(Valhalla, NY) - The 2021-2022 academic year proved to be a success story for the Westchester Community College Athletic Department. After a year and a half of inactivity due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Westchester CC returned to action this year, and continued to be one of the most competitive athletic programs in Region 15, and the Mid-Hudson Conference. Throughout the summer of 2022, the Westchester CC Athletic Department will relive some of the major highlights from the previous academic year in a top-10 format. We will post these memories regularly, counting down to the #1 moment of the year, while also counting down to the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year, and start of our fall sports.

Our #8 moment of the year features the Westchester Community College Baseball team, which returned to action during the 2022 season, and finished with a 22-20 record, including a trip to the NJCAA Region 15 playoffs. One of their many highlights of the year was a trip to District powerhouse UConn-Avery Point on March 26, where the Vikings emerged with a pair of 5-2 wins, marking a rare doubleheader sweep of the Pointers.

(Groton, CT) - Freshman Michael Ambrosecchia (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac HS) drove in six runs over two games, and freshman Thomas Mark (Patterson, NY/Brewster HS) pitched a seven-inning complete game gem as the Westchester Community College Baseball team extended its winning streak to six games with a doubleheader sweep of UConn-Avery Point, winning both games 5-2 on Saturday at UConn-Avery Point. With the wins, Westchester CC is now 10-7 for the 2022 season.

After losing 11 of the last 13 meetings with UConn, dating back to 2014, and not having swept a doubleheader from the Huskies in at least 10 years, Westchester CC enjoyed two outstanding performances on Saturday. 

In the opener, both Ambrosecchia and Don Hopper (Garrison, NY/Walter Panas HS) drove in runs during the second and fifth innings, respectively to give Westchester a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. However, UConn tied the game at two in the bottom of the sixth inning, setting up late-game heroics for Westchester. 

After a a Weston Baronian (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley HS) double to start the inning, two consecutive Vikings struck out. But, from there, AJ Falciglia (Elmsford, NY/Stepinac) doubled home Baronian to put the Vikings up 3-2, and Westchester wasn't finished there. Hopper followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2, and advanced to second base after the throw went to home plate. Two wild pitches later, and Westchester was up 5-2.

The lead was more than enough for Mark, who did not allow an earned run over seven innings, striking out eight, while walking only two. Baronian, Faliglia, Hopper, Ambrosecchia, and Anthony Dolce (North Salem, NY/North Salem HS) each had two hits. 
  The nightcap featured another outstanding pitching performance as freshman Ryan Osso (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester HS) pitched 5.1 innings for his first collegiate win, and he certainly had Ambrosecchia to thank for it.

After neither team scored through the first four innings, Westchester stormed ahead during the fifth inning with a four-run rally. Freshman Lucas Feliciano (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas HS) singled, and moved to second after a Matt Jacobson (Putnam Valley, NY/Putnam Valley HS) single. After a Jace Deiulio (Mohegan Lake, NY/Lakeland HS) sacrifice bunt turned into a bases load situation when Feliciano beat the throw to third base, Ambrosecchia belted his first career grand slam, a moon shot to right field to make it a 4-0 game.

After UConn made it 4-2 after the bottom of the sixth inning, Ambrosecchia made it 5-2, when he doubled home Alvy Grullon (Bronx, NY/St. Raymond).

And Ambrosecchia wasn't finished there. The rookie pitched the final 1.2 innings for his second save of the season, completing what was easily the best day of his young career. For the day, he went 4 for 6 with six RBI's and a run scored.

The two teams met again on Sunday, March 27 for a noon doubleheader at Viking Field on the campus of Westchester Community College. The teams split the twin-bill, with UConn-Avery Point winning the opener 5-4, and Westchester winning the series with a 7-6 win during the nightcap.