5/19/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – After a successful first postseason weekend for Lackawanna College baseball, the Falcons will look to duplicate that success this upcoming weekend, when Lackawanna College is set to compete in and host the NJCAA DII East District Tournament on Friday, May 19^th, and Saturday, May 20^th, in Northeast PA, with a shot to go to the NJCAA DII Baseball World Series on the line.  
 
Lackawanna College, the 2023 Region XIX champion, is set to compete against the Region XXI/III subregion champion UConn Avery Point in the first game of the tournament on Friday, May 19^th at 11:00am ET at Scranton HS baseball field. The Falcons and Pointers have split their regular season series, 2-2, each taking a doubleheader split at home and away this past season.  
 
The second game pits Region XV champion SUNY Sullivan CC against Region XIX runner-up Delaware Tech CC, also at 11:00am ET on Friday. The site for game two is at Penn State Scranton's Matt McGloin Field in Dunmore, PA.  
 
The winners of the two games will face each other at one site at 3:00pm ET, while the losers of the eleven o'clock games will meet in an elimination game at the other site, also at 3:00pm ET. Lackawanna College, regardless of a win or loss at 11:00am, will play at Scranton HS at 3:00pm ET.
 
The next day, Saturday, May 20^th, will start at 11:00am ET at Scranton HS, where the two teams remaining with a 1-1 record will play in an elimination game. The winner of that game will face the team that went 2-0 on Friday in an NJCAA DII East District Championship game at 3:00pm ET at Scranton HS. If the team with one-loss wins that game, a winner-take-all championship game will be played at 12:00pm ET at Scranton HS on Sunday, May 21^st.
 
All East District Championship games will be streamed live on the Lackawanna College Athletics Network (lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE) and the Region 19 Sports Network (region19sn.com).
 
The team that wins the East District championship will be the district representative at the NJCAA DII Baseball World Series, happening May 27^th through June 3^rd at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Oklahoma.  
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (35-15), after starting 7-9 this season, has gone 28-6 since then, winning 12 games in a row at one point, and have most recently gone 3-0 to win the Region XIX DII Baseball championship this past weekend. The top-seeded Falcons overcame a deficit against Morris in the sixth inning thanks to a go-ahead two-run double from Eric Ludwick (Bethlehem, PA), then got two two-run homers from Dennis Pierce (Quakertown, PA) in game two against Delaware Tech on day one to give the Falcons a championship berth. You can read that recap HERE. In Saturday's championship game, the Falcons overwhelmed Delaware Tech, scoring nine runs in the sixth inning to pull away for a decisive 15-2 victory, thanks in part to a pair of two-run homeruns from Ludwick. You can read the recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are hitting .336 on the year so far, posting a combined 1.000 OPS, with a .458 on-base percentage. The Falcons have scored 485 runs, while giving up 295, and have scored ten or more runs in 25 games this season, 23 of which have been wins. Lackawanna College has 185 extra-base hits, including 105 doubles and 49 homeruns, and the Falcons have been deadly on the base paths, going 165-for-177 on steals this year. Lackawanna leads Region XIX in triples (31) and is first in stolen bases. Lackawanna has drawn 295 walks this season, but has struck out 296 times. The Falcons pitching staff holds a 6.41 ERA so far this season, giving up 295 runs, 253 earned, on 350 hits in 355.1 innings. The Falcons have struck out 348 batters and are holding their opponents to a .249 batting average this season.
 
Corner infielder Ian Murphy (West Deptford, NJ) is a .367 hitter this year, and leads the Falcons with 62 total hits on the year. Murphy, a first-team All-Region XIX selection this season, has a 1.034 OPS on the season in 48 games, and is slugging at .580 for the Falcons this season. Murphy is fifth on the team with six homeruns this season, and he has a team-best 58 RBI on the year, collecting 24 extra base hits and scoring 54 runs, third on the team this year. Murphy's 18 doubles are tops on the team. Murphy has also drawn 23 walks this season, tied for fourth on the squad, and is one of 12 Falcons with ten or more walks, and one of eight with 20 or more. Murphy has 19 multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 3-for-13 in three games last weekend, scoring a pair of runs, driving in three runs, and hitting a pair of doubles.      
 
Outfielder Christian Rush (Perkasie, PA) has the most at-bats (171) and holds a .351 batting average through 49 games on the year, compiling 60 hits, second on the team. Rush is a first-team All-Region XIX selection, and has a 1.079 OPS, with a team-high six triples and nine homeruns, tied for first on the team, with 55 RBI on the year. Rush is second in RBI behind Murphy this year. His 56 runs scored are second on the team this year. Rush is a perfect 28-for-28 in stolen bases this season, second on the team. He has drawn 23 walks, tied with Murphy for fourth-most on the squad, but has struck out a team-high 37 times this year. Rush has 17 multi-hit games this year, and was a combined 4-for-13 in three games last weekend, driving in three runs, scoring a pair, and hitting an RBI triple and a two-run homerun.  
 
Outfielder Zachary Walsh (Spring Brook Twp., PA) holds a .372 batting average so far this season, and is third on the team with 55 hits. Walsh is a first-team All-Region XIX selection, and the Region XIX Player of the Year this season. He has a 1.158 OPS, and has scored a team-high 64 runs. Walsh has 36 RBI, and 20 extra base hits this season, including seven homers, tied for third on the team. He has drawn a team-best 46 walks, and has stolen 50 total bases this year, first on the team and first in NJCAA DII. Walsh has a .530 on-base percentage, but has struck out 34 times, second-most on the team this year. Walsh has 15 multi-hit games this year, and was a combined 1-for-8 in two games on Friday this past weekend, posting a double for the Falcons. He did not play on Saturday in the Region XIX championship game.  
 
Catcher and DH Michael Miller (Lafayette Hill, PA) is hitting .450 in his 40 games this year, and has an OPS of 1.292. Miller was selected as a first-team All-Region XIX selection at DH for this season, and his 54 hits are fourth on the team, while he's scored 38 runs on the year. Miller has 19 extra base hits this season, with a tied-for-first on the team nine homeruns and ten doubles on the year. He's driven in 41 RBI this year, and has a slugging percentage at .758, with a .534 on-base percentage. He's drawn 20 walks and has been hit by five pitches so far this season. Miller has 18 multi-hit games, and had a 16-game hitting streak recently. He was a combined 4-for-12 in three games last weekend, scoring a pair of runs and driving in another.   
 
Shortstop Brayden D'Amico (Bethlehem, PA) has a .336 batting average in his 47 games this year. D'Amico, a second-team All-Region XIX selection, has a .946 OPS and has 50 hits, fifth on the team this year. D'Amico has scored 41 runs, fifth on the squad, and has 13 doubles this season, driving in 40 runs this year, fifth on the Falcons this season. D'Amico has a .469 on-base percentage, getting hit by a team-high 15 pitches and drawing 27 walks, second on the team. D'Amico has 13 multi-hit games this season. D'Amico broke out of a slump with an impressive weekend, going a combined 4-for-9 with four runs scored, a pair of doubles, and an RBI in three games.
 
Catcher and occasional first baseman Eric Ludwick (Bethlehem, PA) is averaging .319 on the year, with an OPS at .982 this season. Ludwick has 45 hits on the season, scoring 44 runs, fourth on the squad, and he has driven in 53 RBI, third on the team this season. Ludwick has 25 walks this season, third on the team this year, and has 17 extra base hits, with seven homeruns, seven doubles, and three triples this year. Ludwick has eleven multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 3-for-7 with two runs scored, seven RBI, a double, and a pair of homeruns in two games this past weekend.
 
Utility player Spencer Butz (York, PA) is hitting .323 on the year in his 35 games, with 27 starts this season. Butz has a 1.083 OPS, and has a .492 on-base percentage this season. Butz has 30 total hits, and has 31 RBI this season. He's also scored 36 runs for the Falcons this year. Butz has 12 extra base hits, including three triples and five homeruns, and has drawn 21 walks, while getting hit by eleven pitches this season. Butz has also stolen 19 bases, third on the squad. Butz has eight multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 0-for-4 in three games this weekend, but drew three walks, was hit by two pitches, and scored four runs for the Falcons.  
 
Second baseman Michael Rickert (Moosic, PA) is hitting .389 in his 33 games this season, posting a 1.108 OPS. Rickert has 28 total hits, and has scored 20 runs. He has five doubles and five triples on the season, and has driven in 19 RBI. Rickert has drawn 18 walks, and has a .511 OBP, while stealing nine bags on the year. Rickert has seven multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 3-for-9 with a run scored, a triple, and two RBI in three games last weekend in the Region XIX playoffs.
 
On the mound, the Falcons are led by Kyle Scott (Westminster, MD), who is 7-2 on the year in 12 starts. Scott, a second-team all-Region XIX selection this year, and now a two-time second-teamer, was the Region XIX Pitcher of the Year in 2021. Scott has a 3.77 ERA in 59.2 innings pitched, giving up 32 runs, 25 earned, on 41 hits, while striking out a team-best 92 batters and walking 32. Scott has held his opponents to .183 on the season, but has seven wild pitches and has hit a team-high 12 batters this season. Scott has five games where he has struck out ten or more batters this season. Scott tossed a season-high 14 strikeouts in a 12-0 win over Monroe CC back on April 7^th. He earned the win in his last start, allowing two runs on four hits in seven while striking out 12 in a 6-4 win against Delaware Tech. He did walk seven in that game, the most he's walked all season long, and the Squares got to him in the seventh for a pair of runs, before he got out of trouble.         
 
Aiden Starn (Pennsville, NJ) has pitched 51.2 innings so far this season, and has a 5-2 record with a 4.70 ERA this year. He's allowed 32 runs, 27 earned, on 57 hits, with 50 strikeouts and 21 walks this year. Batters are hitting .275 against Starn in his eleven appearances. Starn has had three straight excellent starts in his last three appearances, giving up two runs, one earned, on seven hits in a complete game 9-2 win over Sussex on April 23^rd, where he struck out a season-high eight batters, and then following that up with another complete game, this one on the road at Mercer, giving up one run on seven hits while striking out a pair in a 4-1 Falcons win on May 1^st. His latest game was another great start, giving up two runs on five hits in six innings, striking out seven, in a 4-2 victory for Lackawanna in its Region XIX playoff opener vs. Morris last Friday.
 
Reliever Ty Morris (Manchester Valley, MD) has thrown 35.2 innings so far this season, posting a 4.79 ERA and a 6-0 record in his 14 appearances. Morris has given up 22 runs, 14 earned, on 42 hits, striking out 22 and walking 14 on the year. Teams are hitting .290 against Morris this season. Morris was excellent in his last appearance, getting the win and pitching six scoreless innings of relief against Delaware Tech last Saturday, striking out a pair and allowing four hits in a 15-2 Region XIX championship victory for the Falcons. 
 
Matthew McElligott (Columbus, OH) has thrown 31.2 innings of work this year in a team-high 18 appearances, with two starts this season. He's got a 5.68 ERA, giving up 21 runs, 20 earned, on 26 hits, while striking out 30 batters and walking 25. McElligott is holding his opponents to a .217 batting average on the year. McElligott had a great relief appearance on April 28^th against Mercer, pitching three scoreless innings and striking out three for the win. He relieved Scott last Friday in the first game against Delaware Tech, giving up two runs on one hit and three walks in 1.2 innings, but still helping the Falcons secure the win.
 
Nathan Russell (Drexel Hill, PA) has thrown 28 innings of work so far this season, making 15 appearances, and two starts, posting a 6.75 ERA and going 3-0 this season, with a save. Russell has given up 21 runs on 25 hits, while striking out 23 and walking 18 this year. Russell's opponents are averaging .238 at the dish against him this year. After pitching almost exclusively out of the pen all year, Russell's last two appearances have come via start, including the Region XIX championship game on Saturday against Delaware Tech, where he gave up two runs on one hit, with four strikeouts and a pair of walks in three innings.  
 
Reliever Jace Cunnane (Clarkstown, NY) has thrown 25 innings this season, posting a 2.88 ERA in 13 appearances, going 2-0 and posting four saves. He's given up eleven runs on 21 hits, while striking out 19 and walking just nine batters this year. Cunnane is holding opponents to a .212 batting average this season. Cunnane had a three-inning save in his last appearance, striking out three and giving up one hit against Morris on Friday in the Region XIX playoffs, helping preserve a 4-2 Falcons victory.
 
Reliever Ty Federici (Lehman, PA) has made ten appearances and is 3-2 with an 8.10 ERA so far this season. In his 20 innings pitched, Federici has allowed 24 runs, 18 earned, on 31 hits, while striking out 18 and walking eight. Batters have hit him hard this season, with a .326 batting average against him. Federici started in his last pitching appearance two weeks ago, giving up three runs on four hits and striking out three through three innings of work against Duchess.
 
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. After winning a third region title in 2023, he has them on the cusp of another World Series appearance. 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 129-72 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 Regions XXI/III Champion UConn Avery Point
The Pointers (27-9) come into the weekend on a tear, having won eleven of their last 12 games, including a clean-sweep over Region III champion Monroe CC last weekend in the Region XXI/III sub-regional final. UCAP outslugged the Tribunes in game one, 13-10, building an early 10-2 advantage, eventually building out a 13-6 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, before Monroe scored a pair in the eighth and the ninth, to cut it to 13-10, flaming out eventually when a pinch-hitter struck out with one on. In game two on Saturday, Avery Point hit the front early again, building a 7-3 lead after just two innings. Monroe cut it to 9-6 after two runs in the sixth, but the Pointers scored one run on an error, then hit a solo homer for another, to build the lead back out to 11-6. Monroe got some two-out support going with a walk and a double, followed by another walk, but a strikeout ended the game and the series at 11-7, giving the Pointers the berth in the district playoffs.
 
The Pointers have played the Falcons four times this year, splitting the season series at 2-2. Avery Point dropped game one in Scranton back on April 2^nd, 7-6, when the Falcons got a game-tying homerun in the seventh, followed by a walk-off triple in the eighth. UCAP took advantage of six walks and four hit batters in game two to score ten runs in three innings of game two on their way to a 13-5 win in game two. A week later, in Groton, CT, the Pointers dropped a 6-2 decision in game one, before literally walking off the Falcons in game two, 5-4, on a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning.    
 
UCAP is hitting .260 as a team, averaging around 7.6 runs per game on the year. The Pointers have a collective OPS of .790, and have hit 74 extra base hits this year, including 51 doubles and 21 homeruns. UCAP has drawn 255 walks, and struck out 205 times, while stealing 97 bases on the year. The Pointers are a very patient team at the dish, and have been hit by 44 pitches this season. UCAP has a collective ERA of 3.45 on the year, pitching a combined 269 innings and giving up just 136 runs, 103 earned, on 237 hits. The Pointers have struck out 292 batters, and walked 82 so far this season. 
 
Tyler Rice is hitting .356 this season, and has 37 total hits for the Pointers, first on the team. Rice has scored 25 runs, fourth on the team, and has hit a team-high 13 doubles this season. Rice has 17 extra base hits, first on the squad, and is second on the team with 29 RBI. His 20 walks are fifth on the Pointers, and he's one of 14 players with double-digit walks, and one of five players with 20 or more walks this season. Rice has a 1.043 OPS on the year, with a team-best .596 slugging percentage. Rice has ten multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 3-for-9 with a run scored, two doubles, two RBI, a walk, and a strikeout in two games against Monroe CC last weekend. Rice has a four-game hitting streak entering the weekend.  
 
Zachary Mascaro is second on the team with 34 total hits and has a .306 batting average this year. Mascaro has scored 28 runs, third on the Pointers, and has 12 extra base hits, hitting six doubles, two triples, and four homers this season. Mascaro has a team-best 36 RBI, and has drawn 21 walks, while compiling a .927 OPS. Mascaro has 15 stolen bases, third on the team, and has only struck out eight times this season. has nine multi-hit games on the year, was 2-for-6 with a run scored and a stolen base in the Friday win over Monroe CC last weekend.  
 
Malcolm Mention has 27 total hits, third on the team, and is a .273 hitter this season. Mention has scored a team-high 37 runs, and has a .744 OPS, boosted by his team-best .451 OBP. Mention has 17 RBI, and has drawn 25 walks, third on the team. He's got a team-best 22 stolen bases this year, and has only struck out eleven times. He's also been hit by a team-high eight pitches this season. Mention has seven multi-hit games this year, going a combined 4-for-9 with five runs scored and three RBI, walking and stealing a base in a pair of games against Monroe CC last weekend.  
 
Andrew Lozier has 26 total hits and a .271 batting average this season. Lozier has scored 22 runs, and hit a team-high six homers for 25 RBI, third on the squad. Lozier has a .949 OPS this season, and has drawn a team-best 28 walks. He also has a team-worst 35 strikeouts this year. Lozier has ten total extra base hits, adding four doubles to his homerun total. Lozier has seven multi-hit games on the year, and went a combined 2-for-9 with two runs scored, a double, a homer, one RBI, a walk, a strikeout, and a stolen base in two games against Monroe CC last weekend.  
 
Vance Ward has 25 total hits, fifth on the team, and has a .275 batting average this season. Ward has scored 30 runs, second on the team, and has a pair of doubles and 18 RBI. Ward has drawn 26 walks this season, second on the team, and is also second on the Pointers with 21 stolen bases. Ward has a .450 OBP this year, second on the team this year. Ward has seven multi-hit games this season, with two coming last weekend against Monroe CC. Ward was a combined 4-for-8 with four runs scored, five RBI, and three walks in two games against the Tribunes last week.
 
Keegan Daigle leads the Pointers with 43 innings pitched this season, going 4-1 in his eight appearances with a 2.30 ERA. Daigle has given up 13 runs, eleven earned, on 32 hits, with a team-high 53 strikeouts and just eleven walks this season. Daigle has had just one start where he's had less than five strikeouts, getting the win in five innings against Lackawanna back on April 8^th, striking out four in the 5-4 win, but he did not get the decision. Daigle had a season-best nine strikeouts in a 2-0 loss to Northern Essex back on March 5^th. He has won his last two starts, with his last appearance coming in the regular season finale against Westchester on May 6^th, where he struck out eight and gave up just one run on three hits in six innings of an 8-1 win over the Vikings. Daigle did not pitch last weekend against Monroe CC.  
 
Alex Mach has appeared in seven games, all starts, going 3-1 with a 3.32 ERA so far this season. In 38 innings pitched, Mach has given up 19 runs, 14 earned, on 37 hits, striking out 41 batters, second on the team, and walking 13. Mach set his season-best with ten strikeouts in a game where he did not receive a decision, a 3-2 loss to Northern Essex back on March 5^th. He got the loss in his start against Lackawanna back on April 8^th, allowing four runs on five hits in three innings of a 6-2 loss to the Falcons. Mach won his last start, pitching five innings and giving up five runs on nine hits, while striking out six, in the 13-10 win over Monroe CC last Friday.  
 
Tiernan Powers is third on the team with 37 innings pitched, and is 2-2 with a 2.68 ERA in a team-high ten appearances, while also recording a save. Powers has given up 18 runs, eleven earned, on 34 hits, while striking out 40 and walking just eight.  He had a season-best eight strikeouts in an 8-1 win over CCBC Essex back on March 14^th, giving up three hits and one run in seven innings. In his last start, back on April 22^nd, he got the win, giving up a run on four hits in six innings, striking out seven in a 2-1 win over Southern Maine CC. In his last two appearances, he's pitched in relief, his last being in game one against Monroe CC last Friday, giving up five runs on seven hits and striking out six in four innings against the Tribunes.
 
Liam Chamberlain has pitched 30 innings this season, going 3-1 with a 4.80 ERA in seven appearances. Chamberlain has given up 17 runs, 16 earned, on 24 hits, striking out 38 batters and walking 13 so far this season. Chamberlain had a season-high nine strikeouts in a start against Monroe CC back on April 16^th, giving up two hits in seven innings of a 4-0 shutout win. Chamberlain got the loss in his last appearance, giving up four runs on three hits in two innings of relief in a 9-7 loss to Westchester.
 
Cole Forcellina has pitched 21.1 innings this year, going 2-1 in eight appearances with a 4.64 ERA. Forcellina has given up 22 runs, eleven earned, on 23 hits, while striking out 18 and walking eight this season. Forcellina has struck out his season-high six twice this year, the second time coming against Monroe CC in the Saturday game last weekend, where he gave up one run on two hits in 3.1 innings, striking out six in the 11-7 victory.  
 
The head coach for UConn Avery Point is Ian Ratchford, now into his fourth year with the Pointers. Ratchford came to the Pointers after a year as an assistant at the University of Bridgeport in the NCAA Division II. He also spent three years at Western Connecticut State, and with the Danbury Westerners of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, along with the Front Royal Cardinals of the Valley Baseball League. Ratchford is a former Pointer himself, and went on to earn a bachelor's degree from Post University. He got the Pointers to the District championship game last season, where they beat Mercer in game one, but dropped the next two to the Vikings to fall just short of the NJCAA DII World Series. Ratchford is 59-35-1 in his career at UCAP. 
 
About Region XV Champion SUNY Sullivan CC
SUNY Sullivan (21-17) comes into the weekend on a tear, winning seven in a row and ten of its last 12 games. The Generals most recently went 3-0 through the Region XV playoffs just last weekend. On May 11^th, the second-seeded Generals outlasted host and third-seeded SUNY Rockland CC, 14-10, building an early 11-3 lead and then hanging on for the victory. In the winners' bracket game the next day, Sullivan took on top-seeded SUNY Westchester CC, a team Sullivan lost three of four games two earlier this season. The Vikings held a 4-2 lead after three innings, but the Generals tied things up with two runs in the fifth, and then broke then game open with four runs in the seventh to take an 8-4 lead that ended up being the final margin. Sullivan awaited the winner of Westchester and Rockland the next day. The host-Hawks were the final opponent, having upended Westchester in the elimination game. Rockland gave Sullivan all it could handle, and both teams were tied at 5-all heading into the ninth, when Sullivan answered the bell with two runs in the top frame, then shut the door in the bottom half to secure the first Sullivan Region XV title since 2011.   
 
The Generals are hitting .307 on the year as a squad, with a combined .851 OPS. Sullivan has scored 265 runs in 38 games, just under seven runs per contest, up from their 4.5 runs per game average in late-April. The Generals have 98 extra base hits, with 67 doubles and 22 homers on the year, and have drawn 159 walks this year, while striking out 255 times. The Generals have 85 stolen bases this season, and have been hit by 41 pitches this year, helping with a collective .410 OBP this season.  
 
As a staff, the Generals have a 6.54 ERA, allowing 245 runs, 178 earned, on 274 hits in 245 innings this year. They have 215 strikeouts and 163 walks this season, and Sullivan opponents have hit eight homeruns.
 
Andi Rivas leads the Generals with 51 hits this year, and has a .451 batting average through 37 games. Rivas has put up a 1.277 OPS on the year, buoyed by a team-high .726 slugging percentage. Rivas has scored 27 runs, fourth on the squad, and has 18 extra base hits, a team-high, with eleven doubles and 43 RBI, tied for first on the team. Rivas has six homers this year, second on the team, and he's drawn 21 walks this year, second on the Generals this season. Rivas has 16 strikeouts this year, and a pair of stolen bases, and has a team-best .551 OBP. Rivas has 16 multi-hit games, and was a combined 6-for-12 in three games last weekend, scoring four runs, doubling twice, hitting a homerun, driving in a pair of runs and walking four times in the Region XV tournament.   
 
Jacob Yager is second on the team with 48 hits on the year, compiling a .387 batting average and a 1.092 OPS this season. Yager has scored 34 runs, second on the team, and leads the Generals with seven homeruns this year. He's got 43 RBI, tied with Rivas for first on the team, and has ten doubles, third on the squad this season. Yager leads the team with 124 at-bats on the year, and has 12 walks and one stolen base this season. He's got 13 multi-hit games, including his last four games, and was a combined 6-for-15 with four runs scored, two doubles, two homers, and eight RBI in three games in the Region XV tournament last weekend.
 
In 34 games this year, Austin Napoli has 40 hits, third on the team, and has a .370 batting average, putting up a .939 OPS this year. Napoli has scored 32 runs on the year, third on the team, and has seven doubles and 22 RBI for the Generals. Napoli has 23 walks, tops on the squad, and has a team-high 16 stolen bases this year. Napoli's .504 OBP is second on the team. Austin has ten multi-hit games this season, and was a combined 7-for-15 with four runs scored, two doubles, and an RBI in three games last weekend at the Region XV tournament.  
 
Nicolas Nunez has 35 hits this season, with a .318 batting average on the year. He's first on the team with 37 runs scored, and is tied with Rivas for first on the team with eleven doubles this year. Nunez also leads the squad with three triples, and has 19 RBI this year. Nunez has a .900 OPS this season. He has drawn 12 walks this season, but struck out a team-worst 26 times this year. Nunez has 13 stolen bases, second on the squad. Nunez has ten multi-hit games this season, and he was a combined 5-for-13 with six runs scored, a double, a triple, and a homerun, driving in five runs in three games last weekend in the Region XV tournament.  
 
Cameron Mann has 34 total hits this season, and a .400 batting average through 33 games this year. He's scored 25 runs on the year, and has a .951 OPS on the year, helped by a .469 OBP this season. Mann has five doubles and a triple this season, driving in 16 runs this year. Mann has ten walks and 12 stolen bases this year, third on the squad. Mann has eleven multi-hit games this season, and has a seven-game hit streak going. Mann was a combined 5-for-12 with three runs scored, a double, four RBI, a walk, and a pair of stolen bases in three games last weekend in the Region XV tournament.
 
Elquin Rodriguez has 31 total hits this season, and has a .265 batting average through 35 games. Rodriguez has scored 22 runs on the year, and has four doubles and a triple with 19 RBI on the season. He's drawn 16 walks and struck out 15 times this year, with five stolen bases. Rodriguez has six multi-hit games this season, and went a combined 6-for-12 with three runs scored, a double, two RBI, and a pair of walks in three games last weekend. 
 
Carlos Herrera has 30 hits on the year and a .297 batting average, scoring 19 runs on the year. Herrera has nine doubles and a homerun this season, driving in 14 RBI this year. Herrera has drawn 15 walks and has 21 strikeouts this season, and has stolen four bases this year. Herrera has seven multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 3-for-13 with a run scored and two RBI in three games last weekend.  
 
On the mound, Jack Clifford is 6-1 with a 4.72 ERA in his team-high eleven appearances this year. In 55.1 innings pitched, Clifford has allowed 31 runs, 29 earned, on 60 hits, while striking out 44 and walking 22 on the year. Clifford had a season-high ten strikeouts back on April 8^th, allowing one run on four hits in a 6-1 victory over Orange County. Clifford was the winning pitcher in the first game last Thursday against Rockland, but gave up ten runs on 16 hits in eight innings, striking out three, but still getting the win. In his last appearance, he pitched one inning of scoreless relief, giving up a hit against Rockland to help earn the save in the ninth inning of the Region XV championship.
 
Robert Caeners has thrown 45 innings on the year, going 3-3 in eight appearances with a 5.20 ERA. He has given up 40 runs, 26 earned, on 36 hits, striking out 32 and walking a team-high 28 batters. Caeners set his season-high with six strikeouts in a loss to Montgomery County CC back on March 15^th, giving up three runs on five hits in six innings of a 3-2 loss to the Mustangs. He was the starter in the Region XV championship, giving up four runs, two earned, on three hits, while striking out four in seven innings against Rockland. He did not get a decision against the Hawks. 
 
Gerard Santos has appeared in nine games, with nine starts, going 4-3 with a 4.43 ERA this year. Santos has pitched 40.2 innings, giving up 25 runs, 20 earned, on 33 hits, while striking out a team-high 50 batters, and walking 19 this year. Santos has four games this season with five or more strikeouts, and saved his best for his last game, pitching a nine-inning complete game victory over Westchester last Friday. Against the Vikings, he gave up four runs on eight hits while striking out a season-high 13 in the 8-4 win.  
 
Sean Duke is 4-3 in nine appearances this season, posting an 8.33 ERA on the year. Duke has pitched 40 innings of work, giving up 42 runs, 37 earned, on 45 hits with 48 strikeouts, second on the team. Duke has walked 26 batters this season, second-most on the staff. Duke has five games with five or more strikeouts this season, with a season-best eleven strikeouts coming against Orange County on April 6^th, giving up six runs on six hits in seven innings in a 21-8 win over the Colts. Duke has won his last two starts, and most recently pitched against Dutchess CC on May 5^th, where he allowed three runs on six hits in five innings, striking out five in the 6-3 win over the Falcons.  
 
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.
 
About Region XIX Runner-Up Delaware Tech CC
Delaware Tech (32-19) finished as the runner-up last weekend in Region XIX. The Squares won the first game of the weekend against Sussex, overcoming an early 6-0 deficit with eight straight runs, including four in the eighth to take the lead. Del Tech fell 6-4 in the second game of the day, against Lackawanna College, forcing the Squares to play on Saturday morning in the elimination game, against Sussex once again. The second match-up was much less drama-free, as the Squares jumped out to an 8-1 lead after 4.5 innings and never looked back on their way to a 12-4 victory. In the championship game, Del Tech ran out of gas, as Lackawanna broke open a 3-2 game with 12 straight runs to close things out with a 15-2 victory.  
 
Delaware Tech is hitting .330 as a team this season, with a .909 OPS this year. Delaware Tech has scored 402 runs in 51 games this season, just under eight runs per game on the year. The Squares have 133 extra base hits this season, with 79 doubles and 44 homeruns on the year. Del Tech has 223 walks and has struck out 279 times, while stealing 117 bases on the year. The pitching staff for the Squares has a 5.80 team ERA, giving up 292 runs, 234 earned, on 369 hits in 363 innings. They have struck out 371 batters this year, at a 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings-clip, and have given up 212 walks this season.
 
Outfielder Kory Pritchard, a second-team All-Region XIX selection, leads Del Tech with 75 total hits this year, and a .401 batting average. He's got a 1.028 OPS this season, and he has scored 60 runs this year, second on the squad. He's got 18 extra base hits, including eleven doubles and five homers, tied for fourth on the team, and has driven in 34 RBI, fourth on the team. Pritchard has walked 19 times and has stolen 19 bases this year, third on the squad. Pritchard has 23 multi-hit games on the year, and went a combined 7-for-15 in four games last weekend, scoring three runs, hitting a double, and driving in another run, while drawing a pair of walks and stealing a base throughout the tournament.  
 
Shortstop Hunter Rauch, a first-team All-Region XIX pick, is second on the team with 67 total hits and a .390 batting average this season, posting a .999 OPS. Rauch has a .470 OBP and has scored 65 runs, first on the team this season. Rauch has 12 doubles this year and 17 extra base hits overall. He's driven in 33 runs, fifth on the squad, and has drawn 21 walks, third on the team. He's also posted 35 stolen bases, most on the Del Tech squad this year. Rauch has 17 multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 4-for-19 in four games last week, with all four hits coming in the second game against Sussex, where he was 4-for-5 with three runs scored, three RBI, and a triple against the Skylanders.  
 
Outfielder Will Turner, a second-team All-Region XIX selection, has 59 total hits and a .376 batting average this year. Turner holds a 1.036 OPS, boosted by his .586 slugging percentage, and has scored 32 runs this year. Turner is second on the team with 48 RBI, posting a team-best 14 doubles and five homeruns, tied with Pritchard for fourth on the team. Turner has 13 stolen bases on the year, and has drawn eleven walks. He has 17 multi-hit games this season, and went a combined 6-for-19 in four games last weekend, scoring a run and driving in five, with a triple on the weekend.  
 
Catcher Mason Morris, a second-team All-Region XIX selection, has 46 total hits on the year, and is hitting .359 this season in 44 games. Morris has a 1.204 OPS, and has driven in 47 runs, third on the team, while scoring 44 so far this season. Morris has eleven doubles and a team-high ten homers, and has also drawn a team-best 39 walks this season, while striking out 22 times and stealing seven bases. Morris has 13 multi-hit games, and was a combined 1-for-9 with eight walks, four runs scored, a double, and an RBI for the Squares over the weekend in four games in the Region XIX tournament.
 
First baseman and relief pitcher Matt Rodriguez, a second-team All-Region XIX selection, has 45 total hits and is a .346 hitter this season in 44 games. Rodriguez has a .973 OPS, and has scored 27 runs this season. He has driven in 49 RBI, tops on the team, on eleven extra base hits, including six homers, third on the team this year. Rodriguez has 24 walks, second on the squad, but has 26 strikeouts this season. He's got eleven multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 2-for-13 in four games last weekend, hitting a solo homerun, scoring three runs, and compiling four RBI, while drawing three walks during the Region XIX tournament.
 
Designated hitter Chris Friend is hitting .193 on the year, with 22 total hits. Friend, who has played in 42 games this year, has scored 24 runs and put up ten extra base hits, including eight homeruns, second on the squad. Friend has 25 RBI and 17 walks this year, but has struck out a team-worst 39 times this year. Friend has five multi-hit games on the year, and was a combined 3-for-15 with two homers, four runs scored, and four RBI in four games last weekend. His two homers came against Sussex on Saturday.
 
Kyle Coffey has thrown a team-high 63.1 innings this season, posting a 3.69 ERA and going 8-3 in his 13 appearances. Coffey has given up 34 runs, 26 earned, on 52 hits, while striking out 57 batters, second on the staff, and walking 22 this season. Coffey had a season-best 12 strikeouts in a complete game, nine-inning 3-1 win over Morris back on March 22^nd, giving up one unearned run on one hit. He earned the win in his last appearance, a start against Sussex last Saturday, giving up four runs on four hits in 7.1 innings, striking out six in the victory.
 
Zach Hart, the Region XIX Pitcher of the Year, is second on the team with 61 innings pitched, going 7-1 in eleven appearances with a 3.54 ERA. Hart has given up 31 runs, 24 earned, on 55 hits, while striking out a team-high 71 and walking 16 this season. Hart has won seven of eight starts, with his only blip a loss to Lackawanna back on April 16^th. He had a season-best 13 punchouts in a 24-1 over Lehigh Carbon back on April 22^nd, and won his last start this past Friday, giving up six runs on nine hits and striking out six in eight innings of the 8-6 win over Sussex in the Region XIX tournament opener. He gave up six runs in the first three innings, then settled down for the next five innings to keep the Skylanders off the board.  
 
Cade Williams is third on the team with 58.2 innings pitched on the year, going 6-3 in 12 games with a 4.30 ERA. Williams has surrendered 36 runs, 28 earned, on 55 hits, while striking out 56 and walking 32 for the Squares this season. Williams has thrown a no-hitter this year, striking out a season-high eleven in a 1-0 win over Anne Arundel back on March 5^th. He took the loss in his last start, giving up five runs on six hits in 5.2 innings of work against Lackawanna College last Friday, striking out five but walking six in an eventual 6-4 loss to the Falcons.   
 
Chad Reichhold has thrown 36.2 innings this year, going 5-1 in ten appearances, with a 6.63 ERA. Reichhold has given up 27 runs, 27 earned, on 47 hits, while striking out 22 and walking 14. Reichhold had his season-high six strikeouts come in a game he started but didn't get a decision against Catonsville back on March 19^th, giving up five runs on nine hits in four innings of an eventual 11-9 loss. Reichhold suffered his first loss of the year last Saturday in the Region XIX championship game against Lackawanna, giving up six runs on seven hits in just 2.1 innings versus the Falcons.
 
Jorge Javier is the top reliever, making a team-high 19 appearances on the year. Javier is 1-2 with a 4.45 ERA, pitching 28.1 innings this season. Javier has given up 26 runs, 14 earned, on 26 hits, striking out 38 and walking 23 this season. Javier has three times achieved his season-high with four strikeouts in a game. He appeared in two games last weekend, pitching a combined four innings of work, giving up one run on three hits and striking out five.  
 
The head coach for Delaware Tech is Stu Madden, now in his sixth season in charge. Madden came to Del Tech after spending three seasons at Seaford High School in Delaware, where he won Henlopen Conference Coach of the Year in 2017. Madden is a Langhorne, PA native, and played centerfield for Wesley College for three years. At Wesley, he was a two-time all-conference player, and still is among the all-time leaders in several categories. Madden played professional baseball in Australia for the WA Whips for two years, making an all-star game and winning a gold glove award. In his six years, Madden is 136-88-1, helping guide the Terry Hawks to the Region XIX Championship game in 2021 and 2023, both times falling to Lackawanna College in the final.
 
Game Details
Lackawanna College, the 2023 Region XIX champion, is set to compete against the Regions XXI/III champion UConn Avery Point in the first game of the tournament on Friday, May 19^th at 11:00am ET at Scranton HS baseball field. The Falcons and Pointers have split their regular season series, 2-2, each taking a doubleheader split at home and away this past season. 
 
The second game pits Region XV champion SUNY Sullivan CC against Region XIX runner-up Delaware Tech CC, also at 11:00am ET on Friday. The site for game two is at Penn State Scranton's Matt McGloin Field in Dunmore, PA. 
 
The winners of the two games will face each other at one site at 3:00pm ET, while the losers of the eleven o'clock games will meet in an elimination game at the other site, also at 3:00pm ET. Lackawanna College, regardless of a win or loss at 11:00am, will play at Scranton HS at 3:00pm ET.
 
The next day, Saturday, May 20^th, will start at 11:00am ET at Scranton HS, where the two teams remaining with a 1-1 record will play in an elimination game. The winner of that game will face the team that went 2-0 on Friday in an NJCAA DII East District Championship game at 3:00pm ET at Scranton HS. If the team with one-loss wins that game, a winner-take-all championship game will be played at 12:00pm ET at Scranton HS on Sunday, May 21^st.
 
All East District Championship games will be streamed live on the Lackawanna College Athletics Network (lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE) and the Region 19 Sports Network (region19sn.com).
 
The team that wins the East District championship will be the district representative at the NJCAA DII Baseball World Series, happening May 27^th through June 3^rd at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Oklahoma.