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Baseball Season In Review – 2012 Was A Year Of Transition For Lakers
Posted: May 16, 2012

Baseball Season In Review – 2012 Was A Year Of Transition For Lakers

CANANDAIGUA, NY. -- The 2012 Region III Division III baseball season was a transitional period for Finger Lakes Community College (CC). The Lakers squad played the season under first year head coach Sean Marren. Finishing the season with an overall record of 17-27, Finger Lakes knows now what it has to do in 2013 -- build upon its final 10 games of 2012, which consisted of the team finishing on a very strong note. The Lakers concluded their season with a 7-3 record over that stretch. During the 10-game stretch, they turned in their longest winning streak of the season by winning 6 games in a row over the likes of Tompkins Cortland CC and Alfred State College. They defeated Tompkins Cortland twice (on 4/26) and Alfred State in back-to-back doubleheaders (on 4/28 and 4/29).

Prior to the hot flash that the Lakers endured at season's end, they experienced a window full of ups and downs. They got off to a rocky start in the beginning of their 2012 campaign, falling in 10 of their first 11 contests. They then proceeded to go 4-4 over their next 8 games before sweeping what was one of their toughest opponents on the season in a home doubleheader -- Erie CC (#6 nationally ranked at the time). The pair of wins gave them 3 consecutive victories. It looked like they would build off of these marquee wins, but that wasn't the case. After the 3-game win streak, Finger Lakes proceeded to go into its longest tail spin of the season by dropping 7 consecutive games to fall to 8-21. They would then go 2-3 over their next 5 games before ending the season with a 7-3 finish.

The Lakers gathered more wins on the road rather than at home in 2012, but posted a higher winning percentage in their own yard. They went 9-17 away from the Canandaigua campus and 7-9 on their own grass. They finished conference (Mid-State Athletic Conference, MSAC) play with a record of 6-10.

Despite the climb up and down the mountain in the win-loss column in 2012, Finger Lakes did find even ground along the way, which came in the form of hitting. On the season, they hit .311 as a team. The fearsome foursome of Corey Cowen (West Edmeston, NY – Freshman Right Fielder), Chris Fazio (Staten Island, NY – Freshman First Baseman), Justin Stowell (Horseheads, NY – Sophomore First Baseman), and Eddie Tagliareni (Mexico, NY – Freshman Shortstop) shined bright this season from the plate for the Lakers. All four offensively gifted players earned MSAC All-Conference Team honors. Cowen, who in addition was selected Second Team All-Region, hit .390 (53 for 136) with 28 RBIs and 31 runs scored on the season. His 53 hits led the team. Cowen was also a speed demon, leading Finger Lakers in the steals department with 29 (finished the season 13th in the nation). All of his numbers came in 43 games.

Fazio hit a team-high .416 (32 for 77) in 2012 (in 28 games).

Stowell generated a high batting average all while leading the team in the power alley. He concluded his final season in a Lakers uniform with a batting average of .374 (46 for 123). Stowell produced 3 home runs and 38 RBIs (finished the season 45th in the nation) at the plate. His home run and RBI totals were both team highs. All of his stats came in 41 games.  

Tagliareni, who dawned National and Regional Male Athlete of the Week honors for Region III Division III Athletics for the final week of April, hit .371 (52 for 140) on the season with 23 RBIs, 37 runs scored (team-high), and 24 steals. All of his credentials came in 42 games.  

The Lakers had 5 players hit .300 or better this season. In addition to Cowen, Fazio, Stowell, and Tagliareni, Hector Mitaynes (Rochester, NY – Sophomore Leftfielder) solidified the group of .300 hitters for Finger Lakes by hitting a robust .319 (30 for 94) in 2012 (in 35 games).

The Lakers main struggles this season stemmed from their pitching performances. Finger Lakes produced just 1 player with an Earned Run Average (ERA) of below 4.00. Stephen Lewis (Pittsford, NY – Freshman) was the lone member of the starting rotation with a sub 4.00 ERA. He finished 2012 with a 3.40 ERA along with a 3-6 win-loss record. Lewis accumulated 35 strikeouts in 53 innings worth of action on the mound.

Billy Kosachook (Ontario, NY – Freshman) was second in ERA (5.48) on the Lakers pitching roster. The starter went 3-4 on the hill this season with 26 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings.  

Dakota Stackhouse (Warsaw, NY – Freshman) joined French and Kosachook in the 3-win column. The starting/relief pitcher posted Finger Lakes top winning percentage as a pitcher this season by turning in a 3-2 record. Stackhouse finished 2012 with 14 strikeouts in 27 innings along with an ERA of 6.33. He also added a pair of saves on the hill (finished the season 36th in the nation in saves).

Defensively, as a team, the Lakers displayed decent leather around the diamond this season. They finished 2012 with a .922 fielding percentage. Stackhouse held the number 1 spot in the nation for this statistical category this season. He posted a flawless 1.000 fielding percentage, which consisted of 15 assists and 35 put outs. Stowell also contributed a clean 1.000 fielding percentage. The first baseman gathered 10 assists and 227 put outs on the season. Catcher Branden Rhodes (Victor, NY) also held his own defensively for Finger Lakes. He posted a .964 fielding percentage behind the plate, which consisted of 147 put outs, 16 assists, and just 6 errors.

As a whole, the Lakers took a list full of positives from the 2012 season heading into 2013. They know now that they are well equipped offensively heading into next season. Finger Lakes will retain key hitters Cowen, Fazio, and Tagliareni on next year's roster. They will also bring back there top ERA guy in Lewis along with Stackhouse, but will lose Kosachook as he is expected to transfer colleges. As stated, all 3 of these players won 3 games (tying for team-high honors) apiece on the mound this season. The Lakers feel that with a little bit of coaching, Lewis and Stackhouse could become a recognizable 1-2 punch next season in the starting rotation. Finger Lakes coaching staff, which is young in nature, believes that it can take the positive aspects from this season by molding them into a recipe destined for success in 2013.