Lakers Draw Spartans in NJCAA Region III Sub-Regional Matchup
AUBURN, N.Y. – Following a doubleheader and series sweep over the Bombers of Ithaca College, the Finger Lakes Community College baseball team has been preparing for their opponent in the NJCAA Region III Sub-Regional round. On Saturday, May 14th the Lakers will travel to Auburn, N.Y. to take on the Spartans of Cayuga Community College in a best-of-three series.
The Lakers will match up with the Spartans in a 1 PM/ 4 PM doubleheader on Saturday, with a third game set for Sunday at Falcon Park in the event the teams' split the doubleheader. The winner of Saturday's Sub-Regional matchup will travel to Little Falls, N.Y. to participate in the NJCAA Region III Championship at Herkimer County Community College on May 19th.
The Lakers enter their matchup currently sitting on a record of 34-18 (13-3) as the 5th ranked team in the recent NJCAA Region III coaches poll. The team rides a 9-game win streak heading into the weekend matchup with the Spartans. On Wednesday, May 11th, baseball student-athletes Devin Georgetti (Rochester, N.Y./ Gates- Chili), Ryan Smith (Fairport, N.Y./ Fairport), Tyler Cerame (Hilton, N.Y./ Hilton), Lukas Haefner (Rochester, N.Y./ Rush Henrietta), and Nolan Storch (Elmira, N.Y./ Elmira) were named to the Mid-State Athletic Conference All-Conference team.
Devin Georgetti an infielder and right-handed pitcher boasts a 1.55 ERA on the season, the 5th best in the nation (NJCAA Division III). Georgetti has pitched 52.1 innings for the Lakers, allowing 9 earned on the season, and 67 strikeouts, with an average of just under 12 strikeouts a game. Ryan Smith an outfielder, has accumulated a batting average of .364, to go along with 25 RBIs, 30 runs scored, and 24 stolen bases on the year. Tyler Cerame an infielder, currently holds a .375 batting average, with 18 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 1 home run, and 16 stolen bases.
Lukas Haefner an infielder and a right-handed pitcher led the team in RBIs with 29. Haefner holds a .296 batting average to go along with 23 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases during the regular season. Nolan Storch a catcher averages a .329 batting average with 19 RBIs, 21 runs scored, 2 home runs, and 1 stolen base in the regular season. Lakers pitcher Sean Peck remains one of the nation's top closers, with 6 saves on the year, 2nd in the national leaderboard (NJCAA Division III).
As a team, the Lakers have played 52 games on the year and scored 307 runs, accumulated a batting average of .309, and an on-base percentage of .417. The Lakers hold a .414 slugging percentage and have knocked in 13 home runs on the season, led by Sophomore Tim McClare (Macedon, N.Y./ Gananda) with 5.
On the opponent's side, the Spartans are led by Mid-State Athletic Conference (MSAC) Player of the Year Hazel Martinez. Martinez holds a .564 batting average and a 1.060 slugging percentage to go along with 60 RBI, 51 runs, and 10 home runs in the regular season. As a team, the Spartans have played 36 games, scoring 363 runs and accumulating a .376 batting average, and a .482 on-base percentage. Cayuga holds a .587 slugging percentage and knocked in 23 home runs on the season. The Spartans enter Saturday's DH riding a win streak of their own at 5.
The Lakers will look to pick up a sweep over the Spartans to earn a spot to play in the NJCAA Region III Final Four in Little Falls, N.Y. on May 19th.