Athletics
Athletics
Baseball's Ciszak Signs Contract with Dublin Leprechauns of Pecos League
Graduating seniors accept jobs, make final summer trips and plans to celebrate their years in college, and begin their lives outside the campus of King's College. For one recent graduate, his next steps after his classmates walked across the graduation stage at the Mohegan Sun Arena looked a little different.
On May 17 while the Class of 2024 celebrated in front of faculty, staff, family and friends, and honored guests, King's College baseball senior Nick Ciszak was in Nebraska for a tryout with the Pecos League, an independent baseball league which operates in cities in desert mountain regions throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. In the Pecos League, teams have 22-man rosters with no designated hitters used in games with each roster consisting of nine experienced players and 14 rookies.
The waiting game began, and Head Coach Jerry Greeley advised Ciszak to stay sharp for the time that call would come through Ciszak's phone. The Kunkletown, Pa. native did not have to wait much longer as he received a call on Sunday, June 2 that he would sign with the Pacific Division's Dublin Leprechauns. He packed his bags, flew out to Dublin, California on June 3rd, and appeared in his first game with the Leprechauns on June 4th.
"I am beyond excited to be given this opportunity to play baseball at the next level," said Ciszak. "I have had a lot of help through the years from many people to get to this point and would just like to thank them all."
Ciszak joined the Monarchs baseball team ahead of the 2023 season after spending his first two collegiate seasons at nearby Penn State Hazleton and made an immediate impact on the King's lineup, appearing in all 37 games with 36 starts as a junior middle infielder that season. Batting .321 with a .522 slugging percentage, 43 hits, 30 RBIs, and 11 doubles, Ciszak garnered recognition on the 2023 All-MAC Freedom Honorable Mention team as a second baseman.
Poised for another great campaign in 2024, Ciszak battled injuries and shifted to the designated hitter role for his senior slate, still appearing in 30 out of the possible 35 games and putting up 26 hits with 20 RBIs.
"He has been injured the last two years, but he always kept playing," added Greeley. "I can't even remember how many games in the last two years he was at 100%. It was a very small amount. I think [this opportunity] is really tremendous because Nick is a very hard worker. His grit and perseverance definitely sticks out because he really has worked hard over the years."
Ciszak has not skipped a beat in the transition, appearing in six games through his first week in California, totaling six hits in 15 at bats with four runs, four walks, two RBIs, two stolen bases, and a double. The Leprechauns have also gone 4-5 in the stint with their next appearance on the diamond set for Thursday evening at their home stadium of Fallon Field.
"It's just a testament to his grit and perseverance to hang in there and attend the tryout, do well at the tryout, and stay sharp after the tryout," stated Greely. "Dublin decided to sign him, and I can't even tell you what a great accomplishment this is for him. It's tremendous. It's a big shout out to Steve Sulcoski, our hitting coach, who worked a lot with Nick in the off season and during the season and did a tremendous job with him. I'm very happy for Nick, and this is a big thing that can help many of our future players and our guys now to sign independent league contracts as well."
The Pecos League regular-season schedule runs from May 22 through July 28 as the timing leads for increased fan participation and support. For more information or to follow along with Ciszak all season long, head over to the official website of the Dublin Leprechauns baseball club.
On May 17 while the Class of 2024 celebrated in front of faculty, staff, family and friends, and honored guests, King's College baseball senior Nick Ciszak was in Nebraska for a tryout with the Pecos League, an independent baseball league which operates in cities in desert mountain regions throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. In the Pecos League, teams have 22-man rosters with no designated hitters used in games with each roster consisting of nine experienced players and 14 rookies.
The waiting game began, and Head Coach Jerry Greeley advised Ciszak to stay sharp for the time that call would come through Ciszak's phone. The Kunkletown, Pa. native did not have to wait much longer as he received a call on Sunday, June 2 that he would sign with the Pacific Division's Dublin Leprechauns. He packed his bags, flew out to Dublin, California on June 3rd, and appeared in his first game with the Leprechauns on June 4th.
"I am beyond excited to be given this opportunity to play baseball at the next level," said Ciszak. "I have had a lot of help through the years from many people to get to this point and would just like to thank them all."
Ciszak joined the Monarchs baseball team ahead of the 2023 season after spending his first two collegiate seasons at nearby Penn State Hazleton and made an immediate impact on the King's lineup, appearing in all 37 games with 36 starts as a junior middle infielder that season. Batting .321 with a .522 slugging percentage, 43 hits, 30 RBIs, and 11 doubles, Ciszak garnered recognition on the 2023 All-MAC Freedom Honorable Mention team as a second baseman.
Poised for another great campaign in 2024, Ciszak battled injuries and shifted to the designated hitter role for his senior slate, still appearing in 30 out of the possible 35 games and putting up 26 hits with 20 RBIs.
"He has been injured the last two years, but he always kept playing," added Greeley. "I can't even remember how many games in the last two years he was at 100%. It was a very small amount. I think [this opportunity] is really tremendous because Nick is a very hard worker. His grit and perseverance definitely sticks out because he really has worked hard over the years."
Ciszak has not skipped a beat in the transition, appearing in six games through his first week in California, totaling six hits in 15 at bats with four runs, four walks, two RBIs, two stolen bases, and a double. The Leprechauns have also gone 4-5 in the stint with their next appearance on the diamond set for Thursday evening at their home stadium of Fallon Field.
"It's just a testament to his grit and perseverance to hang in there and attend the tryout, do well at the tryout, and stay sharp after the tryout," stated Greely. "Dublin decided to sign him, and I can't even tell you what a great accomplishment this is for him. It's tremendous. It's a big shout out to Steve Sulcoski, our hitting coach, who worked a lot with Nick in the off season and during the season and did a tremendous job with him. I'm very happy for Nick, and this is a big thing that can help many of our future players and our guys now to sign independent league contracts as well."
The Pecos League regular-season schedule runs from May 22 through July 28 as the timing leads for increased fan participation and support. For more information or to follow along with Ciszak all season long, head over to the official website of the Dublin Leprechauns baseball club.
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