Mchugh sharp for Cardinals
Left-hander paces St. John Fisher as team prepares for Division III NCAA tourney
Junior Connor Mchugh will lead the St. John Fisher baseball team into the Division III NCAA Tournament.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound left-hander, a Shaker High graduate, was named the Empire 8 Conference Pitcher of the Year on May 11. He was also a first-team selection.
Mchugh has a 7-1 record with a 1.75 earned-run average in 14 games and 10 starts with parts of three shutouts and a complete game. In 511⁄3 innings, he has given up 31 hits and 14 runs, 12 earned, with 23 walks and 38 strikeouts.
Joining Mchugh on the first team for the Cardinals are two former Shenendehowa High athletes — sophomore shortstop Nick Lemire and junior outfielder Ben Lavery. Lemire is hitting .346 with 45 runs scored and 45 runs batted in. Lavery is batting .321 with 12 home runs, 50 runs scored and 52 runs batted in.
St. John Fisher will take a 30-14 record into the NCAAS when it faces Endicott (Mass.) in a first-round game Friday in Cortland.
Tom Kretzler (Albany)
The Colonie Central graduate was named SUNYAC Player of the Year for the second season in a row after another big effort with the Brockport baseball team. Kretzler pitched, played the outfield and was a designated hitter for the 33-9 Golden Eagles, who face Baldwin Wallace in the Division III Tournament at home Friday. Kretzler is hitting .370 (60for-162) with 13 doubles, four triples, 16 home runs and 62 runs batted in. His homers are tied for eighth in Division III. On the mound, the righthander was 7-2 with a 1.87 ERA with two shutouts. Fifth-year teammate Nick Pastore (Troy High) joined Kretzler on the first team. He is hitting .345 with 41 RBIS.
Jill Shippee (Clifton Park)
The North Carolina graduate student captured the hammer throw at the Atlantic Coast Conference Track Championships last weekend in Durham, N.C. The Shenendehowa High graduate had a heave of 222 feet, 10 inches. She is a three-time winner of that event in the ACC meet. Shippee earned All-american honors when she finished third in the Division I Championships last June. She is seeded first heading into the Eastern Regionals starting next Wednesday in Bloomington, Ind.
Danny Coleman (Saratoga Springs)
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior is the main man for the Cortland baseball team. The Red Dragons are 33-10 and the No. 1 seed heading into Friday’s Cortland Regional. They will face Bridgewater State (Mass.). The Saratoga High graduate has a teamhigh .404 average with 63 hits in 156 at-bats. He leads the team in doubles (18), home runs (12), runs scored (52) and RBIS (64). He was an ALL-SUNYAC first-team choice.
Maddie Montgomery (Queensbury)
The junior attack had two goals and two assists to help the William Smith women’s lacrosse team top Messiah (Pa.) 17-10 in the first round of the Division III NCAA Tournament last Sunday. The Queensbury High graduate, a second team All-liberty League selection, has a team-high 66 goals and 29 assists. She also leads the team with 104 draw controls. The 18-1 Hurons meet Colby (Maine) in the second round Saturday.
Kate Lapan (Hudson Falls)
The senior shortstop was named to the Little East Conference first team for her play with the Castleton (Vt.) softball team. The Spartans finished 19-16. The Hudson Falls High graduate led the team with a .402 average (43for-107). On May 12, Lapan was selected to the COSIDA Division III District II All-academic team. She graduated with a 3.74 grade-point average in physical education.
Lauren Kersch (Ballston Spa)
The junior right-hander was named SUNYAC Pitcher of the Year after a standout season with the 34-6 Geneseo softball team. The Ballston Spa High graduate finished with a 15-2 record with a save and had a 1.66 ERA. Junior teammate Leah Vanderwarker (South Glens Falls High) joined Kersch on the first team. She led the Golden Knights with a .360 average. Cortland freshman Halle Wright (Ballston Spa High) was also selected to the first team. She hit .419 (52for-124) for the 26-15 Red Dragons.