RSCJ Cumberland two weeks ago.
 
Noel Olavarria had a .328 average entering last week, putting up 21 hits in his 23 games and scoring 13 runs on the year to that point. Olavarria has a .803 OPS this year, with a .476 OBP. Olavarria had just one RBI and no extra base hits, but had a team-best 18 walks on the year. Olavarria had four multi-hit games entering last week, and was a combined 3-for-7 with two runs scored, an RBI, and three walks in three games against Cumberland.
 
Michael Blackiston came into last week with a .270 batting average, posting 20 hits and 16 runs in 24 games to that point in the year. Blackiston had three homers, tied for second on the team, for 16 RBI, second on the squad. He had 13 walks, but also 18 strikeouts, tied for third-worst on the team. He had a .803 OPS through his 24 games. He had six multi-hit games heading into last week, and was a combined 2-for-10 with two runs scored, a double, and an RBI in three games against Cumberland two weeks ago.
 
Heading into last week, Zach Carlton had a .257 batting average through 22 games, scoring 16 runs and compiling 18 hits. Carlton had a double and a triple to drive in six RBI, and had drawn 16 walks, second on the team, while striking out 17 times. He also had five stolen bases, second on the squad. Carlton had three multi-hit games going into last week, and was a combined 3-for-12 with three runs scored, a triple, and an RBI in three games against Cumberland two weeks ago.
 
Dante Claudio went into last week with a .270 batting average through 23 games, with 17 hits and 13 runs scored heading into last week. Claudio had a double and seven RBI, with eight walks and 19 strikeouts, second-worst on the team. He had three multi-hit games going into action last week, and was a combined 1-for-6 with two runs scored in three games against Cumberland.
 
Sean Broadhurst led the Mighty Oaks with 29.1 innings pitched heading into last week, going 2-3 in seven appearances and posting an 11.05 ERA. He had given up 46 runs, 36 earned, on 53 hits, striking out 20 and walking eight. He got the win in his last start before last week, giving up four runs on ten hits in a 7-4 win over Cumberland on April 7^th, pitching 4.1 innings.
 
Heading into last week, Vonzel Rivera had 26.1 innings pitched, going 1-1 in six appearances with a 7.18 ERA. Rivera had given up 27 runs, 21 earned, on 39 hits, striking out 13 and walking nine. He lost his last start before last week's action, giving up five runs on ten hits in four innings of what became a 12-6 loss to Cumberland back on April 7^th.
 
Ben Foote had pitched in 24.2 innings heading into last week, going 1-4 in six appearances with a 4.38 ERA on the year. Foote had given up 16 runs, 12 earned, on 29 hits, striking out eleven and walking seven. He got tagged with the loss in his last outing before last week, giving up five runs, two earned, on six hits in five innings of a 7-5 loss to Cumberland on April 8^th.
 
Frank Kopaczewski had pitched 24.2 innings of work heading into last week's games, going 2-2 in eight appearances with a 5.47 ERA. Kopaczewski gave up 17 runs, 15 earned, on 21 hits, striking out a team-best 28 batters but giving up 20 walks on the year. He had a season-best eight strikeouts in a win over PSU Hazleton back in March. His last start before last week, he gave up five runs on three hits in 4.2 innings, walking seven in an 11-3 loss to Atlantic Cape CC back on March 31^st. His last appearance heading into last week was 0.2 innings of relief against Cumberland, giving up a run on a hit and walking three batters in the 7-5 loss.
 
The head coach for the Mighty Oaks in John Holt, now in his fourth season at the helm for Salem CC. Holt came to SCC in 2019 to help revive the baseball program for the 2020 season. He was the head baseball coach at Burlington County College from 1998 to 2011, where he won two GSAC championships and appeared several times in the Region XIX playoffs, winning the Region XIX championship in 2009. Holt is an Upsala College graduate, and is also the Athletics Coordinator at Salem CC. Holt holds a 49-64 overall record at Salem.  
 
Game Details
The game between the Falcons and the Mighty Oaks is a single, nine-inning game starting at 3:30pm ET. That game will take place at the baseball field at Scranton HS, and will have a video livestream available via lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE and the Region XIX sports network.
 
Lackawanna College is next in action on the road on Thursday, April 20^th, when the Falcons travel to Montgomery County CC for another non-division mid-week clash with a Region XIX DIII opponent. That game is set for a 3:00pm ET first pitch in Blue Bell, PA.