4/1/25
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – The road back to the Region XIX DII playoffs won't be easy, and Lackawanna College softball will really start its journey with a fellow playoff hopeful this Tuesday, April 1^st, as the Falcons travel to take on Salem CC in Region XIX DII doubleheader action.
 
The twin bill starts at 3:00pm ET at the Pennsville Little League field in Pennsville, NJ. There will be a video livestream available via the SCC Mighty Oaks YouTube channel, linked HERE.
 
About The Falcons
The Falcons (15-15, 2-2) went 6-2 last week and were 4-2 in games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. After dropping a doubleheader to Brookdale CC on Thursday, the Falcons swept a pair of doubleheaders against Frederick CC and then Sussex County CC. Against the Skylanders in region play, the Falcons won game one in five innings, 8-0, then took game two by a 6-2 score. The Falcons built a steady lead in game one and coasted to the win, while building an early lead in game two, then hanging on despite being wasteful. You can read the recap from both games HERE.
 
The Falcons had started slow, but are now up to .297 at the plate through 30 games this season. Lackawanna has scored 154 runs, averaging 5.1 per game on the year. The Falcons have 48 extra-base hits, including 35 doubles and ten triples, and they have a .753 OPS. Lackawanna has drawn 87 walks and struck out 133 times. They have also stolen 45 bases.
 
Pitching-wise, the Falcons have been steady, posting a staff ERA of 5.61 this year. In 186 innings, the Falcons have allowed 192 runs, 149 earned, on 254 hits, while striking out 120 and walking 114. Opponents are hitting .315 against the Falcons this season and have been hit by 22 pitches. Lackawanna has thrown 36 wild pitches this season.
 
Defensively, the Falcons have 50 errors and a .936 fielding percentage. They've turned five double plays and caught eight runners stealing this season.
 
Sophomore utility player Jillian Heimberger (Unionville, PA) is first on the team with 37 hits and is hitting .425 through 30 games. She has a team-best 1.039 OPS and has scored 24 runs, second on the team. Heimberger leads the Falcons in slugging (.514) and on-base percentage (.510), and she's tied for first on the team with 46 total bases. She also leads the team with ten stolen bases this season. Heimberger has 15 RBIs, tied for second on the team, and she has drawn 14 walks, second on the squad. Heimberger has eight multi-hit games on the season, going a combined 5-for-7 with three runs and a double against Frederick on March 28^th. Heimberger was excellent against Corning on March 23^rd, combining for six hits in nine at-bats in the doubleheader split. She was a combined 1-for-3 with three runs and an RBI against Sussex in two games on Saturday. Heimberger had to leave game two early without a hit, ending a 14-game hitting streak. She has 28 putouts and 23 assists this season.
 
Sophomore outfielder Emmalee Mowery (Mechanicsburg, PA) is second on the team with 34 total hits and a .386 batting average this season. Mowery has a 1.004 OPS, second on the team, boosted by a .481 OBP, and she leads the Falcons in runs (26), doubles (8), extra-base hits (10), RBIs (19), and walks (17), and she is tied with Heimberger for first on the team with 46 total bases. She has nine stolen bases this season, second behind Heimberger. Mowery has 13 multi-hit games during the season, including her last three games. She was 3-for-4 with a run scored, a double, and two RBIs in the win against Southern Maine CC on March 7^th. Mowery went 11-for-22 in seven games last week, winning the EPAC Softball Player of the Week. She scored ten runs and drove in nine, hitting five doubles and two triples. Mowery was a combined 4-for-6 with three doubles and a triple, plus six RBIs, in two games against Sussex on Saturday. She has 63 putouts and two assists in the outfield this season.
 
First-year corner infielder and catcher Laniah Tasker (Chambersburg, PA) is third on the team with 24 hits this season, and she has a .279 batting average through 28 games. Laniah has scored 14 runs this year and has driven in 15 RBIs, tied with Heimberger for second on the team. She has one of the only three home runs for the Falcons this season, hitting a three-run homer against Morris to tie game two and eventually help Lackawanna win on March 18^th. Laniah has two doubles and has drawn two walks and been hit by two pitches this season. She has a .645 OPS. Laniah has seven multi-hit games this year. Tasker was 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in the 8-3 loss to Kaskaskia on March 7^th. In the three games leading up to the Hazleton series, she drove in four runs and hit a double, which came in the 9-8 win against Corning on Sunday. She was a combined 3-for-8 with two runs and three RBIs, which included her three-run homer, in two games against Morris. Tasker was a combined 3-for-7 with three runs and three RBIs in two games against Frederick on March 28^th. She was 0-for-3 in her one game against Sussex this past Saturday. She has 75 putouts and 20 assists this season, helping turn one of the five double plays for the Falcons this season. She has also caught two runners stealing.
 
First-year second base player Lindsey Tasker (Clarks Summit, PA) has 20 total hits this season, posting a .308 batting average through 30 games. Tasker has scored 13 runs and has two doubles, a triple, and eight RBIs this season. She has 13 walks, third on the team, and has six stolen bases this season. Tasker also has a .787 OPS on the year. Tasker has six multi-hit games this season. She was a combined 3-for-5 with two runs and a double in two games against Corning on March 23^rd. She had a pair of hits in six at-bats and two runs scored in two games against PSU Hazleton last week. Tasker was 0-for-3 with two runs scored against Sussex in two games on Saturday. She has 43 putouts and 27 assists this season from second base.
 
First-year first base player Gracie Sokol (Belle Vernon, PA) has 19 hits on the year, posting a .264 batting average through 29 games. Sokol has a .665 OPS and has nine runs scored, while driving in nine runs. Sokol has seven walks this season and has been hit by a pair of pitches, and she has two doubles and a triple on the year. Sokol has four multi-hit games this season. She went 2-for-3 in a 6-4 win against Morris on March 18^th. Then hit twice in a loss to Mercer on March 22^nd. She was 2-for-3 with a double in the win against Corning on March 23^rd in game one. Sokol was a combined 2-for-4 with two runs scored in two games against Sussex this past Saturday. Sokol has 121 putouts and five assists this season.
 
First-year outfielder and pitcher Mia Scalese (Moscow, PA) has 18 total hits, hitting .269 so far this season. Scalese has appeared in 23 games this year and has ten runs and seven RBIs. Scalese has drawn two walks, been hit by a pitch, and has stolen three bases this season. She has a pair of doubles on the season. Scalese has three multi-hit games this season, with a standout 4-for-4 showing in game two on March 19^th against Hudson Valley CC. She was a combined 5-for-9 in three games against HVCC, scoring a pair of runs. Scalese went a combined 2-for-7 with a run scored, an RBI, and a double in the two games against Corning on March 23^rd. Scalese was a combined 0-for-3 with an RBI in the two games against Sussex. She has 16 putouts and ten assists on the year.
 
Sophomore pitcher Brianna Dinice (Terryville, CT) has thrown the most innings for the Falcons this season, appearing in 13 games and throwing 56.2 innings this season. Dinice is 4-6 with a 6.30 ERA on the year, starting in all but two of her appearances. Dinice has allowed 60 runs, 51 earned, on 66 hits, while striking out 39 batters and walking 55. Batters are hitting .282 against Dinice this season, and she has thrown a team-high 25 wild pitches. Dinice has thrown five complete games on the season. Her best game came in the first one, throwing seven innings, striking out five, and allowing just one unearned run in the win against Fayetteville Tech. Against Southern Maine, she went all seven innings and gave up four runs, three earned, to pick up the win. Dinice has struggled with walks and wild pitches as of late, but she tied a season-best with seven strikeouts and walked for in the 8-0 win against Sussex this past Saturday. She had to pitch two innings of emergency relief in game two against the Skylanders, giving up just two hits and striking out a batter to help the Falcons eventually grab the win.
 
Heimberger has pitched the second-most innings, throwing 49.1 so far this season. She is 5-2 in eleven appearances with a 4.68 ERA, making seven starts. Heimberger has given up 45 runs, 33 earned, on 66 hits, with 25 strikeouts and 17 walks. Batters are hitting .311 against Heimberger so far this season. Jill has picked up four of those wins in her last seven appearances. She set her season-high in strikeouts with five after pitching all seven innings against Olney Central back on March 3^rd. She gave up nine runs, but only three were earned. She picked up a complete game win against Morris on March 18^th, giving up four runs on eleven hits in a 6-4 Lackawanna victory. She pitched three scoreless innings of relief against Hudson Valley CC on March 20^th to pick up the win, giving up just one hit and striking out a batter. She tied her season-high for strikeouts with five, but lost the game to Brookdale on March 27^th, giving up eight runs on 12 hits in six innings. She bounced back the next day with a five-inning complete game win against Frederick, pitching a three-hit shut out against the Cougars. She appeared against Sussex in game two this past Saturday as a starter, but had to exit after just one inning.
 
Scalese has pitched in 46.2 innings this season, making eleven appearances, seven of which have been starts. Scalese is 3-5 with a 5.25 ERA. Scalese has given up 53 runs, only 35 earned, on 69 hits, striking out 31 and walking 24. Opposition is hitting .332 against Scalese this year, and she has hit nine batters with pitches this season. Mia has picked up three wins in her last six appearances. She threw four innings of relief against Morris on March 18^th, giving up just an unearned run on four hits, while striking out six. She had a brief relief outing where she gave up three runs on one hit in just a third of an inning against Hudson Valley, then came back the next day and twirled a gem, striking out seven and allowing just three hits in a 1-0 complete game victory. Scalese was roughed up against Mercer, giving up eight runs on 13 hits in six innings on March 22^nd, but she came on to pitch well in relief the next day against Corning, allowing just two hits and striking out three in three innings against the Red Barons. Scalese got the win against Frederick in game two this past Friday in her last appearance, striking out three and allowing five runs on seven hits in seven innings.
 
The head coach for the Falcons is Jeff Pittsman, entering his 14^th season in charge of the Falcons. Pittsman has 279 wins in his career, the most in program history. He won a region championship in 2017, and he has helped the Falcons get to the Region XIX playoffs in eight straight seasons. Pittsman took over the program in 2012, having to piece together a roster from non-scholarship athletes and limited numbers. The team saw massive improvement in year two, winning 13 more games, and Pittsman steadily built the Falcons into a winner, winning 25 games by 2016. Lackawanna hasn't been below .500 since. Before coming to the Falcons, coach Pitt coached travel softball from 2006 to 2013 in Northeast PA, helming the Impact Panthers and Northeast Stars in his time. Before that, he was an assistant football coach with his alma mater, Mid Valley HS, from 1989 through 2001, and then Riverside HS from 2003 through 2004.
 
About Salem CC
The Mighty Oaks (10-8, 4-2) opened their season on a 6-2 tear, but have gone 4-4 over their last eight games, including dropping three of their last four contests entering Tuesday. The Oaks split their doubleheader against Morris in their last pair of games this past Saturday, falling 6-4 in game one and then winning game two 18-6 in five innings. The Oaks scored 13 runs in the fourth and fifth innings of game two, hitting two homers, including a grand slam, to run away with the win. They fell in game one on a walk-off hit from Morris.
 
Salem CC is hitting .354 as a team this season, with a combined OPS of .959. The Oaks have scored 166 runs through 18 games, a 9.2 runs per game average, and have 38 extra-base hits, including 27 doubles and eight home runs. Salem has drawn 90 walks and struck out 55 times, while stealing 42 bases. They have a .482 OBP, as a team, this season, and they have been hit by 29 pitches.
 
The two-person pitching staff has a combined ERA of 5.30 this season, giving up 115 runs, 79 earned, on 165 hits in 104.1 innings. The Oaks have struck out 52 batters and walked 51. Opponents are hitting .365 against Salem this season, with 37 doubles and four homers.
 
Salem has 15 errors in 18 games in the field, posting a .914 fielding percentage. The Oaks have turned three double plays and caught two runners stealing this season.
 
Sophomore infielder Ella Hayes leads the team with an eye-popping .565 batting average, posting a team-high 35 hits in 18 games. Hayes leads the Oaks in several categories, including: OBP (.627), slugging percentage (.871), OPS (1.498), runs (23), doubles (8), extra-base hits (12), RBIs (32), and stolen bases (13). Hayes has three homers, second on the team this season, and she also has one of the three triples that the Oaks have this year. Hayes has ten games with two or more hits this season, and she has three games with four or more hits. She was a perfect 10-for-10 in a doubleheader sweep over Sussex back on March 7^th, scoring six runs, hitting three doubles and a homer, and driving in 12 runs in the pair of victories for Salem CC. She was a combined 5-for-8 with three runs, a double, a grand slam home run, and six RBIs in the two games against Morris.
 
Sophomore Callie Rozak is second on the team with 21 total hits and a .404 batting average through 18 games this season. Rozak has a .529 OBP, third on the team, and she has a .731 slugging percentage, second this year. Rozak has a 1.260 OPS and has 19 runs scored this season. Her 23 RBIs are second on the team, and she leas the Oaks with five home runs. She has drawn six walks and stolen a pair of bases this season. She has also been hit by a team-high nine pitches this season. Rozak has five multi-hit games this season, with her best game coming against Raritan Valley CC on March 25^th, where she was 3-for-4 with two runs and five RBIs in a 22-0 win. She was a combined 2-for-6 with two runs and three RBIs, along with a home run, in two games against Morris.
 
First-year infielder Bella Rappa has 20 total hits and a .385 batting average this season through 18 games. Rappa has scored 21 runs, second on the team, and she has a 1.015 OPS this year. Rappa has six doubles, second on the team, and has driven in 13 runs this year. She has eight walks and four stolen bases, and she has a .515 OBP on the year. Rappa has five multi-hit games this season, with her best game coming against Sussex on March 7^th, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and three RBIs in a 22-0 win. Rappa was a combined 3-for-7 with four runs scored in the two games against Morris over the weekend.
 
First-year player Tiana Wilson has a .409 batting average and 18 hits this season. Wilson has scored 15 runs and has a .563 OBP this year, second on the team. Wilson has a 1.040 OPS and she has 16 RBs and a team-high 17 walks this season. She also has five stolen bases, a double, and a triple on the year. Wilson has five multi-hit games on the year, and she was great this past weekend against Morris, going a combined 6-for-6 with three runs, a double, and five RBIs against the Titans.
 
First-year pitcher Raegan Wilson has pitched a team-high 53.1 innings and made eleven appearances, going 4-3 with a 3.54 ERA in those games. Wilson has given up 49 runs, 27 earned, on 76 hits, striking out 26 and walking 21. She struck out a season-high seven batters in a five-inning shutout against Raritan Valley CC on March 25^th, a 22-0 win for the Oaks. Wilson has lost her last two appearances and fell in her last start against Morris this past Saturday, allowing six runs on nine hits in 6.2 innings, striking out four batters.
 
Sophomore pitcher Jill Robinson has thrown 51 innings in eleven appearances, going 6-5 with a 7.14 ERA. She has given up 66 runs, 52 earned, on 89 hits, striking out 26 and walking 30 this year. Robinson struck out a season-high six batters in a 19-6 win against Monroe-Bronx back on March 1^st, giving up six runs on five hits in five innings. Robinson got the win in her last start, allowing six runs on five hits in five innings of the 18-6 win against Morris this past Saturday.
 
The head coach for the Oaks is Angel Rodriguez, now in his third season in charge of the Mighty Oaks. Rodriguez helped revive the previously dormant Oaks softball program, going from 16 wins in his first season to a 31-14 record last year, helping the Oaks reach the Region XIX DII playoffs, where they upset top seed Mercer County CC in the first round, before eventually bowing out of the tournament. Rodriguez came to Salem after spending time at Gloucester City HS from 2018 through 2020, where he also served as a volunteer baseball coach in 2021. He was hired at Salem in April of 2022. Rodriguez had been the head coach of the ASA Gloucester Lady Brawlers travel softball program, developing young athletes from 14U through 18U levels. He is a graduate of Rowan University, and has a 57-40 record in his time at Salem CC.
 
The Match-Ups
Lackawanna is 6-0 against Salem since the 2023 season, winning a doubleheader on the road and then a playoff doubleheader in the 2023 campaign, and then taking down the Oaks with a pair of wins last year in Scranton.
 
Tuesday's doubleheader starts at 3:00pm at the Pennsville Little League field in Pennsville, NJ. There will be a video livestream available via the SCC Mighty Oaks YouTube channel, linked HERE.
 
The doubleheader at Salem is the first of eight straight road games for the Falcons. Lackawanna has a non-region doubleheader on the road this coming Friday, April 4^th, when the Falcons head to Bel Air, MD to take on the Harford CC Fighting Owls. First pitch is set for 2:00pm ET at the Harford CC varsity softball field. The Falcons will remain on the road down south for the weekend, taking on Region XIX DII foe Delaware Tech for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 5^th at 1:00pm ET in Georgetown, DE. Then, on Sunday, April 6^th, the Falcons will go north to Corning, NY for a doubleheader with the SUNY Corning CC Red Barons. First pitch of that twin bill is set for 1:00pm ET.