May 15, 2017 - Loch Sheldrake, NY

In a game of extraordinary circumstances, the Vikings Baseball team fought their way to their 4th straight Region XV title on Monday.  After defeating Rockland and Sullivan earlier in the tournament to enter the game 2-0, one more win would punch WCC's ticket to the District Tournament, where a World Series berth will be at stake. 

After the weekend rain pushed the championship game to Monday, weather still proved to play a role in the contest.  Westchester got on the board right away in the bottom if the first inning when Steve Guzman (JFK HS/Bronx, NY) hit a triple that plated Brian Corporan (HS for Environmental Studies/Bronx, NY).  Paul Franzese (Somers HS/Somers, NY) hit a two run homer to take an early 3-0 lead.  After the Vikings added a run in the 2nd, trouble found the team in the top of the 3rd. 

Nick Cona (Walter Panas HS/Cortlandt Manor, NY) got the start and though he kept the Generals off the board in the first two frames, the momentum changed with a few gusts of the wind.  Cona deserved better when he induced three shallow fly balls that were caught in the swirling jet stream and ended up finding the grass for hits.  Sullivan made the best of the opportunity hitting a pair of three run home runs in the lopsided inning, that would foreshadow the theme for the day.  The Generals would post 3 more runs in the 4th inning to take a 10-4 lead. 

The Vikings would cut it to 10-7 in the bottom of the inning, only to see the offensive barrage of Sullivan continue as they scored five in the 5th to go up 15-7.  But immediately, WCC plated 7 runs in the bottom of the fifth, to pull within a run at 15-14.  The Generals changed the direction of the game once again by scoring six in the 6th and another in the 7th to take a lead that looked to be commanding at the time at 22-15.  As the WCC had done all game long, they continued to claw back, posting six runs in the bottom of the 7th to once again cut the lead to 1 at 22-21. 

In the top of the 8th, Westchester hurler Triston Olmo (Ardsley HS/Ardsley, NY), who took over in the 6^th, kept the Generals at bay before giving way to Luis Gomez (St. Raymond's HS/Bronx, NY) when he ran into trouble with runners aboard.  Gomez threw two pitches to get the final out in the inning, holding Sullivan scoreless for the first inning since the 2^nd. 

Westchester would then load the bases as the game neared conclusion.  Jose Delacruz (George Washington HS/ New York, NY) stepped to the plate and launched a drive over the center field wall for a grand slam to take an astonishing 25-22 lead. 

Scottie Giordano (Croton Harmon HS/Croton, NY) entered in the top of the 9^th, and recorded the first two outs via the strike out.  A base hit, a hit batsman, and an error then loaded the bases for Sullivan, bringing the go ahead run to the plate.  Giordano then slammed the door by striking out the last batter swinging to put an end to the scoring and taking the Region XV title. 

In addition to the go ahead and winning RBIs, Delacruz was also 4 for 4 with 7 total RBI on the day.  Giordano was 4 for 7 with 3 RBIs.  Brian Corporan went 4 for 5 with 3 RBI, including a home run, to go with 5 runs scored.  Paul Franzese was also 4 for 5 for the game. Gomez was the pitcher of record when WCC took the lead for good as he earned his 11^th win of the season, extending his own school record. 

The 25-22 win sends the Vikings to the Eastern District Championship which Westchester will host on May 20^th.  WCC will play at 10 am vs. Region 21 Champion, UCONN Avery Point.  They will then take on Region 3 winners, Mercyhurst at 4pm.  The team would need to win at least one of the two contests to advance to the District Championship game on Sunday.