(Valhalla, NY) - It was not that his stellar performance saved the day for the Westchester Community College baseball team, as much as Dylan Sabia (Mahopac, NY/Iona Prep) and his electric right arm may have saved the season. That is, as long as Friday's performance is a sign of things to come and the Vikings are able to play their way back into Mid-Hudson Conference and Region XV championship contention. Sabia threw his first career shutout, a complete-game two-hitter during which he struck out nine and walked on three batters, and the WCC bats came alive for an 11-run fourth inning as the Vikings got back in the win column, 12-0 on Friday at Viking Field. 

With the win, Westchester is now 14-9 for the 2019 season, and more importantly they are in the win column in Mid-Hudson Conference/Region XV play for the first time this season, and are now 1-5. The win broke a six-game losing streak. 

24 hours after what could have been the lowest point this proud program has faced in many years, a an 18-5 loss to the visiting Colts during which Orange scored the final 18 runs of the game, Westchester was a different team on Friday in every facet of the game. The Vikings played stellar defense, combined for 13 hits, and every WCC batter scored at least one run.

And, of course, there was Sabia.

After he pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, during which he struck out two batters, the Vikings wasted no time taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Steve Guzman (Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy HS) led things off with a triple and, one pitch later, freshman CJ Spence (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Vernon HS) drove Guzman home with a double to open the scoring. 

From there, neither team threaten to score for three straight innings, as Sabia took command from the start, until Westchester broke open in the biggest way possible during the bottom of the fourth inning. That inning, the Vikings sent 16 batters to the plate and scored 11 times, with every WCC position player scoring at least one run during the frame. Five extra base hits marked the inning, including a two RBI double by Aaron Roman (Pelham, NY/Pelham HS), and a three-RBI bases loaded triple by Chris Cipriano (Irvington, NY/Dobbs Ferry HS).  The monster inning marked the fourth time this season that Westchester scored 10 runs or more during a single frame. 

Sabia recorded his final two strike outs during the top of the fifth inning to end the game. 

Five Vikings had two hits apiece. Guzman went 2 for 3 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Spence went 2 for 4 with two RBI's. Roman enjoyed perhaps his finest game of the season, going 2 for 3 with three RBI's. 

Westchester Community College and Orange CC return to action on Saturday, April 13 when the teams meet for what is now a crucial conference/region doubleheader at Orange CC. The games begin at 12:00 p.m.