The No. 9/10 Oswego State Lakers baseball team completed the series sweep over the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons Saturday afternoon with a 9-2 victory following their 7-2 victory in game one of the doubleheader.
The Lakers (28-8/15-3) clinched the SUNYAC regular season title in the first game of the day, giving them home-field advantage as the hosts in next week’s SUNYAC Championship tournament, first team other than SUNY Cortland to host since it started in 1998.
“It feels great. That was our goal at the start of the year, no one’s hosted it since Cortland,” head coach Scott Landers said. “That’s a good feat for us, we’ve had a good club the last couple years and we haven’t gotten over that hump. It’ll be nice to put another year out there on that banner.”
The Lakers outscored SUNY Oneonta 28-6 in a series that meant everything for them. They did so behind stellar pitching performances and hot hitting from Mike Dellicarri and Eric Hamilton.
In game one of today’s doubleheader, the Lakers trailed early 2-1, but took over in the fourth inning as Tim Cronin was able to settle in on the mound.
Josh Hoagland drove in two RBI as the Lakers were able to run away from SUNY Oneonta in the 7-2 victory, Cronin picked up the win to improve to 9-0 on the season.
Following the clinching victory in the first game, the Lakers took some time to celebrate in between the doubleheader, but were still hungry for the sweep going into the final game of the series.
Dellicarri, who hit two home runs yesterday, continued his hot-streak with four RBI in the first two innings. His two-run home run in the second inning was his third of the series, and a team leading seven on the season.
“I’ve been just trying to stay up the middle and it’s been working for me, been putting the barrel on the ball,” Dellicarri said.
Hitting in front of Dellicarri in the two-hole has been senior Eric Hamilton, who for the series had a total of nine hits, setting up some of Dellicarri’s RBI opportunities.
“[Hamilton] is going to get pitched to when the guys behind him are hitting,” Landers said. “Right now [Dellicarri] and Eli Holton are hitting behind him, guys can’t pitch around [Hamilton] right now, as long as they keep going we’re going to be alright.”
Holton, after hitting a home run yesterday, hit a two-RBI double in the sixth inning in the series finale to give the Lakers a 7-1 lead.
Kevin Hylas pinch-hit RBI in the seventh inning increased the lead to seven runs, then was followed by Hamilton’s fifth hit of the game for an RBI single and a 9-1 Laker lead.
Guarino surrendered one run to the Red Dragons in the ninth inning, but closed the deal for the Lakers 9-2 for their 15th SUNYAC victory on the season.
Robert Donnelly picked up the win for Oswego State as he went five innings allowing one earned run and producing three strikeouts.
The Lakers won every series matchup in SUNYAC play this season, more notably beating second and third place teams SUNY Cortland and The College at Brockport on the road.
Home-field advantage shall suit well for the Lakers as they were 9-0 at home this season, they look to get over their next hump after finishing second in the SUNYAC Championship tournament the last few seasons.
“It’s a great accomplishment honestly, it’s a long time coming being here four years and our fourth year is finally the first time to actually host,” Hamilton said. “It’s going to be nice to have home-field advantage here, bring our A-game next weekend we’ll be fine.”
Hamilton started off SUNYAC play sluggish after his hot-start in the beginning of the season, he has sky-rocketed his play these last few weeks getting hot at the right time. In the last 13 games, Hamiton is hitting 28-53 (.528) to bring his batting average on the season up to .442.
“My swing is feeling good right now,” Hamilton said. “Hopefully I can carry that over into next week and continue it into the weekend.”
The starting pitching staff for the Lakers has been tremendous for them all season, the one-two punch of Mitchell Cavanagh and Cronin are combined for 17-0 on the season.
Donnelly has filled in nicely as the Lakers third starter, taking SUNY Cortland into extra innings last week before picking up his win today.
“Pitching how they are suppose too, the whole year,” Landers said. “We have a lot of talent on the mound, it doesn’t really matter who gets called upon. They’re going out there throwing strikes and we’re playing defense behind him.”
The Lakers are deemed ready to host SUNYAC’s this season, but have some questions pertaining to the hamstring injuries of senior starters Wes Randall, Zach Kollar, and John Barnes.
Randall and Kollar returned to the lineups this weekend, but sat out the final game of the series already having clinched SUNYAC.
Barnes hamstring injury came more recent during last Tuesday’s contest against Ithaca College. He wasn’t available at all this weekend, putting his status next weekend into question.
Injuries have plagued the Lakers all season, but Landers deeply talented group has taken on every challenge leading them to what they have accomplished.
“It’s confidence in one another, resiliency. We battle a lot of injuries and guys have stepped up,” Landers said. “We’ve gotten it going over the last two weeks with everything. We finally started pitching, playing defense, and hitting all together, and I’m just very proud with what they have accomplished.”
The Oswego State Lakers will have a week of preparation for this year’s upcoming SUNYAC Championship tournament. The Lakers as the No. 1 seed will host No. 4 seed SUNY New Paltz on Friday at noon with Cavanagh expected to take the mound.
The Lakers seek to win their first SUNYAC Championship since 1996.
