(Winter Haven, FL) - If the final three games of the Westchester Community College Baseball team's Spring Break trip to Florida is a sign of things to come, the Vikings used their time away wisely, and is ready for the rigors of NJCAA Region XV play. After a 1-3 start at the Russ Matt Invitational in Winter Haven, Westchester won its final three games, closing the trip with a dramatic 7-4 walk-off win over Prairie State College on Friday morning. With the win, the Vikings finish the Russ Matt Invitational with a 4-3 record, and return home with 7-7 overall ledger.

Freshman Weston Baronian (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley HS) provided the heroics to send the Vikings home happy with a three-run walk-off blast in the bottom of the ninth inning for their biggest win of the season.



Prairie State led the game 4-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but a with two outs, a Don Hopper (Garrison, NY/Walter Panas HS) sacrifice fly made it 4-2. One batter later, freshman AJ Falciglia (Elmsford, NY/Stepinac) singled home a run to make it 4-3, and setting up the most dramatic of endings. The Vikings tied the score during the bottom of the seventh inning, thanks to a Luisbert Frias (Port Chester, NY/Port Chester HS) sacrifice fly. Then both teams saw their bats go quiet for two innings, until the bottom of the ninth when Westchester was able to put runners at first and second base, bringing Baronian to the plate. The rookie blasted his third home run of the season to clinch the Viking victory.

Westchester CC returns to action on Tuesday, March 22 when the Vikings travel to Sussex CC for a 3:30 p.m. game.