Lake Placid retools while defending Class D title

LAKE PLACID | Coming off a Section VII Class D championship season, Lake Placid baseball enters 2026 facing a much different reality. The Blue Bombers graduated eight players from last year's roster, a group that accounted for the bulk of their production on both sides of the diamond. Still, head coach Brian Brandes returns a core of experienced players as Lake Placid looks to defend its title and remain among the top teams in the Mountain and Valley Athletic Conference. "With eight players lost from last year's team, we also lost 82% of the runs scored, 73% of the hits, 91% of the pitching wins and 72% of the innings pitched," Brandes said. "We have many roles to fill. We will be looking to fill those roles with a mix of returning players, sophomores and upperclassmen coming out for the first time." Despite the heavy turnover, Lake Placid still brings back a group with championship experience, led by Griffin McCumber, Chase Flyte and Hugh Kissel in the infield and Zack Kissel, Owen Lawrence and Ryan Bruce among the younger contributors expected to take on larger roles. Lawrence, in particular, emerged as one of the team's most productive bats last season, hitting .490 with 25 runs scored and a 1.254 OPS while also seeing time on the mound. Flyte also showed versatility in limited action, while McCumber and Bruce gained valuable varsity experience. The returning group will be tasked with replacing several key seniors, including MVAC first-team selections Jarrett Mihill and Vann Morrelli, as well as major offensive contributors Max Hyman and Jon Caito. On the mound, Lake Placid will also need to replace significant innings after posting a 3.37 team ERA and 11-5 record in 2025. Caito anchored the staff with a 6-1 record and 1.37 ERA, while Mihill and Morrelli combined for more than 45 innings. Brandes said the Blue Bombers will again rely on a mix of returning players and newcomers to stabilize both the lineup and pitching staff as roles are sorted out early in the season. First-year players Sam Mayberry, Nick Adragna, Braeden Foley, Kam Scoville, Samir Dimuccio, Sean McCauley and Josh Hobday are expected to compete for time across the roster, adding depth as Lake Placid adjusts to its new-look lineup.

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Lake Placid retools while defending Class D title

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