2012 Season Preview – Lakers Roster to Feature New Head Coach and Talented Athletes

CANANDAIGUA, NY. – The Finger Lakes Community College Lakers turn to first year head coach Sean Marren* in 2012 as he takes over the reins from the team's previous head coach, Patrick Greer. The Lakers look to improve upon their 2011 season with the addition of several key incoming athletes. They will also be welcoming back several key returnees from last season. FLCC will be built around speed and athleticism this season. This year's team is expected to formulate a strong batting lineup, one that can hit for average and power. Coach Marren believes that the key to improving upon last season's record, which consisted of the Lakers (20-20 overall record, 14-9 regional record) playing .500 ball, will fall on the shoulders of the pitching staff. It will be important for the veteran pitchers to set the tone early on in the season.

Coach Marren's batting lineup will be built around a pair of veteran returnees, leftfielder Hector Mitaynes (Rochester, NY) and catcher Adam Szczupakowski (Spencerport, NY). Last season, Mitaynes hit .403; produced 13 runs batted in, scored 14 runs, and stole 6 bases. Szczupakowski hit .333 for the Lakers in limited action, but showed signs of developing into a promising player as the season progressed. FLCC will be adding a pair of previous All-New York State Team members to its roster this season, (First Team All-New York State) outfielder Corey Cowen (West Edmeston, NY) and (Second Team All-New York State) utility man (infielder and pitcher) Dakota Stackhouse (Warsaw, NY). Both of these athletes bring added power and speed to the lineup.

Coach Marren's pitching staff will be built around a duo of right handed veteran returnees in Nick French (Lansing, NY) and Sawyer Korb (Hornell, NY). Last season, French was second on the team in wins with 5. Korb was the only Laker pitcher to average more than 1 strikeout per inning last season by posting a strikeout to inning ration of 12:9. If French and Korb can discover the pitching zone early on this season by locating their pitches and by keeping runners off of the base paths, expect these two talented athletes to carry the rotation and team far into postseason play. The Lakers will also be adding a talented left handed arm to this fearsome twosome this season in Rochester native Stephen Lewis (Pittsford, NY). In 2011, Lewis was named Section V Class C MVP as a member of the East Rochester varsity baseball team.

* Coach Sean Marren previously served as an assistant baseball coach for FLCC in 2011. Prior to joining the Lakers, Marren served as head coach of the Victor Legion team and was a coordinator at the Frozen Ropes of Rochester (a baseball training facility). Marren was a four-year letter winner as a baseball player at the collegiate level (three-time All-Conference and one-time All-Region). He played at three different institutions; Mount Saint Vincent, FLCC, and at the University of Mary Washington.