As winter ever so slowly turns to spring, “America’s Pastime” also makes its return. For the Oswego State men’s baseball team, the change in seasons represents yet another chance to make a run at the NCAA Div. III Tournament. The Lakers have made the tournament each of the past five years, including two NCAA Div. III College World Series appearances in 2017 and 2018. Last season, ended in heartbreak, with the team losing their first two tournament games by one run each.
“The world series is tough to get to,” head coach Scott Landers said. “There’s 390 teams in the country or whatever it is. We made the regional. We were young last year, we have a lot of experience on the mound and positionally this year. Hopefully they learned last year, and we can make a run.”
In the final game of the postseason, the Lakers lost 3-2 to No. 1-seeded University of Southern Maine. In that game, Oswego State took a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning. Starting pitcher Nick DeMarco threw a gem, going 8.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs, striking out six.
“We’re not looking back on anything,” DeMarco said. “We’re moving forward and trying to get better each and every day.”
Despite the tough loss, the Lakers finished the season 29-14, winning their third straight SUNYAC title. In the SUNYAC tournament, they went a perfect 3-0, defeating top-seeded SUNY Cortland 11-7 in the championship game.
Looking ahead to this season, DeMarco will get the ball in game one on Saturday against Heidelberg University. The senior finished last season with a 6-3 record and a 2.63 earned run average, striking out 64 batters in 68.1 innings. His efforts led to being named the Co-Don Axtell Pitcher of the Year in the SUNYAC, D3baseball.com Third Team All-Region and ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-Region. He uses his two-seam fastball to set up a nasty slider as his out pitch. But even after a stellar junior year, DeMarco knows there is work to be done.
“For me it’s about developing my pitches this year,” DeMarco said. “Last year, I just kind of worked with what I had and went off of that, but I’m trying to develop all four pitches and be able to throw them consistently for strikes.”
DeMarco will be followed in the rotation this weekend by sophomore Kieran Finnegan and fellow senior Jake Terrill. The Lakers lost senior starting pitchers Brian Nolan and Matt Bowman, who combined for 15 starts last season. Even so, Landers believes his pitching staff can go, “10 to 12 deep.” That pitching staff will be tested early, with three games this weekend against teams that made the NCAA Div. III Tournament last season. Saturday’s opponent Heidelberg University is ranked No. 5 in the nation by NCBWA/D3baseball.com. Sunday’s doubleheader features Baldwin Wallace University and La Roche University, who both received votes in that same poll.
Oswego State’s offense hit .284 collectively last season and drove in 7.4 runs per game. There will be big shoes to fill with the graduation of Mike Dellicarri, who did it all at the plate in his four seasons in green and gold. To replace him, big bats Lukas Olsson and Ryan Enos will anchor the middle of the Lakers’ lineup.
“[They are] hard workers, hard-nosed,” Landers said. “They’re disciplined and hopefully other teams have a fear. With this team, I think we’re deeper than we ever have been.”
Olsson hit .329 at the plate last season, reaching base at a .447 clip. He also smashed five home runs and drove in a team-high 41 runs batted in. He enters his senior year as a stellar defensive catcher as well, committing just five errors in 221 chances. As for Enos, he led the Lakers in hits (58), doubles (14), runs (47) and total bases (89). His efforts led to a First Team All-SUNYAC selection and being named the SUNYAC Championship Most Valuable Player.
Cold weather early on in the season is always tough for both hitters and pitchers. The ball does not travel as far, and there are stingers galore with the use of metal bats. For pitchers, the ball is a lot tougher to grip.
“We’ve got a good setup,” Landers said. “We have the turf indoors and outdoors. It’s been a great winter. It’s been a little cold but that helps us play in cold weather. We’re going to Cleveland this weekend and it’s going to be 44 degrees.”
Those early games will be an indicator of just how far the Lakers can go. They return a ton of good pieces, have the depth to make another NCAA Div. III Tournament run and will look to repeat as SUNYAC champions for the fourth consecutive season.
“I don’t know if we’re as strong at the top, but we are very solid from top to bottom at every position,” Landers said. “That makes it fun and makes me excited to come to practice every day and watch these guys compete.”
The Oswegonian file photo from 2019
