(West Harrison, NY) - On a frigid, blustery day at Silver Lake Park in West Harrison, New York, the Westchester Community College Baseball team's bats were nearly as cold as air temperature, until a late rally during the second game brought life to a talented offensive team. During many years, this could have been an issue, but not in 2019, not with the arms that WCC calls it own.

On Tuesday, two Viking pitchers not only made their WCC debut, but they made quite the statement, combining for back-to-back complete games and 20 total strikeouts as Westchester CC swept the Monroe College JV team, 4-2 and 9-1 to open the season 2-0. The first win of the day also gave Head Coach Billy McClure his 300th career victory at the Westchester helm.

The opener was an old-fashioned pitcher's duel that featured few hits, a lot of small ball, and brilliance from freshman hurler Michael Cox (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas HS). The rookie struck out six batters over the first four innings, 13 in total, did not walk a batter, and had it not been for a WCC error in the fifth inning, he would have pitched a shutout. Instead, Cox's misfortune turned into a big play for Monroe later that inning as a two-run home run cut a Westchester lead to 3-2.

However, in the bottom of the sixth inning, freshman CJ Spence (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Vernon HS) belted a run-scoring double to make it a 4-2 game. That is all Cox would need as he mowed down Monroe in the top of the seventh inning, striking out the last two batters to secure the victory.

Five different Vikings had one hit, including a Steve Guzman (Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy HS) RBI single in the first inning to open scoring. Also for Westchester, sophomore Sean Vanegas (Bronx, NY/Mount St. Michael) had a hit and two runs scored.
 

The nightcap featured a nightmarish start for Westchester as eight of the first nine Vikings to come to the plate struck out, and a long third inning home run for Monroe seemed to put the Mustangs in command. However, sophomore Josh Rosario (Poughkeepsie, NY/Spackenkill HS) settled in beautifully after allowing the run. He did not allow a hit the rest of the way, struck out seven total batters, walked only one, and earned the complete game on only 78 total pitches.

Westchester tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when sophomore Steve Messerschmitt (Carmel, NY/Carmel HS) scored on a error. Then, one inning later, the Viking bats exploded for eight runs, the biggest of which was a bases-loaded triple by Vanegas to clinch a mercy rule win. Westchester pounded out eight hits, including a 2 for 3 game by Guzman, and freshman Tyler Mandel (Scarsdale, NY/Scarsdale HS) had a hit, and scored two runs.

With the 2019 season finally under way, Westchester's game schedule comes fast and furiously as the Vikings return to action on Wednesday, March 13 when they travel to Kingsborough Community College for a 3:00 p.m. single game.