(Valhalla, NY) - It may have taken a bit longer then they had hoped, but with one impressive outing, the Westchester Community College Baseball team reached the 20-win mark, ended a six-game losing streak, and recharged their NJCAA Region XV prospects ... all at the same time. And as the Vikings celebrated Sophomore Day after their final regular season home game of the 2022 season, it was a freshman fireballer who turned the most heads. Rookie Thomas Mark (Patterson, NY/Brewster HS) pitched a complete-game, one hit gem, striking out seven while walking only two, as the Vikings downed Dutchess Community College, 10-0 on Friday afternoon. With the win, Westchetser CC is now 20-17 overall, and 9-8 in Region XV play.

The only hit Dutchess CC (2-19, 2-16) mustered up was a slow roller to third base during the top of the third inning, where the Falcon runner barely beat the throw to first base. Otherwise, Mark was literally unhittable as he improved to 5-1 for the 2022 season, lowering his ERA to 2.68.

Mark's brilliance was more than enough for the Westchester CC bats, as the Vikings broke the 10-run mark for the 16th time this season. 

Eight Vikings combined for nine hits during the game, including a mammoth second-inning home run for freshman AJ Falciglia (Elmsford, NY/Stepinac), who homered for the second straight game, and is now tied for the team lead with five. After Falciglia led off the second inning with his blast, Westchester went on to score four more times during the frame, including two runs on a CJ Spence (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Vernon HS) triple. 

One inning later, it was a 6-0 lead as freshman Don Hopper (Garrison, NY/Walter Panas HS) hit an inside-the-park home run, his first career ' long ball.'

The Vikings then scored four more times during the bottom of the fifth inning to walk off with the run-rule shortened win. 

Spence, freshman Michael Ambrosecchia (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac HS), and freshman Luisbert Frias (Port Chester, NY/Port Chester HS) each drove in two runs, and freshman Matt Jacobson (Putnam Valley, NY/Putnam Valley HS) went 2 for 3 with an RBI.

After the game, Spence, Jace Deiulio (Mohegan Lake, NY/Lakeland HS), and Brian Beehler (Pawling, NY/Pawling HS) were honored for their contributions to the program as all three will graduate at the end of the semester. 

Westchetser CC and Dutchess CC will return to action on Saturday, April 30 when they meet for a 12:00 pm doubleheader at Dutchess Community College.