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Armed To Improve

Three Returnees, Two Local Products To Pitch For Jammers

Cory Blessing will return for the Jamestown Jammers this summer. Photo courtesy of Ohio University Athletics

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of three stories previewing the Jamestown Jammers’ roster for the upcoming Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League season, which is set to begin June 1. Today’s installment will feature the Jammers pitching staff, followed by infielders in The Sunday Post-Journal and outfielders in Monday’s edition.

Two local products and a returning all-star will be featured on the Jamestown Jammers pitching staff when they open the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League season Thursday, June 1 at Diethrick Park.

2015 Westfield graduate Nolan Hunt will follow in former Jammer Austin Alonge’s footsteps when he takes the field this summer for manager Anthony Barone. The 5-foot-11 left-handed sophomore is 1-2 with a 4.97 earned run average in 10 appearances for the Golden Griffins this spring. Hunt has started two games, struck out 14 and walked 20 in 29 innings pitched.

As a freshman in 2016, Hunt was 5-0 with a 2.90 ERA in 17 appearances — eight of them starts. He struck out 32 and walked 23 in 62 innings of work, holding opponents to a .199 batting average against.

That campaign came on the heels of his senior year with the Wolverines when he went 6-0 with a 0.60 ERA and 72 strikeouts in league play. Hunt pitched Westfield into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D Final Four where he beat Oriskany in the semifinals before the Wolverines lost to Smithtown Christian in the final.

Trevor Simon will return for the Jamestown Jammers this summer. Photo courtesy of Tim Gonzalez | Ball State University Athletics

Also toeing the rubber for the Jammers will be Russell, Pennsylvania product Casey Vincent. The St. Bonaventure freshman is 2-3 with a 5.03 ERA in 10 starts for the Bonnies this spring. In 59 innings pitched, the Eisenhower (Pa.) graduate has struck out 47 and walked 36. In high school, Vincent was 6-2 with a 0.51 ERA to go along with 116 strikeouts and 11 walks in 53 innings pitched his senior year. The right-hander was named the Region Player and Pitcher of the Year while also earning a spot on the All-District Team. Vincent threw five no-hitters during his high school career.

“Casey and Nolan bring experience to the mound,” Jammers manager Anthony Barone said. “It’s great for the fans and the community … for local guys to make it as Jammers.”

Back for his second season with the Jammers will be 2016 PGCBL all-star Cory Blessing. The redshirt junior is 3-1 with a 4.83 ERA in 18 appearances — three starts — for Ohio University this spring. In 31 2/3 innings, Blessing has struck out 41 and walked 12 while holding opponents to a .248 batting average against.

Also back for his second stint in Jamestown will be Bradley Griggs. The University of Texas-San Antonio sophomore has thrown just three innings this spring, allowing five runs while striking out two and walking six for the Roadrunners.

Joining the Jammers for the first time this summer will be a pair of Niagara County Community College pitchers, Christian Young and Dave Lyskawa.

St. Bonaventure’s Casey Vincent, from nearby Russell, Pa., is 2-3 with a 5.03 earned run average for the Bonnies this spring. Photo courtesy of St. Bonaventure Athletics

Young was a 23rd-round draft pick of the Oakland A’s, but elected to go the college route. The 6-foot-7 Frontier High School graduate is 5-2 with a 1.64 ERA in 38 1/3 innings for the Thunder Wolves this spring, striking out 69 while walking seven.

“With NCCC, one of the top junior college programs in the country, Christian gets it up to 95 mph,” Barone said. “He’s one of the most talented players in the league.”

Lyskawa has signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Maryland-Baltimore County when is two-year career in Sanborn finishes up later this spring. The 5-foot-10 left-handed graduate of Williamsville North High School is 6-1 with a 1.17 ERA in 46 1/3 innings for Niagara County CC this season. Lyskawa has struck out 74 while walking 17 for the Thunder Wolves (33-7), who are currently the No. 2 NJCAA Division III team in the nation.

“Christian and Dave will fit right in with us. A couple of guys from the Buffalo area, their families will be down here a lot supporting them,” Barone said. “The more support down here is better for us. It’s good for the players to see the backing that we get.”

A pair of Ball State pitchers, Trevor Simon — who pitched for the Jammers last season — and Nick Floyd, will also call Jamestown home this summer. Simon is a 6-foot left-hander from Amelia, Ohio who has thrown in four innings this spring for the Cardinals, striking out two and walking five while carrying a 6.75 ERA. Floyd is a 6-foot-2 right-hander from Elkhart, Indiana, who is 2-0 with one save in 33 1/3 innings for the Cardinals. Floyd has struck out 32 and walked 15 while carrying a 2.70 ERA.

University of Texas-San Antonio’s Bradley Griggs has thrown just three innings this spring. Photo courtesy of Jeff Huehn Photography | UTSA Athletics

Brian Chaballa elected to redshirt his freshman season at St. John’s University. The 6-foot right-hander from Howell, New Jersey, was a three-year letterwinner at his high school, and was the 67th-ranked recruit in the state of New Jersey according to Perfect Game.

Matt Campbell, a 6-foot-7 right-hander from Cal State-Northridge, has a 9.60 ERA in 11 appearances — two starts — for the Matadors. The redshirt sophomore from Simi Valley, California, has struck out two and walked 14 in 15 innings pitched.

Isaac Meza, a 6-foot-3 freshman from CSU Bakersfield, has a 4.72 ERA in nine appearances. The right-hander from Valencia, California, has struck out seven and walked nine in 13 1/3 innings pitched.

Colin Johnston, a 6-foot-1 right-hander from Monroe CC, played in the PGCBL for Victor last summer. The sophomore from Rochester is 3-5 with a 3.88 ERA in nine starts this spring for the Tribunes. Johnston has struck out 36 and walked nine.

A 5-foot-9 left-hander from Bossier City, Louisiana, Kyle Backofen has an 8.59 ERA in 15 appearances during his freshman season at the University of Louisiana-Monroe this spring. Backofen is 1-4 in 29 1/3 innings, striking out 27 and walking 10.

Matt Campbell will come to Jamestown from the University of Cal State-Northridge. Photo courtesy of Cal State-Northridge Athletics

Quinn Taylor, a 6-foot sophomore at Division II Felician College, is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA in 17 appearances this spring for the Golden Falcons. The Marlton, New Jersey product has struck out 13 and walked eight in 18 innings pitched.

Another St. Bonaventure hurler will join Vincent in Jamestown this summer. Nate Grant is a 5-10 left-hander from Corning who pitched in 40 games his first two years with the Bonnies.

“On the mound, I like guys who are young and haven’t thrown a lot of innings, who want to come here and get better,” Barone said. “It’s not so much where they go to school or how hard they throw, it’s just the competitiveness of each individual kid.”

Assisting Barone on the coaching staff again this summer will be Hayden Carter.

“He pitched at Cal State-Bakersfield and was the WAC Pitcher of the Year his senior year,” Barone said. “He’s one of the bright young minds in college baseball right now. I value having him back and our pitching staff will be better for that.”

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