4/3/25
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – A three-game series in Region XIX Division II play is next for Lackawanna College baseball, as the Falcons get set to take on the Sussex County CC Skylanders in three games this weekend.
 
On Friday, April 4^th, the two squads will play a doubleheader starting at 10:00am ET in Scranton, PA at Scranton HS baseball field. There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available for the doubleheader via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
The third game of the series is a single nine-inning contest scheduled for Sunday, April 6^th, in Hackettstown, NJ, at Centenary University. First pitch is set for 12:00pm ET.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (17-11, 6-0) come into the weekend after winning ten-straight games before dropping the second game of a doubleheader to Monroe CC this past Tuesday. Lackawanna was dominant in game one, winning 12-1 in just five innings of action, but couldn't get the bats going in game two, leaving nine Falcons on base and mustering only four hits for the game in a 10-3 loss. It was the third doubleheader and seventh game in five days for the Falcons. You can read the recap HERE.
 
On the season, the Falcons are hitting a combined .351, compiling a collective 1.041 OPS, which includes a .454 OBP and a .587 slugging percentage, good for sixth in NJCAA Division II. Lackawanna has 127 extra-base hits, eighth in the country, including 83 doubles (4^th) and 40 home runs (11^th). The Falcons have scored 270 runs. this year, a 9.6 runs per game average. Lackawanna has drawn 132 walks and struck out 200 times as a team this year, while stealing 41 bases.
 
On the mound, the Falcons have a 6.59 ERA, giving up 181 runs, 145 earned, on 207 hits through 198 innings pitched. Teams are hitting .262 against the Falcons this season, with 12 home runs and 55 extra-base hits. Lackawanna has struck out 214 batters and walked 151. The Falcons have also plunked 41 batters this year.
 
Defensively, the Falcons have 43 errors and a .948 fielding percentage. The Falcons have caught seven baserunners stealing this year and have forced seven double plays.
 
Sophomore shortstop Brooks Henderson IV (Feasterville, PA) is first on the team with 44 hits, third in all of Region XIX, and a .440 batting average in his 27 appearances. Henderson has a 1.192 OPS with nine doubles, fourth on the team, and 38 RBIs, first on the squad and fourth in Region XIX. He's also got five home runs, tied for second on the team. He's got a .492 OBP on the year and has scored 33 runs, second on the team. Brooks has drawn 12 walks on the year and has been hit by two pitches. Henderson has 12 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. Defensively, Henderson has 37 putouts, 64 assists, and five errors on the year from his shortstop position.
 
First-year outfielder Deacon Brown (Williamsport, PA) leads the Falcons with a .444 batting average and is second on the team with 38 total hits in 28 games. Brown has a 1.312 OPS and a .545 OBP, first and second on the team in both categories, respectively. Brown has scored 27 runs, fourth on the team, and he has posted eleven doubles, five homers, and 28 RBIs, second on the squad. He's drawn 14 walks and has been hit by eight pitches, second on the team. Brown has nine multi-hit games on the year and had a 21-game hitting streak that just came to an end. He 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 hitless in five at-bats against Monroe CC on Tuesday, scoring one run. Deacon has 43 putouts, three assists, and one error this year.
 
Sophomore Louis Kegerreis (Murrysville, PA) is a .422 hitter this season through 24 appearances, collecting 35 total hits. Kegerreis has 34 runs scored this season, first on the Falcons, and he has a team-high 14 doubles, tops in Region XIX, and 25 RBIs. Kegerreis has a 1.240 OPS this year, with a .505 OBP. He has drawn ten walks and been hit by six pitches on the season. Kegerreis has ten multi-hit games this season, and he currently has a 14-game hitting streak. 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 last weekend. He was 4-for-6 with three runs and two RBIs in two games against Rockland on Sunday. Kegerreis was 2-for-3 with three runs, an RBI, and a double against Monroe CC. He has 31 putouts and 25 assists this season in the field.
 
Sophomore catcher and DH Jake Kelleher (Exeter, PA) is a .405 hitter through 24 games this season, compiling a 1.183 OPS on the year. Kelleher has scored 29 runs, third on the team, and has collected 30 total hits, posting nine doubles, four home runs, and 16 RBIs. Kelleher has drawn ten walks and he has three stolen bases. Kelleher has six multi-hit games this season, including going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a double, and two RBIs in the game one win against Allegany on March 15^th. He was a combined 6-for-10 with seven runs, two RBIs, two doubles, and one home run against Raritan Valley in three games this past weekend. Kelleher had five hits, two runs, two RBIs, and a double in two games against Monroe CC on Tuesday. Kelleher has caught two runners stealing this season as a catcher and has eight assists behind the plate this season.
 
Sophomore first baseman John Hughes (Hamilton, NJ) is a .403 hitter with 27 hits in 23 games this year. Hughes has a 1.419 OPS, first on the team, with 25 runs scored and 25 RBIs. He has ten doubles, a triple, and a team-high six home runs this season. Hughes has drawn 18 walks, first on the squad, and he has been hit by nine pitches. Hughes has a .568 OBP this year, first on the team, and he's slugging at .851. Hughes has eight multi-hit games this season, and he was 3-for-5 with three doubles and three RBIs in the win against Cumberland on March 12^th. Against Raritan, he had three hits, a homer, and four RBIs. He scored a solo homer against Rockland on Sunday, then hit another homer and had three RBIs on two hits in the game one victory against Monroe CC. Hughes has three homers in his last five games. He has 117 putouts and nine assists at first base this season.
 
Sophomore outfielder Nick Matson (Nanticoke, PA) is a .309 hitter this season through 27 games, collecting 25 hits and driving in 23 runs. Matson has scored 17 runs and has put up seven doubles on the year and has three home runs. He has drawn ten walks and has stolen nine bases, first on the team. Matson has nine 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 Saturday. He hit a three-run home run, then a grand slam. Matson was 0-for-3 in the 6-5 win against Rockland on Sunday. He also pitched two scoreless innings in the 9-4 win against the Hawks in game one. Nick was 0-for-2 with two runs and an RBI in two games against Monroe CC. Matson has 41 putouts on the season.
 
Sophomore catcher Kenny Hirschfeld (New Hyde Park, NY) is a .367 hitter this season in his 21 appearances, collecting 22 total hits and driving in 16 runs. Hirschfeld has five doubles and two homers, and he has scored 17 runs. Hirschfeld had two hits in each of his first two games and has six 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 this weekend, 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 was 1-for-3 with an RBI in the 10-3 loss to Monroe CC on Tuesday.
 
Sophomore utility player Jason Prudente (Bear Creek Twp., PA) is a .412 hitter so far this season, putting up 21 hits so far this season in 21 games. Prudente has a 1.321 OPS and 16 runs scored. He has seven doubles and four homers, driving in 22 runs on the season. Prudente has a .784 slugging percentage, second on the team this season, and his .537 OBP is third on the team. Prudente has 12 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 in three games this past weekend. He had a double, an RBI, and a run scored in two games against Rockland on Sunday. Prudente was 0-for-2 with an RBI in the 12-1 win against Monroe CC on Tuesday.
 
Sophomore infielder Tyler Lepage (Macungie, PA) is a .476 hitter with a 1.421 OPS through 15 appearances this season. Lepage has five homers, tied with Brown and Henderson for second on the team, and has 13 RBIs. He has a .881 slugging percentage in his 15 games. Lepage has 14 runs scored on the year and carries a .540 OBP. Lepage has drawn five walks and been hit by a pair of pitches. Lepage has seven 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 two weeks ago against RCSJ Cumberland. However, he left the March 28^th game against Raritan Valley early last Friday with an injury. He was 1-for-1 with an RBI double. Lepage has six putouts and eight assists this season.
 
Sophomore pitcher Liam O'Leary (Souderton, PA) leads the team with 39.1 innings pitched, making seven appearances, six of which have been starts. O'Leary has a 4-2 record with a 4.81 ERA. He has given up 26 runs, 21 earned, on 40 hits, while striking out a team-high 49 batters and walking 15. The opposition is hitting .252 against him this year, and he has hit a team-high eight batters. O'Leary's best outing happened against Monroe on March 8^th, where he went six innings, striking out a season-best nine batters, and allowed three runs, all earned, on five hits. O'Leary has recorded at least four strikeouts in all seven of his appearances this season. He went seven innings in his last outing, 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. It's the second straight start where he struck out eight or more batters.
 
Sophomore pitcher Ryan Novakowski (Forty Fort, PA) is second on the team in innings pitched, throwing 37.1 innings on the year. Novakowski is 3-2 with a 5.79 ERA in his seven appearances, all starts. Novakowski has given up 26 runs, 24 earned, on 38 hits, with 43 strikeouts and 13 walks. Batters are hitting .252 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.
 
Sophomore Trey Sajeski (Holland, PA) is third on the team, pitching 25 innings in seven appearances this season. He's 3-1 with a 7.56 ERA. Sajeski has given up 26 runs, 21 earned, on 29 hits, striking out 25 and walking 15 batters. The opposition is hitting .271 against him this season. Sajeski threw his best game on March 9^th against Onondaga, striking out a season-high seven in a season-long six innings. He gave up just one run on five hits for the win in the 11-1 victory for Lackawanna. In his last outing, Sajeski went five innings for the win against Raritan Valley, giving up seven runs, five earned, on five hits in the 18-10 win. He struck out four batters.
 
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 183-111 in his career at Lackawanna.
 
About Sussex County CC
The Skylanders (12-11, 1-5) have been uneven so far this season, going 8-2 to start the year, then dropping nine of their last 13, including a 1-5 start in region play. After getting swept by Mercer County CC last weekend, the Skylanders bounced back with a non-conference triumph over SUNY Orange CC, 16-4, on Tuesday evening this week. The win kept Sussex unbeaten (3-0) against Region XV DII teams this season. Sussex led 2-1 after four innings, then scored nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined to blow things wide open. They added five more in the ninth. Sussex had eleven hits on the night, posting three doubles, while their pitchers struck out 12.
 
Offensively, the Skylanders are hitting .328 as a team, driving in 175 runs in 23 games, a 7.6 runs per game average. Sussex has 56 extra-base hits on the year, putting up 46 doubles and five home runs. The Skylanders have 163 strikeouts and 110 walks, and they have stolen 35 bases on the year. Sussex has a collective .878 OPS, with a team OBP of .447. The Skylanders have been hit by 49 pitches this season. 
 
On the mound, the Skylanders have a staff ERA of 5.37, giving up 140 runs, 96 earned, on 184 hits in 161 innings. The Skylanders have struck out their opponents 156 times, while walking 74. They have given up ten home runs and teams are batting .297 against them this season.
 
In the field, the Skylanders have 51 errors and a .897 fielding percentage this season. Sussex has turned three double plays and caught one runner stealing this year.
 
Sophomore infielder Derek Lazier is back to lead the team this year and has 38 total hits and a .469 batting average through 23 games this year, both team-highs. Lazier has a team-high ten doubles and 13 extra-base hits, posting 27 RBIs this season, first on the team. Lazier has eight walks and has scored 24 runs, second on the squad. He has a .505 OBP, first on the team, and also leads Sussex in slugging (.679) and OPS (1.184). Lazier has 13 multi-hit games this year, with his best coming against Henry Ford College on March 12^th, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs on a double and a home run. He was a combined 4-for-12 for three runs, a double and a triple, and two RBIs in the three losses to Mercer County. He was 1-for-2 with a run and two RBIs against Orange on Tuesday. Lazier has 48 putouts and 19 assists this season.
 
First-year player Reed Peterson is second on the team with 25 total hits and a .362 batting average through 22 games this season. Peterson has seven runs and 17 RBIs and is second on the team with seven doubles. He's got a .885 OPS this season. Peterson has three walks and two stolen bases on the year. Peterson has six multi-hit games on the season, with his best coming against Rockland on March 25^th, going 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. Peterson had one hit in three games against Mercer, scoring one run. He was 1-for-5 with a double and three RBIs in the win against Orange. Peterson has 19 putouts and three assists on the year.

Sophomore infielder Domenic Lotruglio has 22 hits and is hitting .328 this season in 22 games. Logtruglio has scored 20 runs, third on the team, and has four doubles and eight RBIs so far this season. He has a .452 OBP and a .840 OPS on the year. Lotruglio has eleven walks and four stolen bases, and he has 18 strikeouts, tied for a team-high. Lotruglio has seven multi-hit games on the season, with his best coming against Quinsigamond CC on March 15^th, going 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs. He had three hits in a win against Northern Essex on March 8^th, hitting a pair of doubles and driving in one run. Lotruglio was a combined 3-for-7 with a run scored in the three games against Mercer last weekend. He had two hits and two runs in the win against Orange earlier this week. Lotruglio has 18 putouts and 36 assists on the season in the field.
 
First-year infielder Seiji Umezawa has a .288 batting average and 21 hits through 23 games this season. Umezawa has scored 29 runs, first on the team, and has a team-best 19 walks this season. Umezawa has a .839 OPS with a .442 OBP. Umezawa has 13 RBIs on five doubles and a homer. He also has four stolen bases this season. He's got five multi-hit games on the year, with his best game probably coming in his last game, the win against Orange, where he was 3-for-5 for four runs and an RBI. He was a combined 1-for-10 with a run scored, an RBI, and a double in three games against Mercer. He has 28 putouts and 44 assists in the field this season.
 
On the mound, first-year pitcher Ryan Miller leads the team with 22 innings pitched in six appearances, going 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA this year. Miller has given up 12 runs, eight earned, on 15 hits, striking out a team-high 32 batters and walking nine. Miller has three games with four or more strikeouts, setting his season-high with ten punchouts in five innings, giving up just one run in the win against Quinsigamond CC on March 15^th. Miller has lost his last two starts, giving up four runs in 2.2 innings against Raritan in an eventual 12-2 loss, and then giving up seven runs, four earned, on seven hits in 3.1 innings of an eventual 8-5 loss to Mercer last weekend.
 
First-year hurler William St-Pierre has thrown 20.2 innings, second on the team, in eight appearances this season. St-Pierre is 2-0 with a 3.48 ERA, giving up 17 runs, just eight earned, on 26 hits. He has struck out 20 batters and walked just five this season. St-Pierre set a season-high with five strikeouts in 4.1 innings against Raritan Valley on March 21^st, allowing two runs in a 17-7 victory for the Skylanders. He gave up one run on five hits in 3.2 innings of relief against Mercer in his last appearance, in a game Sussex lost 8-5.
 
Sophomore Sebastian Mizener has made eight appearances and has thrown 18.1 innings this season, going 1-4 with a 9.33 ERA. Mizener has allowed 22 runs, 19 earned, on 21 hits, striking out 19 and walking 12 so far this season. Mizener's best outing came in an 8-6 win against Northern Essex, where he pitched four innings and gave up a run on a hit with four strikeouts for the victory. Mizener was roughed up against Mercer last Friday, giving up four runs on three hits in just 0.2 innings of work. He pitched a scoreless inning of action against Orange on Tuesday, striking out the side.
 
Ramadan Mehmedi, a Sussex County CC graduate who played baseball for the Skylanders, is the man in charge, now in his 12^th season at the helm. Mehmedi has guided the Skylanders to the Region XIX DII playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Mehmedi has won 20+ games in back-to-back seasons, and has three different seasons where he has guided Sussex to 20+ wins. Mehmedi has gone 187-214 in his time in charge of the Skylanders.
 
The Match-Ups
Lackawanna College is 12-1 against Sussex dating back to 2019. Last year, Lackawanna won the first two games of the series, then dropped the second game of a doubleheader to Sussex, 8-7 in eight innings, to snap a 12-game winning streak.
 
The Region XIX DII standings heading into this weekend have both Mercer County and Lackawanna on top:
 
Region XIX DII Standings
1 – Mercer County CC (20-8, 6-0) [at DTCC, vs. DTCC DH]
2 – Lackawanna College (17-11, 6-0) [vs. Sussex DH, at Sussex]
3 – CC of Morris (15-13, 2-4) [at Raritan Valley, vs. Raritan Valley DH]
4 – Raritan Valley CC (6-11-1, 2-4) [vs. Morris, at Morris DH]
5 – Sussex County CC (12-11, 1-5) [at Lackawanna DH, vs. Lackawanna]
6 – Delaware Tech CC (8-17, 1-5) [vs. Mercer, at Mercer DH]
 
The series with Sussex gets underway on Friday, April 4^th, as the two squads play a doubleheader starting at 10:00am ET in Scranton, PA at Scranton HS baseball field. There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available for the doubleheader via the Lackawanna College Athletics Network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
The third game of the series is a single nine-inning contest scheduled for Sunday, April 6^th, in Hackettstown, NJ, at Centenary University. First pitch is set for 12:00pm ET.
 
The Falcons dip back down to Division III in their next contest, as Lackawanna takes on #1 RCSJ Gloucester for a single nine-inning contest on Tuesday, April 8^th. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00pm ET in Sewell, NJ.