Laker Baseball Ranked No. 15

by Contributor | December 23, 2017 10:28 am

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Oswego State baseball team will follow its most successful season in program history with a No. 15 preseason ranking to start 2018, according to Collegiate Baseball’s NCAA Division III poll.

Last season, the Lakers won their first State University of New York Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championship since 1996, dethroning perennial powerhouse Cortland, who begins this year’s campaign ranked No. 1 nationally.

Oswego went on to capture the 2017 NCAA Championship New York Regional title – the program’s first regional crown – earning a trip to its first College World Series.

At the eight-team World Series, the Lakers were the top-ranked team but were unable to capture the title, closing the season with an impressive 32-11 record.

The only teams from New York that appear in Collegiate Baseball’s top 20 are Oswego and Cortland, both from the SUNYAC.

Ithaca College and St. John Fisher College come in at 21st and 25th, respectively, while Rochester Institute of Technology rounds out the ranked teams at No. 40.

Despite losing two-time All-American and SUNYAC Player of the Year Eric Hamilton along with SUNYAC Co-Pitcher of the Year Tim Cronin, Oswego returns a core group of veterans who have achieved at the highest level.

The Lakers will be led by senior Robert Donnelly – who is a jack of all trades – likely to earn the top starting pitcher spot while spending time in the middle infield and the batting order when he is not on the mound.

At the plate, Oswego is expected to be paced by junior Mike Dellicarri’s power, coming off a seven home run and 33 RBI campaign where he batted .358.

Dellicarri will play right field and will have fellow power-hitting outfielders John Barnes and Myles Kutscher to aid the offensive efforts.

Out of the bullpen, Bobby Zywicki will be leaned upon following his 3-0 year with a 1.88 earned-run average and seven saves.

The returning nucleus merged with transfers and newcomers has Oswego poised for another run at a berth in the College World Series.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/sports/laker-baseball-ranked-no-15/

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