(Valhalla, NY) - If Westchester Community College sophomore Jake Jempty (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas HS) finds a way to pitch the first inning the way he does the remainder of a game during the 2020 season, he is looking at the kind of year that earns a pitcher significant post-season consideration. Two starts into his sophomore campaign, Jempty is a perfect 2-0, and has allowed a total of 10 runs during 13 innings of work. But, the fact that he has allowed only four total runs beyond the first inning is where things get exciting for the Vikings. On Thursday, Jempty allowed two first inning runs, and then was brilliant the rest of the way, as Queensborough Community College did not score a single earned run after the opening stanza. Westchester, on the other hand, scored 12 runs after the first inning, en route to a 12-3, seven-inning victory that marks five consecutive wins for the Vikings. Westchester is now 5-1 for the 2020 campaign.

Jempty allowed four hits and two runs after recording only one out during the top of the first inning, but then settled in brilliantly. At one point, he retired 13 Tigers in a row, a streak that was only interrupted by two consecutive Viking errors that led to an unearned Queensborough run, and had both defensive plays been made, Jempty would have finished his start with 15 straight outs.

While Jempty was mowing Queensborough down, the Viking bats came alive. Westchester scored three times in the bottom of the second inning to take the lead, and then blew the game open an inning later when a Michael Cox (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas HS) single scored two runs to extend the lead to 6-2, and Cox later scored on a Jace Deiulio (Mohegan Lake, NY/Lakeland HS) single to make it 7-2. Westchester then scored three in the fourth inning and two in the sixth inning to allow for a seven-inning win.

Cox went 2 for 4 with three RBI's and two runs scored, while Deiulio went 2 for 3 with two RBI's. Also for the Vikings, sophomore Hailyn Gonzalez (Bronx, NY/Bronx Envision Academy) walked twice and scored three runs, while sophomore Tyler Mandel (Scarsdale, NY/Scarsdale HS) went 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.

But, the story of the game was Jempty, who struck out four and did not walk a batter during six outstanding innings.

Westchester Community College now heads to Winter Haven, Florida for their Spring Break trip, during which they will play nine games. The trip begins on Sunday, March 8 when the Vikings face Glen Oaks Community College (Michigan) in a doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m.