Posted: 04/19/2012 | Last updated: April 20, 2012 at 09:00 AM
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh baseball senior class features three infielders, a catcher and three pitchers. Together, these seven Mountain Hawks have put their stamp on the Lehigh program.
Lehigh will host Holy Cross for a crucial Patriot League series as the Mountain Hawks look to make a playoff push. With rain in the forecast for Sunday, the four-game series will now take place Friday-Saturday on Goodman Campus. First pitch Friday will be at 1 p.m. Saturday will start at noon with a special ceremony taking place before the game to commemorate the seniors.
Lehighsports.com caught up with the seven seniors to get some thoughts on their careers in the Brown & White.
Dan Ciccone – RHP – Lawrenceville, N.J. – Biology
One of the four co-captains of the 2012 squad, Dan Ciccone has played a vital role in Lehigh’s bullpen throughout his career. Ciccone has amassed 59 strikeouts over four years, including a season-best 21 his junior year. In 2011, Ciccone also boasted a stellar 2.97 ERA while he earned his first career victory in a 4-2 win over Coppin State. Ciccone also earned his first career save just two weeks later as he pitched the game’s final three innings in a 6-2 win over NJIT. Ciccone has not only had success on the field, but in the classroom as well, as he was named to the 2011 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
What is your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point?
DC: My favorite Lehigh baseball memory would be playing in Citizen’s Bank Park sophomore year in the Liberty Bell Classic Championship game. Playing in a big league ball park is something that not many people can say they have done and it presents a great atmosphere to play a baseball game, one which I will never forget.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
DC: I would like to be remembered as a great teammate who was able to be an effective leader on and off the field. My success on the field can be overlooked if I am able to be remembered as becoming a better person/leader through my four years.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
DC: Our senior class is very close. We came in with an unusually small number of us so I feel that we were able to develop a good relationship over our four years together.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
DC: Going into Senior Day presents more of a reality check in the sense that my baseball career is coming to an end. It is very sad to put this part of my life behind me, however, I have become a better person overall because of my baseball career and I am very thankful for it.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
DC: I will miss being with my teammates every day. Whether it’s during practice, a game, a bus trip or at a hotel, I will miss being able to bond with my teammates.
What are your postgraduate plans?
DC: After graduation, I plan to go into the field of research and development.
Joe Conaway – 1B/DH – Ft. Washington, Pa. – Psychology
Joe Conaway’s numbers have improved each year since stepping on Goodman Campus. As a freshman, he made an immediate impact, playing in 22 games including seven starts. His sophomore season, he again played in 22 games, starting in 10 while improving his batting average by nine points and his on-base percentage by 40 points. Conaway is having a breakout senior campaign, hitting .265 with 31 hits including a Patriot League-leading 14 doubles. Conaway is just three doubles away from cracking the top five in single season leaders at Lehigh in the category. Conaway also has a career-high 22 RBIs this season, which ranks No. 10 in the league. Conaway just recently had a career-game on April 10 as he set career-highs in hits (4) and RBIs (5). Conaway had an eight-game stretch earlier this season where he had an impressive 12 hits and 16 RBIs
What is your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point?
JC: Playing at Citizens Bank Park in 2010 was a big memory. It’s a unique opportunity to be able to play on the same field as Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins. You realize just how big the stadium is and how many people it can hold. There have been bigger games in terms of importance or significance to a season, but that game stands out simply because of the venue.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
JC: I’d just like to be remembered as a good guy and a good example set for others. I want to be remembered as a good teammate, a leader and teacher for the younger guys, and just as someone who enjoyed coming to play baseball. You want the guys coming up behind you to be able to learn something from you that can make their game or experience at Lehigh better.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
JC: We’re a very close-knit group. Cory [Kent] and I have lived together since freshman year and Cory, Dan, Ryan and I lived in the same hall sophomore year. It’s funny thinking just four years ago, you’re sitting at home looking them up on Facebook hoping everyone turns out to be an OK guy and all you really know about them is their hometown. We’ve had a lot of fun together and are truly lucky to have a group that meshes together so well. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of guys to play college baseball with.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
JC: It’s an achievement in my mind; not just for me but for everyone who has been a part of the whole process. It’s for my parents who have been watching me play for 16 years, giving me the opportunity to attend Lehigh, and all the other things over the years that put me in the best position to succeed. For all the coaches I’ve had throughout my life both at Lehigh and elsewhere. I think Senior Day is more about the people who helped you get here and kind of enjoying the final stretch of baseball with those people.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
JC: The hardest thing to replace will be the camaraderie with the team. The games themselves tend to run together because we play so many every year, but just hanging out in the locker room, on the bus, in batting practice, and all that is what I’ll miss the most. A lot of the stories you’ll take with you happen during that downtime and travel.
What are your postgraduate plans?
JC: Next spring, I’ll be coaching high school baseball at William Penn Charter High School in Philadelphia and looking to get my teacher certification.
Ryan Gajdos – 3B – Towaco, N.J. – Psychology
Ryan Gajdos has made in impact on the Lehigh program since day one. He played in 39 of the team’s 48 games his freshman year, finishing with a .263 batting average. Gajdos then hit .353 his sophomore season in 34 at-bats, playing in 23 games. After a junior season in which Gajdos played in 27 games and hit .274, he is having career year in his senior season. Gajdos has started all but one game, producing career-highs in hits (42), RBIS (19), total bases (50), walks (10) and stolen bases (9). His hits and stolen bases totals both rank in the Top 10 in the Patriot League. Gajdos been successful off the field as well, being named to the 2011 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
What is your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point?
RG: My favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point was our victory in 2010 over UNC Wilmington. It was the first game of our season as well as their home opener; and it was exciting to be on the field and defeat a team that was receiving votes in the Top 25 National Rankings.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
RG: I would like to be remembered as a hard-working, enthusiastic player and leader, as well as a good friend to my teammates. I hope to leave behind a legacy and culture of hard work and passion for the game.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
RG: We came into Lehigh with a uniquely small class of only five players. From the beginning, we became close friends, and throughout our careers, that friendship has grown into a strong brotherhood.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
RG: It’s a bittersweet feeling knowing that it is going to be our final (regular season) series on Goodman Campus. It is sad knowing my career is coming to an end, but there is certainly a feeling of excitement knowing we have an opportunity to win more games and make the playoffs.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
RG: I’m going to miss a lot of things about Lehigh Baseball, but I’m most going to miss the consistent camaraderie and bonds I share with all of my teammates. I’m going to miss the privilege to compete on the baseball field every day.
What are your postgraduate plans?
RG: I plan to begin a career marketing and/or advertising in New York City.
Cory Kent – RHP – Wilson, Pa. – History
One of four co-captains of this year’s squad, Cory Kent has put his stamp on the program leaving as the most dominant closer in Lehigh history. He enters this weekend with 22 career saves which ranks No. 1 all-time at Lehigh and No. 3 all-time in the Patriot League. Kent had 17 saves over his sophomore (9) and junior (8) season, the second-most over a two-year period in league history. With Kent’s game one Friday start, he will tie the all-time record with 68 appearances. Kent also ranks in his career in the Top 10 in ERA at Lehigh, with a chance to break the Top 5. Kent earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors in 2010 and was named to the 2011 All-Patriot League Academic Team and twice (‘10, ‘11) named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
What is your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point?
CK: My favorite memory so far has to be the time spent off the field with the guys. I enjoy this the most just because we’re 18-to-22 year old college kids and this is most often the last time we get to play a boy’s game at a high level.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
CK: I would just like to be remembered as a good guy, who played well, and helped bring others along in the program.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
CK: My relationship with the other seniors is obviously more connected than some of the other classes because it is who I have spent the most time with.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
CK: Most importantly, I have to throw well in game one Friday against Holy Cross after then after that, I’m not sure how I am going to feel. I don’t know how I am going to react after playing in my possible final home weekend series at Lehigh.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
CK: I’m not sure how I am going to feel, but I will definitely miss the guys. You can’t replace all of the time you spend with people and what that brings between everyone.
What are your postgraduate plans?
CK: I am returning to Lehigh to pursue my Master’s in Secondary Education.
Brendan McGaheran– SS – Nazareth, Pa. – History
One of the four co-captains this year, Brendan McGaheran – a fifth-year senior – will leave Lehigh has one of the program’s all-time greats, finishing his career among the Lehigh career leaders in several categories. Friday’s first game will be McGaheran’s 179th appearance which will set the all-time mark. McGaheran will also finish as the all-time leader in at-bats (currently at 673). He also enters this weekend with 203 hits, which places him No. 2 all-time in Lehigh history, behind the 229 mark. He has also amassed 136 runs scored, which places him No. 3 all-time, one away from being No. 2 and five away from No. 1. McGaheran also currently has 43 doubles which puts him No. 4 all-time, and five away from No. 2. McGaheran earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors in 2011.
What is your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point?
BM: My favorite memory was when Greg Angelo threw a no-hitter against Lafayette junior year. It was the first no-hitter I had been a part of and it came against our rivals.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
BM: I would like to remembered as someone who tried to play the game the right way every day out on the field. Every play, hard 90.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
BM: We all are extremely close and like hanging out with each other. It was an honor to play with them for the last four years.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
BM: The feeling going into Senior Day is one of excitement. It’s exciting to have our last home series of our careers going up against a team that we have had a history with and is a pivotal series for our playoff hopes. It is going to be hard not to play another series on our field, but going into the weekend, we still have four more games to enjoy it.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
BM: What I will miss most about baseball is being around our team every day.
What are your postgraduate plans?
BM: As of now, I really do not have any plans after the season and semester. Most likely, I will be around a baseball field somewhere
Luke Porter – RHP – Nazareth, Pa. – Finance and Marketing
Luke Porter – a fifth-year senior – has been a major contributor to Lehigh on the mound. In 2011, he had five outings of two innings or more of long relief. He pitched three innings of solid relief in a 7-6 victory over Army. As a sophomore in 2009, Porter appeared in 13 games and started his first career game against Saint Joseph’s. He struck out 22 batters in 24.1 innings pitched. As a freshman Porter appeared in one game against archrival Lafayette, where he pitched two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three batters. He additionally had an eight strikeout performance against Akron. Porter has also been successful off the field, earning Patriot League Academic Honor Roll honors in 2009 and 2011.
What is your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point?
LP: My favorite memory was from the 2010 season when we swept Lafayette, including a no-hitter by Greg Angelo. Playing your rivals is always something you look forward to throughout the season and when you win in that fashion, it really makes the experience even more special.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
LP: I would like our seniors to be remembered as a dedicated, hard-working group of guys that put the team first and did a great job of battling adversity. Things didn’t always go our way, but we were a very resilient group and stayed positive through the ups and downs of each year.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
LP: We are a very close group both on and off the field. Playing with these guys was an honor and these are friendships that will last long after our careers at Lehigh are over.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
LP: I am filled with some mixed emotions. It is very exciting but at the same time sad to know that this great experience is coming to an end.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
LP: I am going to miss the guys on the team, the coaching staff and the ability to come out and get to play baseball every day.
What are your postgraduate plans?
LP: I am going to be a financial advisor working at KarrBarth Associates in Philadelphia.
Chad Warga – C – Easton, Pa. – Management
One of the four co-captains on this year’s squad, Chad Warga – a fifth-year senior – has made an impact on Lehigh’s program serving as the Mountain Hawks’ catcher. Coach Leary says he ranks as one of his top defensive catchers of all-time. Warga has played in at least 30 games each year, with his offensive numbers improving each season. Warga has not only got the job done at the plate, behind behind the dish as well. Warga has thrown out 14 baserunners this season for a stellar 36%. Warga has had a trio of three-hit games this season, which ties his career high while he set a career-high four RBIs in a win over Coppin State. Warga has come up clutch all season long, as seven of his 13 RBIs have come with two outs.
What is your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point?
CW: My favorite memories are just being around the guys on the team every day and being able to develop friendships that will last past baseball.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
CW: I want to be remembered as a player that was always prepared and performed to the best of my ability every day. I would like to leave a legacy of hard work and an expectation that things will be done the right way on and off the field.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
CW: The seniors are a very close-knit group whom enjoy being around one another, and I expect that bond will endure past our playing days.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
CW: It’s amazing how fast it went, and I can’t believe that my baseball career will be coming to an end after playing the game since I was seven years old.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
CW: The thing I will miss most about baseball is being around the team and coaches every day as we all strive towards a common goal of bettering ourselves and each other.
What are your postgraduate plans?
CW: Working in either the Human Resources or Supply Chain Management fields.