4/23/25
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – After a few days off, Lackawanna College baseball is back to work with five games in four days, starting with a single nine inning contest at RCSJ Gloucester on Thursday, April 24^th.
 
First pitch is set for 3:00pm ET at the RCSJ Gloucester baseball field in Sewell, NJ against the #1 Roadrunners, top-ranked for another week in the latest NJCAA Division III rankings. There will be a video livestream available via the RCSJ Gloucester Athletics Network, linked HERE.
 
This is the second meeting between the two sides, as Lackawanna hosted Gloucester back on March 18^th in Scranton, in a game the Roadrunners won 20-18 in a barnburner. You can read the full recap from that game HERE.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (22-15) enter the contest after taking two of three games from County College of Morris last weekend. Lackawanna played all three games at home, and probably should have swept past the Titans, but blew the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, spoiling a 7-1 lead in the fourth inning and eventually falling 9-8. The Falcons bounced back to win the second game, 11-2, despite a brief rain and lightning delay. They also took game one on Friday afternoon, 6-2. The wins put Lackawanna at 11-4 in Region XIX DII play. The Falcons will be the second seed in the Division II playoffs starting on May 9^th.
 
On the season, the Falcons are hitting a combined .342, compiling a collective 1.005 OPS, which includes a .444 OBP and a .561 slugging percentage, tied for ninth in NJCAA Division II. Lackawanna has 158 extra-base hits, 13^th in the country, including 105 doubles (6^th) and 46 home runs (20^th). The Falcons have scored 334 runs this year, a nine runs per game average. Lackawanna has drawn 171 walks and struck out 250 times as a team this year, while stealing 56 bases.
 
On the mound, the Falcons have a 6.42 ERA, giving up 232 runs, 189 earned, on 285 hits through 265 innings pitched. Teams are hitting .268 against the Falcons this season, with 15 home runs and 69 extra-base hits. Lackawanna has struck out 290 batters and walked 195. The Falcons have also plunked 51 batters this year.
 
Defensively, the Falcons have 56 errors and a .950 fielding percentage. The Falcons have caught eleven baserunners stealing this year and have forced eleven double plays.
 
Sophomore shortstop Brooks Henderson IV (Feasterville, PA) is first on the team with 55 hits, tied for fourth in all of Region XIX, posting a .426 batting average in his 36 appearances. Henderson has a 1.143 OPS with 13 doubles, tied for second on the team, and 43 RBIs, first on the squad and eighth in Region XIX. He's also got five home runs, tied for fourth on the team. He's got a .484 OBP on the year and has scored 37 runs, tied for second on the team. Brooks has drawn 14 walks on the year and has been hit by five pitches, and he is second on the team with eleven stolen bases this year. Henderson has 16 multi-hit games this season. He was a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and a triple in the game one win against Onondaga on March 9^th. Henderson was 5-for-6 in a 21-1 win against Raritan Valley on March 29^th, hitting a three-run homer, scoring three runs, and driving in five total. He went a combined 4-for-6 with two runs and three RBIs in the doubleheader with Monroe CC. He went a combined 4-for-11 with a run scored, three doubles, and two RBIs in three games against Morris. Against Gloucester in March, he went 1-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Defensively, Henderson has 45 putouts, 92 assists, and nine errors on the year from his shortstop position, posting a .938 fielding percentage and helping turn six double plays on the year.
 
Sophomore catcher and DH Jake Kelleher (Exeter, PA) is a .449 hitter through 33 games this season, leading the Falcons in batting average and compiling 48 hits this year, second on the team. Kelleher has a 1.267 OPS on the year, posting a .729 slugging percentage and a .538 OBP, second on the team. Kelleher has scored 40 runs, first on the team, and he has posted 12 doubles, six home runs, and 26 RBIs. Kelleher has drawn 17 walks, and he has four stolen bases. Kelleher has 12 multi-hit games this season and comes into the Gloucester match-up with a 15-game hitting streak. He was a combined 6-for-10 with seven runs, two RBIs, two doubles, and one home run against Raritan Valley in three games on March 28^th and 29^th. Kelleher had five hits, two runs, two RBIs, and a double in two games against Monroe CC on April 1st. He was a combined 9-for-13 with six runs, seven RBIs, two doubles, and a homer in three games against Morris this past weekend. He was 0-for-2 with a run scored against Gloucester earlier this season. Kelleher has five-straight games with two or more hits. Kelleher has caught three runners stealing this season as a catcher and has 12 assists behind the plate this season.
 
First-year outfielder Deacon Brown (Williamsport, PA) has a .405 batting average and is third on the team with 47 total hits in 37 games. Brown has a 1.208 OPS and a .510 OBP, third on the team in both categories, respectively. Brown has scored 31 runs, fifth on the team, and he has posted 12 doubles, six homers, and 37 RBIs, tied for second on the squad. He's drawn 19 walks, second on the Falcons this year, and he has been hit by ten pitches, second on the team. Brown has eleven multi-hit games on the year and had a 21-game hitting streak that came to an end against Monroe CC on April 1^st. Brown was a perfect 3-for-3 in the loss to Bryant & Stratton on February 9^th, hitting a double and driving in another run. Deacon hit a two-run homer in game one against Onondaga on March 9^th, then hit another two-run homer in game two. Deacon was 4-for-4 with four RBIs, a run scored, and a homer against Delaware County on March 26^th. He had three hits and five runs against Raritan in three games. He was a combined 5-for-10 with two runs, four RBIs, a double, and a home run in three games against Mercer April 13^th and April 14^th. Brown was a combined 3-for-11 with a triple and five RBIs in three games against Morris last weekend. He was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in March against Gloucester. Deacon has 51 putouts, three assists, and one error this year in the field, posting a .982 fielding percentage.
 
Sophomore first baseman John Hughes (Hamilton, NJ) is a .427 hitter with 41 hits in 32 games this year. Hughes has a 1.441 OPS, first on the team, with 36 runs scored and 37 RBIs, tied for second on the team. He has 13 doubles, a triple, and a team-high nine home runs this season, third in all of Region XIX. Hughes has drawn 24 walks, first on the squad, and he has been hit by eleven pitches. Hughes has a .576 OBP this year, first on the team and fourth in Region XIX, and he's slugging at .865, which is second in Region XIX. Hughes has 13 multi-hit games this season, including two of his last three games. Against Raritan, he had three hits, a homer, and four RBIs. He scored a solo homer against Rockland on March 30^th, then hit another homer and had three RBIs on two hits in the game one victory against Monroe CC on April 1^st. Hughes has a five-game hitting streak going entering the contest with Gloucester. He was a combined 5-for-12 with four runs, three RBIs, a double, and a home run in three games against Morris. Against Gloucester in March, Hughes was 2-for-4 with two runs and two doubles. He has 172 putouts and 15 assists at first base this season, with a .979 fielding percentage.
 
Sophomore Louis Kegerreis (Murrysville, PA) is a .348 hitter this season through 32 appearances, collecting 39 total hits. Kegerreis has 37 runs scored this season, tied with Henderson for second on the Falcons, and he has a team-high 14 doubles, tied for fifth in Region XIX, and 29 RBIs. Kegerreis has a 1.017 OPS this year, with a .437 OBP. He has drawn 13 walks and been hit by seven pitches on the season. Kegerreis has eleven multi-hit games this season, and he had a 14-game hitting streak ended in the Sussex series. Kegerreis was 3-for-5 against Cumberland on March 12^th, hitting a two-run homer in the first, a double, scoring two runs, and driving in three more. He was a combined 6-for-6 with seven runs, a homer, and six RBIs in three contests against Raritan Valley CC on March 28^th and 29^th. He was 4-for-6 with three runs and two RBIs in two games against Rockland on March 30^th. Kegerreis went 1-for-8 with an RBI in two games against Morris last weekend. He was 1-for-4 with a run scored against the Roadrunners in March. He has 40 putouts and 31 assists this season in the field, turning three double plays on the season.
 
Sophomore outfielder Nick Matson (Nanticoke, PA) is a .313 hitter this season through 36 games, collecting 35 hits and driving in 29 runs. Matson has scored 22 runs and has put up ten doubles on the year and has three home runs. He has drawn 12 walks and has stolen 12 bases, first on the team. Matson has 12 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 was 2-for-3 with two homers and seven RBIs in the 21-1 win against Raritan on March 29^th. He hit a three-run home run, then a grand slam. Matson pitched two scoreless innings in the 9-4 win against Rockland in game one back on March 30^th. Nick was a combined 5-for-12 with two runs, three RBIs, two doubles, and one triple in three games against Morris. Against Gloucester, he was 3-for-5 with a double, a homer, and three RBIs. Matson has 59 putouts on the season with a .984 fielding percentage in center field.
 
Sophomore catcher Kenny Hirschfeld (New Hyde Park, NY) is a .356 hitter this season in his 26 appearances, collecting 26 total hits and driving in 17 runs. Hirschfeld has six doubles and two homers, and he has scored 21 runs. Hirschfeld has a .945 OPS on the season. He has seven multi-hit games on the season. Hirschfeld came into the game against Gloucester on March 18^th as a pinch runner and finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, and an RBI. He played in one game against Raritan Valley on March 29^th, going 3-for-5 with a double, a homer, three runs, and three RBIs. He was a combined 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in two games against Rockland. He was the pinch hit hero in game two, singling home the game-winning run for the Falcons. Hirschfeld went 2-for-3 with two runs, a double, and an RBI in the 9-8 loss against Morris on Saturday. Hirschfeld has four assists and a .950 fielding percentage this season behind the plate, catching a pair of runners stealing.
 
Sophomore utility player Jason Prudente (Bear Creek Twp., PA) is a .303 hitter this season, putting up 23 hits in 29 games. Prudente has a .981 OPS and 17 runs scored. He has eight doubles and four homers, driving in 24 runs on the season. Prudente has a .566 slugging percentage and a .415 OBP. Prudente has 13 walks on the year, and he has been hit by three pitches. Prudente has four multi-hit games on the season. He was 2-for-5 with a grand slam homer in the win against Delaware Tech on March 21^st. He hit another homer the next day against DTCC in the first game of a doubleheader. He was 3-for-3 with a homer, a double, and three RBIs in the 20-18 loss to Gloucester on March 18^th. He was a combined 8-for-12 with seven runs, three doubles, and four RBIs in three games against Raritan on March 28^th and 29^th. He had a double, an RBI, and a run scored in two games against Rockland on March 30^th. Prudente was hitless in seven at-bats in two games against Morris last weekend, and he has gone 2-for-27 in his last nine games, going hitless in his last five games. He has 18 putouts and 26 assists in the field this season, posting a .898 fielding percentage.
 
Sophomore infielder Tyler Lepage (Macungie, PA) is a .468 hitter with a 1.399 OPS through 18 appearances this season. Lepage has five homers, tied with Henderson and Kelleher for third on the team, and has 15 RBIs. He has a .872 slugging percentage in his 18 games. Lepage has 14 runs scored on the year and carries a .527 OBP. Lepage has drawn five walks and been hit by a pair of pitches. Lepage has eight 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 9^th. Lepage missed four games, but returned to the lineup on March 12^th against RCSJ Cumberland. However, he left the March 28^th game against Raritan Valley early with an injury. He was 1-for-1 with an RBI double. He had not played in the last nine games for the Falcons before making appearances in all three games against Mercer. He was a combined 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. Lepage did not play against Morris this past weekend. He was 2-for-3 in the loss to Gloucester in March. Lepage has six putouts and eight assists this season.
 
Sophomore pitcher Liam O'Leary (Souderton, PA) leads the team with 53.2 innings pitched, making ten appearances, eight of which have been starts. O'Leary has a 4-4 record with a 4.86 ERA. He has given up 38 runs, 29 earned, on 57 hits, while striking out a team-high 73 batters and walking 26. The opposition is hitting .260 against him this year, and he has hit a team-high nine batters. O'Leary's best outing happened against Monroe on March 8^th, where he went six innings, striking out nine batters and allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits. O'Leary has recorded at least four strikeouts in all ten of his appearances this season. He went seven innings on March 29^th, picking up the 21-1 win against Raritan Valley CC, giving up just one run on five hits and striking out eight for the win. He went 5.1 innings on April 6^th against Sussex, striking out a season-best eleven batters but giving up four runs on seven hits in a game the Falcons eventually lost, 9-8. O'Leary was hit with the loss in his last start, giving up four runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings against Mercer, striking out eight on April 14^th. He then took the loss against Morris last Saturday, coming to pitch in relief and striking out five, but giving up four unearned runs in the 9-8 defeat. He has struck out at least eight batters in each of his last four starts.
 
Sophomore pitcher Ryan Novakowski (Forty Fort, PA) is second on the team in innings pitched, throwing 50 innings on the year. Novakowski is 4-3 with a 7.02 ERA in his ten appearances, all starts. Novakowski has given up 42 runs, 39 earned, on 61 hits, with 52 strikeouts and 19 walks. Batters are hitting .299 against Novakowski this year. His best outing came against Allegany on March 15^th in game one of the doubleheader, striking out nine in a complete game shutout in seven innings. He scattered four hits and walked three in the 14-0 win. He pitched seven innings in a win against Delaware Tech March 21^st, striking out a season-best eleven, while giving up six runs, four earned. Against Raritan Valley on March 28^th, he gave up just one run, coming in the seventh inning, while striking out eight and only allowing two hits in a 14-1 win. Novakowski has struggled in his last two outings, giving up eight runs in 3.2 innings in a loss to Mercer on April 13^th, then giving up five runs on six hits in four innings against Morris on April 19^th.
 
Sophomore Trey Sajeski (Holland, PA) is third on the team, pitching 41 innings in ten appearances this season. He's 6-1 with a 5.71 ERA. Sajeski has given up 31 runs, 26 earned, on 42 hits, striking out 42 and walking 21 batters. The opposition is hitting .253 against him this season. Sajeski threw his best game on March 9^th against Onondaga, striking out a season-high seven in six innings. He gave up just one run on five hits for the win in the 11-1 victory for Lackawanna. On April 13^th, Sajeski was excellent against Mercer, going the complete seven innings and giving up four runs on eight hits in an 11-4 win for the Falcons. Sajeski struck out five in the victory. He was great against Morris last weekend, matching his season-best with seven strikeouts in four innings of work, allowing one run on four hits in the 11-2 win for the Falcons.
 
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 188-115 in his career at Lackawanna.
 
About RCSJ Gloucester
The Roadrunners (37-3) are the current #1 team in NJCAA Division III play, and they are the two-time defending national champions. Gloucester is a combined 141-16 since the start of the 2023 season. The Roadrunners have won eight games in a row entering Thursday, including a pair of wins over Salem CC this past Tuesday and Wednesday. The Roadrunners won 18-1 in seven innings on Tuesday, scoring runs in six of the seven innings played. They turned around on Wednesday with a similarly dominating performance, taking the game 14-4 in seven innings against the Mighty Oaks. The only losses for the Roadrunners this season have come to Harford CC and Mercer County CC.
 
This season, Gloucester is hitting at .358 as a team through 39 games, with a 1.043 OPS, which includes a .478 OBP and a .565 slugging percentage. The Roadrunners have 149 extra-base hits, including 85 doubles and 51 homers. They have scored 453 runs on the season, an 11.7 runs per game average. Gloucester has drawn 228 walks and struck out 182 times this season, while stealing 50 bags on the year. The Roadrunners have also been hit by 85 pitches this season.
 
As a pitching staff, Gloucester has a 3.95 ERA, giving up 157 runs, 130 earned, on 229 hits in 296.1 innings pitched. The Roadrunners have struck out 407 batters and walked just 150, and opponents are hitting just .226 on the year.
 
Sophomore outfielder RJ Mustaro leads the team with 67 total hits and has a .500 batting average this season through 35 games, first in all of Region XIX. Mustaro has a team-high 1.468 OPS, which includes a .881 slugging percentage (1^st Region XIX) and a .694 OBP (1^st Region XIX). Mustaro leads the Roadrunners in runs scored (66), doubles (16), home runs (11), extra-base hits (28), RBIs (52), and stolen bases (9). He has 21 games with two or more hits on the season, including his last five games entering last weekend, but he has not appeared in the last five games for the Roadrunners. Mustaro was 2-for-2 with two runs scored in his last game with statistics, a 12-0 win against Suffolk CC on April 16^th. He was 1-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs against Lackawanna College, driving in both of those runs in the ninth inning against the Falcons.
 
First-year outfielder Matt Brunner is second on the team with 57 total hits this season, hitting .407 through 37 games on the year. Brunner has 59 runs scored on the year, second on the Roadrunners, and he has hit nine doubles and four homers to drive in 38 RBIs. Brunner has a 1.068 OPS, boosted by his .497 OBP and a .571 slugging percentage. He has drawn 20 walks and has stolen six bases on the season. Brunner has 20 games with two or more hits, at one time running an eight-game streak of multiple-hits in a game. His best was a 4-for-5 showing against Ocean County on March 11^th, scoring four runs, driving in four more, and hitting a double. He was 4-for-5 with three runs, three RBIs, and hit a homer in a 17-2 win against Montgomery County CC on April 14^th. Brunner went 4-for-5 with four runs and a double in the 18-1 win against Salem CC on April 22^nd. He went 2-for-3 with three runs in the win against Lackawanna back in March.
 
Sophomore infielder Gabriel Reyes has 48 total hits, third on the team, and is a .390 hitter this season through 36 games. Reyes has scored 34 runs, hit seven doubles, and has a team-best six triples. He has also driven in 36 RBIs, while drawing 20 walks and stealing seven bases. Reyes has a 1.035 OPS this season, boosted by a .490 OBP. Reyes has 14 multi-hit games on the season, with his standout performance being a 6-for-6 showing in the win against Montco on April 14^th. He hit a triple, drove in four RBIs, and scored a pair of runs. Reyes was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI in the 18-1 win against Salem CC on Tuesday. Reyes was 1-for-4 with two runs and an RBI at Lackawanna in March.
 
First-year corner infielder Alex Apicella has 47 total hits, fourth on the team, and is hitting .3331 through 37 games on the year. Apicella has a .866 OPS on the season, scoring 47 runs and driving in 26 more. He has seven doubles, two triples, and three home runs. Apicella has drawn 13 walks this season and stole four bases. Apicella has 14 multi-hit games on the year. Apicella had a 12-game hitting streak heading back in March. He went 2-for-5 with a run scored, a double, a triple, and three RBIs in the 19-4 win against Mercer County CC on April 15^th. Apicella was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a homer against Salem on Tuesday. He was 2-for-6 with two runs and an RBI in the win against Lackawanna in March.
 
First-year pitcher Carson Magill leads the Roadrunners in pitching, appearing in ten games, eight starts, and pitching a team-high 38.2 innings. Magill is 4-0 with a team-high 1.16 ERA, striking out a team-best 55 batters and walking just eight. He has given up eight runs, only five earned, on 32 hits. Magill has struck out at least seven batters in his first four appearances. Magill was great in his last appearance, striking out nine and allowing just three hits in six innings of an eventual 10-4 win against Brookdale CC on April 19^th. The nine strikeouts tied his season-high punchouts recorded against Union on March 15^th.
 
Sophomore hurler Landon Edwards has made ten appearances, all starts, and pitched 34.1 innings, going 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA, third on the team. Edwards has struck out 52 batters and walked 14, giving up 15 runs, eleven earned, on 26 hits. Edwards struck out at least seven batters in hist four outings of the season. Edwards set a season-best with eight punchouts in just three innings against Union on March 15^th, helping the Roadrunners win 18-2. He pitched a five-inning shutout, giving up just one hit and striking out six in a 12-0 win against Northampton CC on March 29^th. In his last outing, Edwards gave up a run on three hits in 3.2 innings, striking out five in the 10-1 win against Brookdale CC on April 19^th.
 
The head coach is Rob Valli, now in his 16^th season with the Roadrunners, and 22^nd year overall. Valli has won a pair of national championships, both occurring in the last two seasons, has gotten the Roadrunners to 13 NJCAA World Series appearances, and averages well over 35 wins a season in his tenure. This is Valli's second stint with RCSJ Gloucester, sandwiching a six-year stint with Temple University baseball. Valli has mentored over 30 All-Americans in his time, with over 70 players eventually advancing to professional baseball, including seven major league players. Valli has over 30 years of education and baseball coaching experience. He's a member of the faculty at Gloucester and also serves as the Health, Physical Education and Recreation program coordinator. Rob also spent time as a major league scout for nine seasons, working in the northeast to help major league organizations identify potential prospects. He is 782-354-2 all-time in his career, and 670-142-2 at Gloucester.
 
The Match-Up
Gloucester is 3-1 against the Falcons since 2021, but the teams had not played since three games in 2021, before their single nine-inning contest earlier this year in March. Gloucester beat Lackawanna, 20-18, in their last match-up, scoring nine runs in the final two innings to hang on to the lead and pull out the win. Lackawanna lost both games in Sewell, NJ back in 2021.
 
First pitch of Thursday's contest between Lackawanna and Gloucester is set for 3:00pm ET at the RCSJ Gloucester baseball field in Sewell, NJ against the #1 Roadrunners, top-ranked for another week in the latest NJCAA Division III rankings. There will be a video livestream available via the RCSJ Gloucester Athletics Network, linked HERE.
 
Lackawanna is back to action this weekend with a pair of home doubleheaders, starting on Saturday, April 26^th, with two games against Harford CC. First pitch is set for 1:00pm ET at Scranton HS baseball field. Sunday's doubleheader is against Monroe CC, with first pitch set for 2:00pm ET.