Phantoms Laying Foundation for Bright Future
Delaware and Chester Counties, PA -
Signature Win: There was a lot to celebrate March 21 at Delaware County Community College as a big first inning propelled the host Phantoms to a 7-2 victory over Manor College.DCCC exploded for five runs on five hits in the first inning, and never looked back, as it registered its first win of the season and the first win of Ryan Hunter's head coaching career. The long-awaited victory also represented the first program conquest since April 10, 2021 when the Phantoms swept Central Penn College by scores of 3-1 and 8-4. That is 1,076 days between victories for those counting at home. Hunter Whitten set the tone for the day as he struck out two Blue Jays in the top of the first. The DCCC bats took over from there as Benjamin Beasley led off with a single. Eric Engesser would later plate Beasley with a single of his own. Michael Jenkins, Izaah Perocier, and Witten also added singles in the first as the Phantoms batted around on their way to a 5-0 advantage. Perocier provided the big blow in the inning when his single to right brought home three.
Season Notes: Eric Engesser and Gabe Palandro topped the team in games played on the season with 26 and in OBP out of those who played 75 percent of the team's games with .377 and .359, respectively … Engesser and Palandro also led the team in hits with 16 and 15, respectively … Palandro was first on the team in runs scored with 10, while Benjamin Beasley and Cidrick Navas each crossed the plate 8 times … Navas led the team in RBIs with 9, while Izaah Perocier had 8 … Maximilian Curley was patient at the plate with a team-high 17 walks on the season … Palandro was active on the basepaths with a team-high 10 stolen bases, while Hunter Whitten had 9 … Cole DeRosa had hit safely in five in the first six games of the season with accompanying eye-popping statistics – eight hits, six runs, six stolen bases, four RBIs, three doubles, two triples, .571 batting average, .667 on-base percentage, and 1.071 slugging percentage – before a season-ending injury … 12 different players made an appearance on the mound for the Phantoms … Whitten (58.2), Navas (31.0), Palandro (24.2), Micheal Jenkins (18.2) and Michael Cassan (17.2) all pitched double-figure innings for DCCC
Awards:
Eric Engesser - EPAC All-Academic Team
Steven Orfanelli - EPAC All-Academic Team
Hunter Whitten - EPAC All-Academic Team
Michael Casson - EPAC All-Academic Team
Nathan Carroll - EPAC All-Academic Team
Individual Awards (as awarded by the Phantoms coaching staff)
Clutch Hitter Award: Cidrick Navas - Cidrick always seemed to come up with a big hit, especially with runners in scoring position. He led the team in RBI and doubles on the season
Outstanding Defense: Gabe Palandro - Gabe only had one recorded error on the season, which is remarkable for an outfield that was put to the test the entire season. He also led the team in putouts.
Outstanding Pitcher: Hunter Whitten - Hunter notched the first win on the mound for the Phantoms in a few years. He was willing to take the ball often, not only leading the team in games started and appearances, but one of the leaders in the region in both categories.
MVP: Eric Engesser - Eric did it all for the Phantoms this year, at the plate, in the field, and on the mound. Eric led the team in batting average and hits, had the second-lowest WHIP of all pitchers on the team, and had the third-highest fielding percentage on the team. Eric was also a leader off of the field, as the only Phantom to carry a 4.00 GPA through the season.
Looking Ahead: DCCC now looks to the future, with memories of a season filled with determination, grit, and perseverance that could never be fully captured by the season's win-loss record.
"I'm extremely excited for our future," head coach Ryan Hunter said. "We're building our foundation the right way, and we owe so much to our sophomores, who were relentless competitors this season while competing in the toughest region in the country against some of the best players in the country. Our returning players understand the level of competition we're facing and the expectations that I have for our program in 2024-25. Our incoming freshmen will help us continue to raise the expectations of the program as they acclimate to our culture, making an impact as Phantoms, on the field and in the classroom."