4/20/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College baseball enters an important stretch of the year with six games in four straight days, and it starts on Thursday, April 20^th, when the Falcons take on Montgomery County CC on the road.
 
First pitch is set for 3:00pm ET in Blue Bell, PA against the Mustangs at the Montco Baseball field on campus. There is no video livestream available for the nine-inning game.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (22-13) has gone 15-4 in its last 19 games, and has won four straight games. The Falcons were most recently in action on Tuesday, where they hosted Salem CC in a 16-5 win in seven innings. Lackawanna drew 12 walks and got hit by six pitches, and scored nine runs in the bottom of the third to turn around a 5-1 deficit. You can read the recap HERE.  
 
The Falcons are hitting .324 on the year so far, posting a combined .964 OPS, with a .447 on-base percentage. The Falcons have scored 315 runs, while giving up 227, and have scored ten or more runs in 17 games this season, 15 of which have been wins. Lackawanna College has 126 extra-base hits, including 75 doubles and 28 homeruns, and the Falcons have been deadly on the base paths, going 117-for-123 on steals this year. Lackawanna has drawn 207 walks this season, but has struck out 231 times. The Falcons pitching staff holds a 7.30 ERA so far this season, giving up 227 runs, 193 earned, on 252 hits in 244 innings. The Falcons have struck out 259 batters and are holding their opponents to a .261 batting average this season.
 
Corner infielder Ian Murphy (West Deptford, NJ) is a .383 hitter this year, and leads the Falcons with 44 total hits on the year. Murphy has a 1.088 OPS on the season in 33 games, and is slugging at .617 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 40 RBI on the year, collecting 17 extra base hits and scoring 36 runs, second on the team this year. Murphy has also drawn 15 walks this season, tied for sixth on the squad, and is one of eleven Falcons with ten or more walks. Murphy has 14 multi-hit games this season, and was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a double on the day against Salem on Tuesday.  
 
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 did not play on Tuesday against Salem.   
 
Shortstop Brayden D'Amico (Bethlehem, PA) has a .360 batting average in his 32 games this year. D'Amico has a .985 OPS, and has 36 hits, third on the team this year. D'Amico has scored 26 runs, fifth on the squad, and has nine doubles this season, driving in 28 runs this year, third on the Falcons. D'Amico has a .485 on-base percentage, getting hit by a team-high ten pitches and drawing 18 walks, third on the team. D'Amico has ten multi-hit games this season. He was 1-for-3 with three runs scored, a double, and an RBI, getting hit by a pair of pitches as well, against Salem.
 
Outfielder Christian Rush (Perkasie, PA) has the most at-bats (120) and holds a .292 batting average through 35 games on the year, compiling 35 hits, fourth on the team. Rush has a .928 OPS, with a team-high four triples, five homeruns, and 32 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 34 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 1-for-1 with four runs scored, three walks, a double, and two RBI against Salem on Tuesday.     
 
Catcher and DH Michael Miller (Lafayette Hill, PA) is hitting .470 in his 25 games this year, and has an OPS of 1.321. Miller's 31 hits are fifth on the team, and he's scored 21 runs on the year. Miller has 12 extra base hits this season, with four homeruns and eight doubles on the year. He's driven in 23 RBI this year, and has a slugging percentage at .773, with a .548 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 five games, and was 1-for-4 with four RBI on a sac fly and a double, along with a run scored, against Salem CC on Tuesday.  
 
Utility player Eric Ludwick (Bethlehem, PA) is averaging .250 on the year, with an OPS at .758 on the year. Ludwick has 25 hits on the season, scoring 29 runs, and he has driven in 26 RBI, fourth on the team this season. Ludwick has 16 walks this season, fifth on the team. Ludwick has nine extra base hits, with two homeruns, five doubles, and two triples this year. Ludwick has six multi-hit games on the year, and went 1-for-3 with two walks, two RBI, a run scored, and a double against Salem earlier this week.  
 
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 did not appear against Salem CC on Tuesday at home.   
 
Catcher Cole Casamento (Limerick, PA) has 21 total hits and is hitting .356 in 26 games this season. Casamento has 15 runs scored on the year, and holds a .899 OPS. Casamento has six doubles this year, with 13 RBI, and has drawn eight walks, with a .441 on-base percentage. Casamento also has six stolen bases this season. Cole has four multi-hit games this season, and went 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI on Tuesday against Salem.    
 
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 19.1 innings of work this year in a team-high 12 appearances, with two starts this season. He's got a 6.98 ERA, giving up 16 runs, 15 earned, on 15 hits, while striking out 22 batters and walking 20. McElligott is holding his opponents to a .200 batting average on the year. He has gotten the start in two of his last four appearances, including on April 8th 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 an inning of relief against Salem on Tuesday, giving up just one hit in the seventh.
 
Reliever Ty Morris (Manchester Valley, MD) has thrown 18.2 innings so far this season, posting a 6.27 ERA and a 4-0 record in his ten appearances. Morris has given up 16 runs, 13 earned, on 27 hits, striking out 16 and walking seven on the year. Teams are hitting .338 against Morris this season. Morris got the win in his last appearance, pitching two innings of relief against Salem on Tuesday, giving up a hit and a walk, but also getting a strikeout.
 
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 116-70 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
Montgomery County CC (13-6) comes into Thursday's match-up after knocking off Region XIX DII opponent Raritan Valley CC on Wednesday by an 11-8 score. With the win, the Mustangs snapped what was a four-game losing streak. Earlier this week, they lost a 10-8 game to Cabrini University JV.
 
The Mustangs are averaging around 7.2 runs per game this year, and are hitting around .302 as a team this season. They hold a collective .820 OPS, including a .411 OBP. The Mustangs have 34 extra base hits coming into this week's action, with 119 strikeouts and 73 walks, while stealing 41 bases. The pitching staff holds a collective ERA at 4.07, giving up 101 runs, just 51 earned, on 104 hits in 112.2 collective innings. Entering this week, the Mustangs had struck out 98 batters, walking 59.
 
Entering this week, Aidan Rapp and Travis Schiller each led the squad with 18 total hits this year. Rapp had a .400 batting average and a .940 OPS, boosted by his .518 OBP. Rapp had scored 17 runs, tops on the team, and had a double for nine RBI on the year. He had a team-high eleven walks, and stole six bases on the season. He had seven multi-hit games coming into the week.
 
Schiller is also hitting .400, and has a 1.060 OPS on the year. Schiller had scored 15 runs, tied for third on the team, and had five doubles and a homer for a team-best 17 RBI this season. He had drawn nine walks, tied for third on the team, and had four stolen bases. He had six games with multiple hits on the year heading into this week's action.
 
Sean McAfee entered the week with 15 total hits this season, a .283 batting average. McAfee had scored 12 runs, and hit three doubles for seven RBI this season. He had drawn nine walks, tied with Schiller for third on the team, but also had a team-worst 14 strikeouts this season. McAfee is second on the team with seven stolen bases this season. He's got three games with multiple hits on the year.
 
Mike Greco also entered the week with 15 total hits, good for a .294 batting average so far this season. Greco has scored eleven runs this season, and leads the Mustangs with six doubles on the year. He's driven in eleven runs, third on the team, and had five walks and a pair of stolen bases coming into action this week. Greco had four multi-hit games coming into this week.
 
Connor English entered this week with 15 total hits as well, and had a .300 batting average. English had scored 15 runs, tied with Schiller for third on the team, and had two doubles and two homers for 13 RBI, second on the Mustangs this season. English had seven walks and two stolen bases coming into this week's games. He had five multi-hit games on the year, heading into this week's action.
 
Jake Bruno had eleven total hits heading into this week's games, averaging .234 at the dish this year. Bruno had scored eight runs, hit three doubles, and had driven in seven runs on the year. He had drawn seven walks and stolen a pair of bases on the year. He had one multi-hit game on the year, coming into this week.
 
Jake Phillips also had eleven total hits entering the week, averaging .379 on the year. Phillips has a team-best 1.378 OPS, boosted by his .828 slugging percentage. Phillips has scored 16 runs, second on the team, and has four doubles and a team-best three homers, driving in six runs. He's drawn eight walks, and has five stolen bases on the year.   
 
Evan Weinburg entered the week with the most appearances (10) and innings pitched (38) for the Mustangs this year, posting a 3.55 ERA. Weinburg had given up 27 runs, 15 earned, on 34 hits, striking out 29 and walking a team-high 18 this year. Weinburg had a season-high eight strikeouts in a 12-8 win over Lehigh Carbon back on March 21^st, giving up three runs on four hits in five innings. He lost his last start, lasting just three innings against Middlesex back on April 8^th, giving up seven runs on six hits, while walking three in a game the Mustangs eventually lost, 15-2.
 
Cole Schuck is second on the team with 23 innings pitched entering the week, posting a 6.94 ERA on the year. Schuck had given up 31 runs, 18 earned, on 24 hits, while striking out 18 and walking 15 this year. Schuck has dropped his last two starts, including the second game against Middlesex back on April 8^th, giving up 13 runs, six earned, on eleven hits in 3.1 innings in a game the Mustangs fell in, 20-4. He had a season-best four strikeouts in a game where he gave up just one hit in 4.2 innings against Finger Lakes CC, picking up the win in a 4-2 victory.
 
Connor Woodson had pitched 20.1 innings of work entering this week's action, posting a 0.44 ERA on the year. Woodson had given up seven runs, just one earned, on 15 hits, striking out 31 and walking just two. Before this week, Woodson had not played since March 21^st. His best outing came in a start against Sullivan, where he gave up two unearned runs on six hits, while striking out ten in seven innings.
 
The head coach for Montgomery County CC is Mike Fitzgerald, now in his sixth year with the Mustangs, after taking over in 2018. Fitzgerald became the head coach after spending time as an assistant with the Mustangs program. Fitzgerald is a graduate of Boyertown, where he played and coached for 15 years. He coached the high school team for six seasons, and also coach the American Legion team for six seasons. Fitzgerald is 45-34 in his time at Montgomery County. 
 
Game Details
First pitch of this nine-inning contest is set for 3:00pm ET in Blue Bell, PA, at the Montco Baseball field on campus. There is no video livestream available.
 
Lackawanna College is next in action on the road on Friday, April 21^st, when the Falcons are set to start a three-game series with Raritan Valley CC. It starts with a nine-inning contest on Friday afternoon at 3:00pm ET in Branchburg, NJ.