Delaware Valley baseball and softball teams deep into preparations for spring season
MILFORD — Delaware Valley struggled a bit on the high school diamond last year as wins were tough to come by in the always-rugged Lackawanna League.
The Warriors posted a 5-9 record in varsity baseball action, finishing tied for fifth in the Division I standings. The Lady Warriors had an even tougher time on the softball field, going 2-12 and winding up just two games out of the divisional basement.
This year, however, local fans are optimistic as a talented young group of student-athletes has DV fans hoping for a dramatic reversal of fortune.
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Hope springs eternal
Mike Murray takes over as varsity baseball skipper this season after spending the previous 12 as an assistant. He believes that the Warriors will be genuine contenders in 2024.
Leading the charge on the field for DV this year will be seniors Lawson Hawke, Keaton Phillips and Luke Kraszewski.
“This is a new start for me,” Murray said. “I’ve coached a lot of these kids, but some of them I haven’t really seen since middle school. I’m looking forward to the season. We have a veteran team with a bunch of returning seniors and that’s exciting.”
With veteran coach Frank Jordan calling the shots, the Lady Warriors are looking to climb back up the Division I standings and possibly make some noise when the district tournament rolls around.
DV will be led by senior shortstop Avery Calvario and junior second sacker Dakota Jordan, a pair of seasoned players who are expected to provide leadership on and off the diamond this spring.
“We’ve definitely struggled the past few seasons, but I’m excited about our prospects this year,” Jordan said. “We’re still a young team, but we have a nice mix of kids who get along really well and work hard every day.”
Weather permitting, DV will be back in action on Wednesday, April 3 for Opening Day of the Lackawanna League campaign.
Both teams will hit the road for an away game at Scranton Prep. First pitch is slated for 4:30 p.m. in the Electric City.
A new era
Delaware Valley went 9-11 overall on the varsity baseball diamond last year.
The Warriors earned a four seed in the District 2 Class 6A tournament and were eliminated by top-ranked Hazleton Area in the quarterfinals.
“We’re definitely a senior-heavy team this year,” said the newly-appointed Murray. “But we also have nice chemistry and a good mix of younger players too. I’m really looking forward to seeing what this team can do.”
Murray brought Lawson Hawke, Luke Kraszewski and Keaton Phillips with him to the second annual Bill Howerton Media Day. The event was held March 2 at PNC Field in Moosic and attracted more than 40 teams from both the Lackawanna League and Wyoming Valley Conference.
Hawke is a battle-tested veteran who makes key contributions at shortstop and as a hitter. Last spring he was among the team leaders in batting average (.339), hits (20) and runs scored (12).
“Lawson is a great leader,” Murray said. “He’s a good solid defender and does a lot of damage by getting on-base consistently.”
Kraszewski relies on speed and quickness both in center field and in the bases. Another member of a talented senior class, Kraszewski is coming off a season in which he batted .343 with 24 hits, 21 runs scored and nine RBIs.
“Luke is going to be our lead-off man,” Murray said. “When he gets on base, things really start to happen. Luke is an excellent outfielder. He turns doubles into outs.”
Phillips is also a senior who figures to make a serious impact as a third baseman and pitcher. However, it’s his power at the plate that really stands out. Last year, Phillips hit .292 with 11 runs scored and a team-best 17 RBIs.
“Keaton will probably be batting clean-up for us,” Murray said. “He has a tremendous amount of power to all fields. I’m also expecting Keaton to provide us with some key innings as a relief pitcher.”
Young and exciting
Delaware Valley’s varsity softball team finished up the 2023 season with an overall record of 2-18.
The Lady Warriors ended up fourth in the District 2 power rankings, but were eliminated in the first round of the Class 6A tournament. It’s a performance Murray hopes to improve upon this year.
The current team will rely heavily on the two players who represented DV at Media Day. Calvario and Jordan anchor the infield and should provide a formidable double play combination.
Calvario will be starting at shortstop for the fourth straight year. She boasts a solid glove, good range and a strong arm. She’ll likely bat either second or third in the order and is coming off a season in which she was among the team leaders in runs scored and RBIs.
“Avery is just a good solid all-around ballplayer,” Jordan said. “She’s pretty versatile offensively, so I feel comfortable moving her up and down the order. Avery will do anything she can to help the team.”
Jordan is a three year member of the varsity and in her second season as a starter. She’s known for her speed and heads-up base running. Jordan was tied for second on the team in runs scored as a sophomore.
“One of the things I really like about Dakota is her work ethic,” Jordan said. “She works hard every day to get better, especially as a hitter. Dakota is an excellent defensive second baseman.”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Delaware Valley baseball and softball squads set for the season
