The Oswego State baseball team made another run to the Div. III College World Series last season after winning both the SUNYAC championship and New England Regional bracket. The Lakers were one of eight teams nationally that qualified for the final bracket. 

However, even after losing both games in the World Series last season, Oswego State wants to make a return trip and then some.

“Every year for us, the goal has been winning a national championship, and it’s no different this year,” head coach Scott Landers said. “We have enough talent. We just have to figure out how to blend them together and make it work.”

Landers has been at the helm for Oswego State since the 2012 season and has led the Lakers to back-to-back College World Series appearances. He is no stranger to the Div. III World Series, making it three times as a player at SUNY Cortland. Even so, Landers knows it may take some more time for his club this year to gel together.

“I think the guys are hungry. We have a lot of new faces and a lot of veterans that are leading the way for the young guys,” Landers said. “They just need to be motivated and they have to learn. For us as a coaching staff, we have to know it’s going to take some time.”

With 21 new players on the roster consisting of 13 freshmen and eight transfers, Landers is relying on his veteran leaders to show the young guys the ropes. One of those veterans is starting pitcher and captain Brian Nolan.

“[It’s about] teaching what we believe in, what we strive for day in and day out, hard work and get your stuff done, 1 percent better every day as coach says, and just have fun,” Nolan said.

Nolan started 10 games last season for the Lakers, posting a 7-2 record and a 2.98 ERA. He also recorded 40 strikeouts to just 11 walks. Even with a solid season last year, Nolan knows he has to step up after losing the top of their rotation from last season.

“We relied heavily on the two guys we lost last year,” Nolan said. “Now, it’s a matter of different guys stepping up and taking charge.”

Those two starting pitchers the Lakers lost were seniors Robert Donnelly (6-4, 1.47 ERA) and Reston Pettit (5-2, 3.02 ERA). Although the top of the rotation may not be as solidified as last season, Oswego State’s pitching staff runs deep heading into the season.

“We lost one and two, and I don’t know who’s going to play the role of one and two this year, but I do know we are very deep from top to bottom,” Landers said. “All of our staff can go out there and beat people at any moment. It might be a little different philosophy from our staff, but we know we have the ability to go out there and win games.”

On the offensive end, Oswego State is led by standout Mike Dellicarri. Last season, as a junior, Dellicarri hit for a .351 batting average and reached base at a .364 clip. He also led the conference in runs (55), runs batted in (54) and home runs (8). His season numbers ranked in the top-10 in program history in runs, hits, triples, home runs and RBI for a single season. 

These numbers also earned Dellicarri the SUNYAC player of the year along with a D3baseball.com All-American Honorable Mention. Even with all the accolades, Dellicarri is still focused primarily on his team.

“It’s definitely cool to be recognized, but I’m more focused on where we’re going as a team,” Dellicarri said.

Finding offense was an issue for the Lakers the first weekend of the season. They dropped two games to Salisbury University, scoring just three runs total. Oswego State struggled with runners in scoring position, which are the most important situations in baseball.

“Honestly, we really didn’t hit in key situations last week, and we have to accept it and move forward and get better,” Landers said. “We had just come out of the fieldhouse for the first time, but there are no excuses. We have the athletes to do it.”

The Lakers proved they had the athletes to do it in their third game against Wesley College. Oswego State put on an offensive clinic, earning a 22-4 victory. With 29 games remaining, the Lakers sit at 1-2 but have plenty of time to put it all together. 

Oswego State has one goal in mind for the 2019 season: making a third-straight run at the College World Series.

“Our goal is to get back there again,” Dellicarri said. “If we make it back, I want to get a win. But we’ve got to make it back there first. I think we will get back there honestly.”

Oswegonian file photo from 2017