By Josh Lashley
Let’s take a look at local student-athletes who competed in collegiate sports this past spring season.
Edward Ashley (Steinert High School), Brandon Kirk (Hamilton West High School), David Osnato (Hamilton West High School) and John Tartaglia (Nottingham High School) were all on the roster of the Mercer County Community College baseball program this spring.
Osnato, a freshman catcher with a .434 batting average, was named First Team All-Garden State Athletic Conference Division II. He also was named as a Second Team All-Region 19 Division II selection. Kirk, a freshman infielder had a .331 batting average and Tartaglia, a freshman right handed pitcher.
Mercer finished the season with an overall record of 40-8. They won the Region 19 title with a 17-3 triumph over Lackawanna in a contest held in Georgetown, Delaware. From there, the Vikings hosted and captured the Northeast District Championship with two straight victories over Cecil College (Maryland). This earned the Vikings a spot at the NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma. They went 1-2 in Oklahoma with a win over Vincennes University (Indiana) and losses to Pasco-Hernando State College (Florida).
Lyndsey Buckley (Nottingham High School), Brianna Castellano (Hamilton West High School), Jessica Fremgen (Nottingham High School) and Courtney Whittaker (Steinert High School) were all part of the Mercer County Community College softball squad this spring.
Buckley, a freshman utility player, had a .290 season batting average. Castellano, a sophomore outfielder, was a First Team All-Garden State Athletic Conference Division II selection as well as a First Team All-Region 19 Division II selection. Castellano had a .402 batting average. Fremgen, a freshman who played first base, had a .226 batting average. Whittaker, a freshman catcher, was a Second Team All-Region 19 Division II selection and had a batting average of .465.
Mercer had an overall record of 32-9 and they hosted the Region 19 Tournament. The Vikings went 1-2 in the Region 19 Tournament with a victory over the County College of Morris and losses to Burlington County College.
Nick Mastalesz from Steinert High School was on the roster as a sophomore for the Mercer County Community College men’s tennis team this past season. The Vikings finished the season with an overall record of 12-8 and they placed fourth at the Region 19 Championships at Mercer County Park.

