麻豆视频

Baseball Aims For 2022 Postseason

February 21, 2022

After entering the 2021 season with a national preseason ranking, Delaware Tech's baseball team was unable to find the postseason success it had hoped, finishing second in the 2021 NJCAA Region 19 Championship Tournament.

As the team prepares for the 2022 season, the coaches and players are determined to have an extended run in the region and district tournaments.

"Expectations for the team this year are very high," Head Coach Stu Madden said. "For the first time in my tenure, we have depth at every position on the field. With that depth comes extremely talented student-athletes. Not only do they challenge each other on the field, they challenge each other in the classroom as well. As long as the team stays motivated, we have a chance to have a lot of success."

Returning to the team are 2021 first team all-region selections Christopher Friend (designated hitter) and Jonathan Golebiowski (outfielder), second team 2021 all-region selection Mike Pagliei (outfielder), and 2020 honorable mention all-region selections Matt Rodriguez (first baseman) and Ethan Watkinson (catcher). Friend was also named the team’s Most Valuable Player last season.

In addition, the team will see pitchers Brandon Schlabach, Tyrae' Downing, Wade Brooks, and Alex Reedy return to a strong bullpen, as well as outfielder Cameron Beulah and infielder Dylan Nibblett.

"With the amount of new guys brought in, these returning players have taken over leadership roles across their respective positions," Madden said. "The maturity and leadership they provide is big for the growth of the new, young players."

New to the team this year are pitchers Zach Hart, Jon Hines, Riley Culver, Cade Williams, and Zach Cole; outfielders Javon Toppin and Kory Pritchard; and infielders Hunter Rauch, Trey Toppin, Chase Boyle, and Michael Breen. Hart, Culver, Rauch, Boyle, and Breen each earned all-state and all-conference honors in high school last year.

"These players have the potential to make a huge impact," Madden said. "They are physically talented, but also have the desire to continue to get better, and win."

The team got off to an early start for the 2022 season, and is 8-0 with incredible offensive statistics and multiple solid outings from every member of the pitching staff.

"As the season progresses, it's the little things that will make the difference between winning and losing," Madden said. "If these student-athletes stay the course that we have been on through the first of this school year, this could be a special team."