3/8/25
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – After some bad weather wiped out their midweek schedule, Lackawanna College baseball will look to get back to action this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.
 
The first pair of games is set for Saturday, March 8^th, when the Falcons travel to New Rochelle, NY to take on the Monroe University Mustangs. First pitch of game one is set for 12:00pm ET between the Division I Mustangs and the Falcons from Flowers Park. There will be a video livestream available via the Monroe Mustangs YouTube channel, linked HERE.
 
The second twin bill is scheduled for Sunday, March 9^th, when Lackawanna College will "host" SUNY Onondaga at Schautz Stadium in Dunmore. First pitch of game one is set for 1:00pm ET from Bucktown. There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE. Tom Ferguson will handle the play-by-play duties.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (2-7) are on a seven-game slide, after getting swept in their three-game series with both Patrick & Henry CC and Harford CC. The losses to Harford were particularly tough last weekend, as Lackawanna lost a pair of one-run games in walk-off fashion. In game one, the Falcons rallied from two different deficits, coming back from down 4-1 and 8-4 to tie the game heading into the bottom half, only to see Harford walk it off with a sac fly. In game two, Lackawanna took a 7-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but the temperature had dropped 50 degrees over the course of the contest, and the wind was gusting near 50 miles per hour. Lackawanna's pitching collapsed in the adverse conditions, surrendering seven runs on six walks, a hit batter, and just one hit, a two-run double, which sealed the victory. You can read the full doubleheader recap HERE.
 
Through nine games, the Falcons are hitting a combined .293, compiling a collective .873 OPS, which includes a .417 OBP. Lackawanna has 32 extra-base hits, including 25 doubles and seven homeruns. The Falcons are slugging at .456, and they have scored 63 runs. Lackawanna has drawn 51 walks and struck out 85 times as a team this year.
 
On the mound, the Falcons have a 9.00 ERA, giving up 82 runs, 63 earned, on 81 hits through 63 innings pitched. Teams are hitting .303 against the Falcons this season, with seven home runs and 23 extra-base hits. Lackawanna has struck out 71 batters and walked 66. The Falcons have also plunked 16 batters this year.
 
Defensively, the Falcons have 19 errors and a .927 fielding percentage. The Falcons have caught six baserunners stealing this year and have forced two double plays.
 
Sophomore shortstop Brooks Henderson IV (Feasterville, PA) leads the team, hitting .423 in his eight appearances. Henderson has a .1.131 OPS with a team-best five doubles and seven RBI. He's got a .516 OBP on the year. Brooks is tied for the team lead with eleven hits and has scored six runs and drawn five walks on the year. Henderson has three multi-hit games, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a pair of RBI in the 13-6 win over Bryant & Stratton on February 9^th. He was a combined 5-for-9 in three games against Harford, scoring three runs, hitting three doubles, and driving in four RBI. Henderson has eleven putouts, seven assists, and one error on the year from his shortstop position.
 
First-year outfielder Deacon Brown (Williamsport, PA) is second on the team with a .393 batting average this year, tied with Henderson for first on the team with eleven hits. Brown has a 1.017 OPS and a team-best .553 OBP. Brown has scored six runs, hit a pair of doubles, and driven in six RBI this year. He's also drawn a team-best six walks and been hit by four pitches, also first on the team. Brown had three straight multi-hit games to open the season. He scored a pair of runs and drove in two more in the win against Bryant & Stratton to open the season on February 8^th. He was a perfect 3-for-3 in the loss to B&S on Sunday, February 9^th, hitting a double and driving in another run. Deacon has at least a hit in his last four games, and he was a combined 3-for-8 with three runs scored and a pair of RBI in the three games against Harford. Deacon has been busy in the field, with 20 putouts, three assists, and one error this year.
 
Sophomore infielder Tyler Lepage (Macungie, PA) is a .375 hitter, third on the team, with a team-best 1.384 OPS and four home runs. Lepage leads the team with nine RBI and a .917 slugging percentage. He also leads the team with eight runs scored this season through his eight games. Lepage has drawn four walks and has a sac fly this season. Lepage has three multi-hit games this season. He was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, two homers, and three RBI in a 15-7 loss to Patrick & Henry on February 23^rd. He went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, four RBI, and two homers in a win against Bryant & Stratton back on February ninth. Lepage had a run scored and two RBI in two games against Harford last weekend. Lepage has six putouts and eight assists this season.
 
Sophomore catcher Jake Kelleher (Exeter, PA) is hitting .368 this season in seven games, posting a 1.132 OPS and hitting two doubles and a homer. Kelleher has three RBI and has drawn five walks this season. He's got a .500 OBP and has scored six runs this year. Jake has one multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 in a 5-2 loss to Patrick & Henry on September 22^nd. He has recorded at least one hit in his last three games. He was a combined 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, a homer, and an RBI in two games against Harford last week.
 
Sophomore outfielder Nick Matson (Nanticoke, PA) is a .355 hitter this season through nine games, driving in nine runs on eleven hits, four of which have been doubles. Matson has scored four runs and has drawn three walks. He leads the Falcons with four stolen bases. Matson has five multi-hit games this season, and he was 3-for-6 in the opener against Bryant & Stratton, driving in six runs and posting two doubles. Matson went 4-for-10 in three games against Harford last weekend, hitting a pair of doubles, scoring two runs, and driving in three. He has recorded at least one hit in three of his last four games. Matson has 14 putouts on the season.
 
Sophomore catcher Kenny Hirschfeld (New Hyde Park, NY) is a .304 hitter this season in his eight appearances, collecting seven total hits and driving in five runs. Hirschfeld has a double and a homer, and he has scored three runs. Hirschfeld had two hits in each of his first two games, going 2-for-5 with a homer and an RBI in the opener, and then going 2-for-4 with a run scored, a double, and two more RBI in the 6-5 loss to B&S. He was a combined 2-for-8 with a run scored and a pair of RBI in three games against Harford.
 
Sophomore Louis Kegerreis (Murrysville, PA) is a .263 hitter this season through nine appearances. Kegerreis is tied with Lepage for first on the team with eight runs scored, and he has ten hits, fourth on the team behind the three-way tie at eleven hits. Kegerreis has seven RBI and six extra-base hits, including five doubles this year. Kegerreis has two walks and a team-high eleven strikeouts. Kegerreis was 3-for-5 in the 13-6 win against Bryant & Stratton on February 9^th, scoring a pair of runs and driving in three with a double and a solo home run. Kegerreis was a combined 2-for-12 with two runs scored, two doubles, and an RBI in three games against Harford last weekend. He has seven putouts and eight assists this season.
 
Sophomore first baseman John Hughes (Hamilton, NJ) is a .500 hitter this season in his two appearances, posting a 1.386 OPS. Hughes has four hits and two RBI, hitting a pair of doubles. Hughes has drawn two walks and has been hit by a pitch, and he's got a .636 OBP this season. He's one of five different Falcons with four runs scored. Hughes was 4-for-5 in that 13-6 win against B&S, hitting both his doubles, scoring three runs, and driving in another in the victory. Hughes has eleven putouts on the year.
 
Sophomore pitcher Liam O'Leary (Souderton, PA) leads the team with 14.1 innings pitched, making three appearances, two of which have been starts. O'Leary has a 1-1 record with a 6.91 ERA. He has given up 14 runs, eleven earned, on 19 hits, while striking out a team-high 19 batters. The opposition is hitting .317 against him this year, and he has hit a team-high five batters. O'Leary's best outing came in a loss to Patrick & Henry on February 22^nd, where he gave up four runs, just one earned, on five hits in five innings, striking out a season-high eight batters. O'Leary has recorded at least five strikeouts in all three of his appearances this season.
 
Sophomore pitcher Ryan Novakowski (Forty Fort, PA) is second on the team in innings pitched, throwing eleven innings on the year. Novakowski is 0-2 with an 11.45 ERA in his three appearances, all starts. Novakowski has given up 14 runs, all earned, on 15 hits, with 12 strikeouts and five walks. Batters are hitting .326 against Novakowski this year. His best outing came against Patrick & Henry in a 5-2 loss on February 22^nd, where he went five innings, giving up three runs on four hits and striking out five batters. Novakowski was roughed up in his last outing, surrendering seven runs on seven hits in just three innings of a 20-7 loss to Harford on February 28^th.
 
Sophomore Trey Sajeski (Holland, PA) is third on the team, pitching nine innings in three appearances this season. He's 0-1 with a 10.00 ERA. Sajeski has given up 13 runs, ten earned, on 13 hits, striking out eleven and walking a team-high eight batters. The opposition is hitting .317 against him this season. Sajeski was in line for the win in his last outing, giving up just one hit in four innings, while striking out six, against Harford last weekend, but the Falcons squandered the lead.
 
The head coach for the Falcons is Mike McCarry, now in his seventh season with Lackawanna College. McCarry has had loads of success in his time with the Falcons, making the NJCAA Division II World Series in three of his previous six seasons. In 2019, his first year, the Falcons went 32-17, won the Region XIX championship, and then the Northeast District championship on their way to the national showcase. The Falcons duplicated that result in 2021, going 30-16, winning another region and district title, and then appearing in Enid, Oklahoma for the NJCAA DII World Series. McCarry's 2023 team went 40-17, tied for second all-time in program history in wins, and the Falcons won region and district gold, while also winning two games at the NJCAA DII World Series. McCarry is a southeastern Pennsylvania native, and he has ties to Northeast PA dating back to his time playing at Keystone College in 2003. McCarry started his collegiate coaching career at LaSalle University, where he served as the head assistant. He moved on the Stephen F. Austin as a pitching coach, before joining the Lackawanna staff. He is 168-107 in his career at Lackawanna.
 
About Monroe University
The Mustangs (5-13) had a rough start to their season, dropping their first 12 games of the season. Monroe picked up its first wins with a doubleheader victory over Delaware Tech on February 23^rd. That started a five-game winning streak for Monroe, which was ultimately snapped in their last game, a 12-4 loss to Rockland CC at home this past Thursday. The game was a tight contest, with Rockland holding a 3-2 lead into the eighth inning, and then a 6-4 lead going into the ninth. Rockland loaded the bases with one out, and a bases-loaded walk, followed by a single, scored a pair of runs. A pop out put two away, but back-to-back two-run singles broke the game wide open heading into the bottom of the ninth. The Mustangs put two on with two outs, but a fly out to left ended the game.
 
On the year, Monroe is hitting .263 on the year, posting a .724 OPS as a team this season. The Mustangs are averaging 4.1 runs per game and have 35 extra-base hits, which includes 23 doubles, eight triples, and four home runs. Monroe has drawn 54 walks and been hit by 21 pitches, while striking out 110 times this year. The Mustangs have 16 stolen bases on 18 attempts this year.
 
On the mound, Monroe has a 7.74 ERA, giving up 125 runs, 102 earned, on 119 hits through 118.2 innings pitched. The Mustangs have struck out 120 batters and walked 103. Batters are hitting .260 against the Mustangs this season, and Monroe has hit 36 batters. Defensively, Monroe has a .939 fielding percentage with 28 errors, catching nine runners stealing and posting five double plays.
 
Jesus Nieves leads the Mustangs with 20 total hits and a .400 batting average this season. Nieves has a 1.046 OPS in his 15 games, scoring eight runs and driving in seven. He has seven extra-base hits this season, including five doubles, tied for the team lead. He's drawn six walks this season, while striking out nine times. Nieves has six multi-hit games, with his 4-for-5 performance against LSU Eunice on February 9^th standing out as his best performance, hitting a pair of doubles and driving in a run. Nieves had a triple on Thursday against Rockland.
 
Ronald Almanzar is second on the team with 19 total hits, hitting .345 on the season through 18 games. Almanzar has scored eight runs and is tied with Nieves for the team-high with five doubles. He has a triple and a homer, along with six RBI this season. Almanzar has a .973 OPS and has drawn a season-high seven walks, along with three HBPs. Almanzar has four multi-hit games this season. His best game was a 3-for-4 showing against Paramount Academy on March 1^st, scoring three runs and driving in two more. He was 0-for-3 with a run scored in the loss to Rockland on Thursday.
 
Marcus Mercado is third on the team, hitting .333 this season and compiling 13 hits on the year. Mercado has a .857 OPS in 14 games, scoring eight runs and collecting three doubles, while driving in four runs this season. He has drawn four walks and has a pair of stolen bases on the year. Mercado has four multi-hit games, including his last three. He was a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored in a win against Del Tech on February 23^rd. He was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI against Rockland on Thursday. Mercado is 6-for-11 with five runs scored, a double, a triple, and three RBI in his last three games.
 
Anthony Fernandez has 13 total hits and is hitting .250 this season. Fernandez has a team-high eleven runs scored. Fernandez has two doubles and two triples this season, with five RBI. He's drawn five walks, been hit by a pair of pitches, and struck out five times this year. He's also tied for the team-high with three stolen bases this year. Fernandez has three multi-hit games on the season, with his best game coming against Paramount Academy on March 1^st, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored, a double and a triple, and two RBI. Fernandez was 0-for-3 against Rockland on Thursday.
 
Kyle Mandirola leads the Mustangs with 22 innings pitched this season. He's made six appearances, four starts, going 3-2 with a 4.09 ERA. Mandirola has given up 12 runs, ten earned, on 13 hits, striking out a team-high 28 batters and walking 15. Hitters are only averaging .167 against him this season. Mandirola has won his last three appearances, two in relief. He last appeared on Tuesday for two innings against Rockland CC, walking three and striking out three in two innings of hitless relief. His last start came against Delaware Tech, where he struck out a season-high eleven batters in six innings, giving up just three hits and walking three batters in a win.
 
Brailyn Cruz is second on the team with 19.1 innings pitched this year. He's pitched in six games, starting four for the Mustangs. Cruz is 0-4 with an 8.84 ERA. He's given up 21 runs, 19 earned, on 22 hits, striking out 21 and walking 13. Teams are hitting .286 against Cruz this season, and he's hit seven batters on the year. Cruz came on in relief in his last appearance, giving up two runs, neither of them earned, on one hit and striking out for in two innings against Rockland this past Tuesday. He gave up a run on two hits in two innings in his last start, coming against Paramount Academy. Cruz struck out a season-best six batters four innings against Gaston College on February 14^th, giving up four runs on three hits.
 
The head coach is Elliott Ayala, now in his 12th season with the Mustangs, and his eighth in charge of the program. Ayala originally began as an assistant coach with Monroe softball in 2013, before joining the baseball staff in 2014, where he has remained ever since. He took over the program for the 2018 season. Ayala is a Bronx native who played one year of junior college baseball at Northeast Texas CC before being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 23^rd round of the 1998 draft. He spent six seasons with the Brewers organization, then joined the independent leagues. He eventually made his way to the Somerset Patriots in 2006 and won back-to-back Atlantic League championships in 2008 and 2009. He retired professionally in 2012. Ayala is 192-119-2 in his time at Monroe.
 
About SUNY Onondaga
The Lazers (0-0) have not played yet this season, and Sunday will serve as their first games of the year.
 
Last year's squad was 22-19, hitting .316 as a squad with a .879 OPS. The Lazers averaged just over seven runs per game, putting up 114 extra-base hits, including 73 doubles, 22 triples, and 19 homers. The Lazers slugged at .467, drawing 152 walks and striking out 212 times. They stole 55 bases last season.
 
As a staff, the Lazers held a 5.41 ERA, giving up 213 runs, 162 earned, on 274 hits in 269.1 innings pitched. Onodaga struck out 293 batters and walked 150 last season. The opposition hit .263 against Onondaga last year. In the field, Onondaga had a .930 fielding percentage, committing 80 errors. They caught 12 runners on the base paths and had three double plays last year.
 
Last year's leading hitter, Colin White, is back this season. White had 56 total hits, first on the team, hitting .418 in 40 games last year. White scored 37 runs, tied for first on the team, and had ten doubles, two triples, and three home runs. White had 31 RBI, third on the team, and put a 1.080 OPS. White led the team with ten stolen bases last year and was hit by nine pitches a season ago.
 
Carter Stewart is the pitcher with the most experience returning for the Lazers, pitching in 18.2 innings and 12 games last year. Stewart had a 4.34 ERA and was 1-1, giving up 13 runs, nine earned, on 22 hits. Stewart struck out 15 batters and walked eleven last year.
 
Bob Piraino is the head coach at Onondaga, now entering his seventh season at Onondaga and his fifth season of play with the Lazers. Piraino worked as an assistant at LeMoyne for four years before joining the Lazers. He handled recruiting and the outfielders while at LeMoyne. He has over 30 years of experience coaching baseball at the high school level and was a co-founder of Syracuse's Reviving Baseball in the Inner City (RBI) Program in 2006. Piraino was a 30-year teacher I the Syracuse City School District, before retiring in 2014. He's a Syracuse grad, where he earned a political science degree in 1982. He also has a master's in Secondary Social Studies Education in 1984 from SU. Piraino is 78-81 in his time at Onondaga.
 
The Match-Up
Lackawanna is 6-11 against Monroe since 2019. The Falcons have won two of the last three match-ups, taking two games from the Mustangs last year.
 
Lackawanna hasn't played Onondaga in the last six years.
 
The weekend series will start with a doubleheader on Saturday, February 22^nd, at 2:00pm ET from Hooker Field in Martinsville. Then, both teams will play a single nine-inning game on Sunday, February 23^rd, starting at 11:00am ET. There is no video livestream available.
 
The doubleheader with Monroe is set for Saturday, March 8^th. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12:00pm ET at Flowers Park in New Rochelle, NY. There will be a video livestream available via the Monroe Mustangs YouTube channel, linked HERE.
 
The twin bill with Onodaga is scheduled for Sunday, March 9^th, at Schautz Stadium in Dunmore. First pitch of game one is set for 1:00pm ET from Bucktown. There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE. Tom Ferguson will handle the play-by-play duties.
 
Lackawanna College is back to action on Wednesday, March 12^th, with a scheduled doubleheader on the road at RCSJ Cumberland. First pitch of game one is set for 1:00pm ET in Vineland, NJ.