Box Score (Wappingers Falls, NY) - When looking back at the 2018 Westchester Community College Baseball season, it will be remembered that the Vikings captured their fifth consecutive NJCAA Region XV Championship during a playoff run that in almost every way reflected the regular season: There were some scary moments, weather wreaked havoc on a regular basis, but in the end, the Vikings did just enough to leave no doubt that they are the best team in the region, capping off an incredible five weeks of play with a 6-4 win over Rockland Community College on Monday at Dutchess Stadium to capture the regional championship without losing a post-season game.

After a 20-year championship drought from 1992-2012, Westchester has now won six of the last seven Region XV titles, including the now five-year winning streak.

After two days of rain-outs, Westchester put together one of their most dominant pitching performances of the season to advance to the District Championships, where familiar foe UConn-Avery Point is waiting once again.

And when we remember this year's run to the Region XV crown, we will also remember that - like the regular season - when it came down to crunch time in the playoffs, Scottie Giordano (Croton, NY/Croton-Harmon HS) came through in nearly every way imaginable. The SUNY Cortland-bound sophomore had three hits, tripled twice, drove in three runs, and earned the save with three stellar innings on the mound. He pitched out of a huge jam in the top of the ninth inning when he retired his first batter, hit two straight batters, and with two outs allowed a single that scored a run, and also put the tying run on first base. However, Giordano induced the Rockland #8 hitter to ground out to third base, ending the game and starting a wild celebration on the pitcher's mound.

Another lasting memory from the regular season and playoffs will be the steady presence of Max Marienberg (Scarsdale, NY/Scarsdale HS) on the mound. Marienberg allowed three straight baserunners to start the game, and escaped by allowing only one run - an unearned run at that - and allowing the Westchester bats to do the rest of the work. Marienberg gave WCC five outstanding innings, allowing only two runs, and improving his 2018 record to an incredible 4-0 as he continues to lead all Westchester starters in ERA.

Rockland's inability to score more than a single run after loading the bases during the first inning became a pivotal point of the game - even after the Hawks doubled their lead in the top of the third inning - as Westchester scored three runs during the bottom of the third inning to go ahead 3-2, a lead that would never be relinquished. Bobby Wootten (Ardsley, NY/Ardsley HS) led off with a walk, and advanced to second on a CJ Sager (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac HS) single. With one out, Sean Vanegas (Bronx, NY/Mount St. Michael) walked to load the bases. Sergio Osorio (North White Plains, NY/Valhalla HS) then put the Vikings on their board with a fielder's choice that scored Wootten to make it 2-1 in favor of Rockland. 

The game tilted Westchester's way when Giordano followed with his first triple, scoring Sager and Vanegas to take a 3-2 lead.

That was all Marienberg would need as he retired the sides in order during both the fourth and fifth innings to end his day by retiring nine straight Rockland batters. 

Westchester extended the lead to 4-2 in the fifth inning when Wootten singled home Paul Franzese (Somers, NY/Somers HS), and Giordano extended the lead to 5-2 an inning later when he tripled home Vanegas. Rockland made things interesting in the top of the seventh inning when a solo home run made it 5-3, but a Jose Delacruz (New York, NY/George Washington HS) sacrifice fly scored Christian Lovecchio (North White Plains, NY/Valhalla HS) in the bottom of the frame to close the scoring for the Vikings.

From there, Giordano kept the Rockland bats at bay long enough to secure Westchester's 28th - and most important - win of the season.

Overall, the Vikings had seven hits and nine walks, but three Vikings pitchers combined to allow only five hits.

Westchester will now look to continue its season by defeating nemesis UConn-Avery Point, who not only ended Westchetser's season a year ago, but also won three out of four regular season games against the Vikings. The schedule for next weekend's District Championships will be published on GoWCCVikings.com as soon as it is available, and on all Westchester CC Athletic Social Media vehicles.