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Delaware Tech Baseball Enters 2023 Ready to Challenge for a Region Title

January 25, 2023

Delaware Tech's baseball team had a tremendous 2022 regular season, finishing with a 31-7 record and the top seed in the NJCAA Region 19 Championship Tournament. Unfortunately, the team went 1-3 in the postseason and was eliminated before the championship game.

This year, the team aims to flip those results and enter the postseason on a hot streak.

"My goal for this year's team is to be playing our best baseball when it matters most," Head Coach Stu Madden said. "In order to be successful, this team needs to keep a hungry mindset to continue to get better. Continuing to be disciplined with their training routines will keep the student-athletes healthy throughout the season, which will be very important for us to have success into the postseason.

"With that said, we fully expect to make a strong run at winning Region 19 and beyond."

Returning to the team are 2022 first team all-region selections Matt Rodriguez (first baseman), Zach Hart (pitcher), and Christopher Friend (designated hitter). Rodriguez was also named the team's Most Valuable Player at the end of last season.

Rodriguez, a Delmar High School grad, had a season offensively that placed him near the top of all players in the region. He finished the year with a .453 batting average, a .590 on base percentage, 53 hits, 45 RBI, and 8 home runs. He led the team in most of the offensive statistics.

Hart, a St. Georges Tech grad, immediately established himself as one of the best pitchers in the region by posting a 6-0 regular season record, winning a playoff game, and finishing the year with a 1.93 ERA.

Friend, a Caesar Rodney High School grad, came through in key situations with several key hits – posting a .588 slugging percentage with 31 RBI and 8 home runs.

Other key returning players include Cade Williams (Nandua High School), who will be atop the pitching staff with Hart; Hunter Rauch (Cape Henlopen High School), who will start at shortstop for the second year; Chase Boyle (Sussex Central High School), who moves from second base to third base; Michael Breen (St. Georges Tech), who takes over at second base; Kory Pritchard (Appoquinimink High School), who will man centerfield; and Chad Reichhold (Milford High School) and Will Turner (Colonel Richardson High School), who will provide big bats in the heart of the lineup.

Key first-year players include catcher Mason Morris (Milford High School), infielder/outfielder Connor Strauss (Smyrna High School), pitcher Jorge Javier (from Wilmington), pitcher Sam Stamper (Appoquinimink High School), pitcher Avery Dabney (Dover High School), pitcher Ryan Williams (Delaware Military Academy), infielder Jetzel Garcia (Glasgow High School), outfielder Justin Marsh (Cape Henlopen High School), and pitcher Jeremy Netsch (Smyrna High School).

"This team has depth," Madden said. "We will be able to play multiple guys and keep their legs fresh throughout the season."

Delaware Tech's first home game of the 2023 season is on Saturday, Feb. 11 against Cecil College. The doubleheader starts at 11 a.m.