4/9/25
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College softball is back to work after a few days off because of adverse weather, as the Falcons start a ten-game homestand with a doubleheader on Thursday, April 10^th, against Harford CC.
 
The first game of the twin bill is set for a 2:00pm ET start at Scranton HS softball field in Scranton, PA. 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 defeated Harford CC earlier this season, beating the Owls 3-2 in Myrtle Beach back in early March.
 
About The Falcons
The Falcons (17-17) are 8-4 in their last 12 games, but fell in doubleheader action the last time out, 9-0 and 9-1, to Delaware Tech CC this past Saturday. DTCC took advantage of some self-inflicted mistakes and a quiet performance at the plate, steadily building leads in each game to eventually win both early via the run-rule. You can read the full recap HERE.
 
The Falcons started slow, but are now up to .296 at the plate through 34 games this season. Lackawanna has scored 166 runs, averaging 4.9 per game on the year. The Falcons have 51 extra-base hits, including 37 doubles and ten triples, and they have a .744 OPS. Lackawanna has drawn 95 walks and struck out 154 times. They have also stolen 47 bases.
 
Pitching-wise, the Falcons have been steady, posting a staff ERA of 5.61 this year. In 209.2 innings, the Falcons have allowed 217 runs, 168 earned, on 283 hits, while striking out 141 and walking 132. Opponents are hitting .311 against the Falcons this season and have been hit by 30 pitches. Lackawanna has thrown 40 wild pitches this season.
 
Defensively, the Falcons have 56 errors and a .937 fielding percentage. They've turned five double plays and caught ten runners stealing this season.
 
Sophomore utility player Jillian Heimberger (Unionville, PA) is first on the team with 44 hits and is hitting .444 through 34 games. She has a team-best 1.056 OPS and has scored 26 runs, tied for first on the team. Heimberger leads the Falcons in slugging (.535) and on-base percentage (.521), and in total bases (53). She also leads the team with ten stolen bases this season, and she's second on the squad with 15 walks. Heimberger has 16 RBIs, third on the team this season. Heimberger has ten 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 5-for-8 with two runs and an RBI in the wins against Salem CC last week. She went 2-for-4 against Del Tech in two games. Jill was 1-for-3 with two runs and a walk in the win against Harford earlier this season. Heimberger has 32 putouts and 26 assists this season.
 
Sophomore outfielder Emmalee Mowery (Mechanicsburg, PA) is second on the team with 36 total hits and a .353 batting average this season. Mowery has a .923 OPS, second on the team, boosted by a .443 OBP, and she leads the Falcons in doubles (9), extra-base hits (11), RBIs (21), and walks (17), and she is tied with Heimberger for first on the team with 26 runs. She has nine stolen bases this season, second behind Heimberger. Mowery has 14 multi-hit games during the season. 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 two weeks ago, 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 2-for-8 with a double and two RBIs in her pair of games against Salem. She was hitless in six at-bats against Del Tech over the weekend. Mowery was 0-for-3 with a run scored and a walk in the win against Harford earlier this season. She has 77 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 29 hits this season, and she has a .296 batting average through 32 games. Laniah has scored 15 runs this year and has driven in 18 RBIs, second on the Falcons this year. She has one of the only four 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 three doubles and has drawn three walks and been hit by two pitches this season. She has a .684 OPS. Laniah has nine 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 Mach 23^rd. 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 3-for-7 with a run, two RBIs, and a double against Salem last week, and she had two hits and the lone RBI against Del Tech in two games this past weekend. Tasker was 0-for-3 in the win against Harford earlier this season. She has 92 putouts and 22 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 23 total hits this season, posting a .311 batting average through 34 games. Tasker has scored 16 runs, third on the team, and has two doubles, a triple, and an inside-the-park homer this season. Tasker has driven in ten RBIs this season. She has 13 walks, third on the team, and has seven stolen bases this season. Tasker also has a .814 OPS on the year. Tasker has seven 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 on March 25^th. Tasker went 3-for-7 with three runs, two RBIs, and her inside-the-parker in two games against Salem in two games last week. She was hitless in two games against DTCC last weekend. Lindsey was held without a hit in the win against Harford earlier this season. She has 44 putouts and 30 assists this season from second base.
 
First-year first base player Gracie Sokol (Belle Vernon, PA) has 22 hits on the year, posting a .265 batting average through 33 games. Sokol has a .657 OPS and has ten runs scored, while driving in ten runs. Sokol has eight 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 went a combined 2-for-7 with a run scored and an RBI in the two games against Salem on April 1^st. Against DTCC, she was 1-for-4 in the pair of games over the weekend. Gracie was 0-for-1 in a pinch-hit role earlier this season. Sokol has 135 putouts and six assists on the year.
 
First-year outfielder and pitcher Mia Scalese (Moscow, PA) has 19 total hits, hitting .244 so far this season. Scalese has appeared in 27 games this year and has eleven runs and seven RBIs. Scalese has drawn three 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 hitless in four at-bats across the pair of games against Del Tech this past weekend. Scalese was 1-for-2 in the win against Harford. She has 17 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 15 games and throwing 65.2 innings this season. Dinice is 5-7 with a 6.40 ERA on the year, starting in all but two of her appearances. Dinice has allowed 69 runs, 60 earned, on 76 hits, while striking out 48 batters and walking 63. Batters are hitting .279 against Dinice this season, and she has thrown a team-high 25 wild pitches. Dinice has thrown six 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 was great against Salem last week, allowing just two runs on eight hits in seven innings of the 5-2 triumph for the Falcons, striking out five for the victory. She was hit hard in her last start, giving up seven runs on just two hits, walking four in two innings of the 9-0 loss to Delaware Tech. Dinice was great against Harford, allowing two runs on nine hits in seven innings of the win for the Falcons.
 
Scalese has pitched in 56.1 innings this season, second-most on the team, and has made 13 appearances, eight of which have been starts. Scalese is 4-5 with a 5.22 ERA. Scalese has given up 60 runs, only 42 earned, on 78 hits, striking out 42 and walking 33. Opposition hitters have a .320 batting average against Scalese this year, and she has hit 13 batters with pitches this season. Mia has picked up four wins in her last eight 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 earned the win on April 1^st in the 6-5 win against Salem, allowing five runs on six hits and pitching around seven walks, while striking out six batters in seven innings. She struck out five in 2.2 innings of relief against Delaware Tech this past weekend, giving up two runs on three hits.
 
Heimberger has pitched the third-most innings, throwing 54.1 so far this season. She is 5-3 in 12 appearances with a 4.64 ERA, making eight starts. Heimberger has given up 54 runs, 36 earned, on 76 hits, with 26 strikeouts and 18 walks. Batters are hitting .315 against Heimberger so far this season. Jill has picked up four of those wins in her last eight 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 shutout against the Cougars. Jill gave up nine runs, just three earned, on ten hits in five innings of the 9-1 loss to Delaware Tech this past weekend.
 
The head coach for the Falcons is Jeff Pittsman, entering his 14^th season in charge of the Falcons. Pittsman has 281 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 Harford CC
The Fighting Owls (10-10) will come into Thursday as winners of five of their last six games, including a doubleheader sweep over Allegany College of Maryland last Wednesday. Harford won both games against the Trojans in walk-off fashion. In game one, the Owls blew a 7-3 lead by giving up four runs in the seventh. They bounced back in the bottom half, getting a leadoff single, a stolen base, and then a fly-out to put the winning run on third, which scored because of a wild pitch. In game two, trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, the Fighting Owls went back-to-back with a bunt single and an RBI double that tied the game at 2-2. Another single put runners on the corners, and then a fielder's choice at short finished the game, as the throw home was off target. The Owls have a pair of games against PSU Hazleton on Wednesday, April 9^th, before the Thursday doubleheader with Lackawanna.
 
Harford is hitting .316 as a team this season, putting up a collective .808 OPS. The Owls have scored 111 runs, a 5.5 runs per game average, and they have 36 extra-base hits, including 22 doubles and six triples. The Fighting Owls have drawn 56 walks and struck out 73 times on the season. Harford has stolen 16 bases as a team this season.
 
The pitching staff for the Owls has a collective 4.23 ERA. They've thrown a combined 122.1 innings, giving up 108 runs, 74 earned, on 185 hits. They've struck out 74 batters and walked just 28 this season. Harford's opposition is hitting .449 on the season, and the Owls have hit six batters and thrown 14 wild pitches.
 
The Owls have committed 27 errors and have a .947 fielding percentage so far this season. Harford has turned seven double plays and caught ten baserunners stealing this year.
 
Pitcher and third base player Anna Sexton is a sophomore leading the team with 28 total hits and a .418 batting average this season. Sexton has a 1.011 OPS, second on the team, and has ten runs in her 20 games heading into Wednesday. Sexton has five doubles, second on the team, and she has driven in 16 RBIs, also second on the squad this season. Sexton is slugging at .582 this season and has drawn a pair of walks this year. Sexton has ten multi-hit games this year, including three of her last four games. One of her best games of the season came against Montgomery College MD on March 26^th, where she was 2-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored, hitting a double and a home run in a 14-8 win for the Fighting Owls. Sexton was a combined 3-for-6 with a run scored and three RBIs in a pair of games against the Trojans last Wednesday. She was 2-for-4 against the Falcons earlier this season. Sexton has 15 putouts and six assists this season, while also picking off a pair of baserunners this year.
 
First-year corner infielder Eliza Lane leads the Owls with her .426 average and is second on the team with 23 total hits this season. Lane has appeared in 19 games, scoring seven runs and driving in five RBIs. She has drawn five walks, fourth on the team, and has a .956 OPS, boosted by her .475 on-base percentage, second on the team. Lane has six multi-hit games on the season, including a perfect 6-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs in the sweep over Montgomery back on March 26^th. She was 1-for-3 with a run scored in one game against Allegany last week. She was 1-for-3 in the loss to Lackawanna earlier this season. Lane has 81 putouts and a pair of double plays so far this season.
 
First-year player Kayla Gist is a .339 hitter and is third on the team with 21 hits in 20 games this season. Gist, a Hanover Twp. Native, leads the Owls in several categories, including OPS (1.133), slugging (.710), runs (17), XBHs (12), doubles (6), home runs (5), RBIs (19), and total bases (44). Gist has drawn six walks, third on the team, and has been hit by three pitches. She has six multi-hit games on the year and has recorded a hit in her last six games. She was a combined 4-for-6 with five runs, eight RBIs, two doubles, and two home runs in the doubleheader sweep over Montgomery. She had two more home runs and six more RBIs in the doubleheader against Catonsville on March 31^st. She was a combined 2-for-6 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI in the two wins against Allegany last week. Gist was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a double against Lackawanna in Myrtle Beach earlier this season. Gist has 19 putouts and 13 assists in the field, and she has been involved in two double plays this year.
 
First-year shortstop Katelyn McCullough is a .286 hitter and has 20 total hits this season for the Owls, appearing in 20 games. McCullough has scored 13 runs, second on the team, and she has two doubles and a team-high two triples, while driving in eight runs. McCullough has a .695 OPS, and she has drawn three walks on the year. She has six multi-hit games on the season. She was a combined 4-for-9 with four runs, two doubles, a triple, and three RBIs in the wins against Montgomery. She went a combined 3-for-7 with two runs and an RBI in the sweep against Allegany. She was 2-for-4 in the loss to Lackawanna earlier this season. She has 32 putouts and a team-high 46 assists this season for a .897 fielding percentage. She has turned six double plays this year.
 
Sexton leads the Owls with 49.1 innings pitched this season, making eleven appearances and going 6-1 with a 2.98 ERA. Sexton has made six starts, giving up 25 runs, 21 earned, on 47 hits, striking out a team-high 48 and walking 16 this season. Against Sexton, opponents are hitting .311 this season. Sexton struck out a season-best 12 batters in seven innings of a win against Corning back on March 15^th. She has been victorious in her last five appearances, pitching four complete games and then appearing in four innings of relief in her last appearance against Allegany last week, giving up just two hits and striking out three to pick up the win against the Trojans. Sexton pitched two innings of relief against the Falcons earlier this season, striking out a pair in a game the Falcons held on to win, 3-2.
 
First-year pitcher Kaylee Pruett is second on the team with 42.1 innings pitched this season, making eight appearances, six starts, and holding a 1-6 record with a 4.80 ERA. Pruett has given up 46 runs, 29 earned, on 72 hits, striking out 23 and walking ten. Pruett's opponents are hitting .550 against her this season. She managed to pick up her first win of the year against Allegany last week, striking out a season-high six in seven innings of work, giving up seven runs on ten hits. Pruett has been hit hard in her last four appearances, giving up a combined 50 hits in four games, which translated to 28 runs, 16 earned. Pruett pitched five innings against Lackawanna earlier this season, giving up three runs, one earned, on three hits in the 3-2 loss to the Falcons on March 4^th in Myrtle Beach.
 
The head coach for the Owls is Dan Ashby, now in his third season in charge of the Owls. Ashby was 26-8 in his first year in 2023, getting the Owls to the Region 10/20 Championship tournament. The Owls have gone 59-29 under Ashby.
 
The Match-Ups
Lackawanna is 5-2 against the Fighting Owls since 2021, and they have a win over Harford CC already this season, taking a tight 3-2 contest against the Owls back on March 4^th in North Myrtle Beach, SC at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. Lackawanna came back from a 2-0 deficit, scoring a run in the top of the fourth, then took the lead on a two-run single in the sixth, winning by a run despite only getting three hits.
 
Lackawanna and Harford CC will start their doubleheader on Thursday, April 10^th, at 2:00pm ET at the Scranton HS softball field in Scranton, PA. 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.
 
After one day off, the Falcons will get back to action with a doubleheader against County College of Morris at home on Saturday, April 12^th at the Scranton HS softball field. First pitch is set for 12:00pm ET.