2/21/24

SCRANTON, Pa. -- The season is starting a week later than they anticipated, but Lackawanna College softball is still itching and raring to get things started for the 2024 campaign. 

The Falcons gathered earlier this month for their annual Media Day, where the handful of sophomores and the fresh new first year players combined to take pictures and talk about what their expectations are for 2024. 

Lackawanna had an up-and-down 2023. The year started with the Falcons battling cancelations and postponements due to weather, playing eleven of a scheduled 21 games through the first month of the season. Lackawanna had two separate four-game winning streaks, but the Falcons were victims of many doubleheader splits, never quite getting the same consistency from game-to-game. A signature win came against Delaware Tech, when Lackawanna won a 3-2 thriller in ten innings at home, thanks to a dominant pitching performance and clutch hitting late. All-in-all, the Falcons went 28-19 and made the Region XIX tournament, but dropped a pair of games in the Region XIX tournament in Delaware to close out their season. 

The Falcons lost a few pieces from last year's team, including hard-hitting right fielder and second-team All-Region selection, Catarena Sommers (Windham, OH), steady infielder and pitcher Tessa Ruschman (Easton, PA), dual infielder and catcher Savannah Glover (Susquehanna, PA), catcher Gwen Balavage (Avoca, PA), and ranging left fielder Madison McVicar (Blakely, PA), among others. 

But, even so, Lackawanna returns some key pieces from last year's team, including three second-team all-region selections. One of those three is returning shortstop Madison Maloney (Sophomore; Scranton, PA), who is back to man the middle infield for the Falcons this season, where she had a hand in seven double-plays, 145 put-outs, and 102 assists in the field a year ago. In the box, Maloney was an effective batter, hitting .317 in 38 games. Maloney scored 36 runs, third on the team, while driving in 21 runs on six doubles and a team-high three triples last year.

Maloney will look to spark the Lackawanna offense and give her team a boost where she can, both on the field and at the dish. Her parents played collegiate athletics, and her sister Taylor is a former Lackawanna College softball player. Needless to say, she's got plenty of talented people in her corner, and she's looking forward to taking advantage in 2024.



Another returning second-team All-Region selection is pitcher/corner-infielder Allyson Lemerise (Sophomore; Catonsville, MD), who steps back in the circle for the Falcons, where she went 11-7 with a 3.93 ERA last season, striking out a team-high 76 batters in a team-high 112.1 innings. Lemerise threw a no-hitter against Hagerstown CC last year, and was the pitcher who went the distance against Delaware Tech, pitching ten innings in an extra-inning victory for the Falcons. She also had three homers at the dish last year, two in her last four games, driving in 15 runs on the year.

Ally had a special first year, and plans to build on that for her sophomore season. She's worked hard in the offseason, and expects to take a big step forward in 2024.



The third returning all-region selections is utility player Skylar Borthwick (Sophomore; Pittston, PA), who is back to play the hot-corner for the Falcons, where she had a fielding percentage at .969 and helped turn five double-plays a year ago. Borthwick drew 21 walks at the plate, and was a .324 hitter in her 40 appearances. She scored 33 runs and drove in 26 last season. 

The Falcons also return corner infielder Emilee Dickinson (Sophomore; Hillsboro, OR), who spent most of last season at first base. Dickinson was a .361 hitter in 36 games, hitting seven doubles and driving in 22 runs a year ago. Pitcher/infielder Aria Reyes (Sophomore; Allentown, PA) also returns to the Falcons, after hitting .338 in 35 games a year ago. Steady starting pitcher Alivia Graber (Sophomore; North Syracuse, NY) steps back into the circle for Lackawanna this season. Graber was 9-7 with an ERA at 6.00 with 95.2 innings pitched a year ago. Graber struck out 64 batters last season. 

So with a solid core group of returners, the Falcons will hope to add some pieces that can compete and give themselves a boost heading into the 2024 season. Jillian Heimberger (First Year; Unionville, PA) is a utility player that can figure into the infield, or in the pitching circle, and will provide some pop in the Falcons lineup. Paige Pieper (First Year; Middleton, ID) is a much heralded catcher from Idaho, a four-year varsity player who made honorable mention all-conference her final two years at Middleton HS. Outfielder Emmalee Mowery (First Year; Mechanicsburg, PA) comes to the Falcons after Cedar Cliff HS where she was a first-team all-conference player in back-to-back years. The Falcons lost a McVicar to graduation (though she has rejoined the team as a assistant coach this season), but added another McVicar as Madison's sister Morgan (First Year; Blakely, PA) gets set to compete for the Falcons this year. Morgan was a .400+ hitter at Valley View HS last year, winning a PIAA District 2 championship with the Cougars and qualifying for the state tournament. 

There's a few more first year players to round out the roster, and coach Jeff Pittsman will expect his team to compete and compete well in the rugged Region XIX Division II conference. Pittsman, entering his 13th season, has 228 wins in his career at Lackawanna, and anticipates his team to compete and do well this year. Where they go is all up to them. 



As usual, the Falcons have a challenging schedule ahead for 2024. After the season-opening Juco Jamboree in southern Virginia at Patrick & Henry CC, the Falcons will then travel south to Myrtle Beach for the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in South Carolina. There, the Falcons will face teams from all across the east coast and the midwest, with contests against Glen Oaks CC, USC Sumter, Henry Ford CC, Kaskaskia College, Bay College, Madison College, and more. The first true home game for Lackawanna will come on March 19th, when the Falcons are set to host PSU Hazleton for a doubleheader at Scranton HS Softball Field, once again the home site for Lackawanna College. 

Lackawanna has a home-and-home doubleheader series with Monroe College, and will also travel to Allegany College, SUNY Orange, Harford CC, and SUNY Onondaga, among others. The first Region XIX game for the Falcons will be on April 2nd, when the Falcons travel to take on Raritan Valley CC. The first Region XIX home contest will be that weekend on April 6th, when the Falcons host Mercer County CC. 

All Lackawanna College Softball home games will have a video livestream available at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE. The full schedule for 2024 can be found HERE.

The first official game for Lackawanna is scheduled for this Friday, February 23rd, when the Falcons will open 2024 against Patrick & Henry CC in the Juco Jamboree in Martinsville, VA. First pitch is scheduled for 2:15pm ET, and the game will be the first of two for the Falcons, who turn around and face CCBC Catonsville at 4:30pm ET right afterwards.