Loch Sheldrake, NY – The Vikings fell to SUNY Sullivan in the Division 2 Region 15 Tournament Championship Game Saturday afternoon by the score of 7-1. The loss however, does not end the season for SUNY WCC.
Day 1: 6-5 L 11 inn vs. Rockland
Opening round of the 2024 Region 15 Tournament started off with a thrilling game coming down to the last out. Both the Hawks and Vikings came out of the first inning scoring a run to keep the game tied. Westchester would take the lead in the bottom of the third scoring two runs. Rockland would come back and tie the game at three with two runs of their own in the top half of the fourth and take the lead scoring a run in the top of the fifth. Westchester would tie the game in the bottom of the seventh and would remain tied going into extras.
In the top half of the tenth, Rockland would scratch across a run to take a 6-5 lead, putting pressure on the Vikings. Low and behold, Westchester would answer and put across the tying run sending the game to the 11
th. The Hawks would once again would score a run putting them ahead 6-5 heading into the bottom half of the inning. Unfortunately Westchester could not capitalize and the loss would put them into the 10am loser bracket of the tournament.
Michael Dawson would pitch eight innings scattering four hits while striking out five in the no decision.
AJ Falciglia would earn the loss on the evening throwing three innings allowing one earned run and striking out two.
Marc Stockhausen would lead the Vikings with three hits on the day while Falciglia drove home three runs with a Home run and base knock.
Day 2: 7-2 W vs. Orange; 16-2 W vs. Rockland
Entering the losers bracket and on the brink of elimination with a loss, Westchester was eager to make a statement to play in the Championship Game.
In the 10am game played at Bard College, the Vikings took on SUNY Orange. Out stepped Freshman LHP
Wyatt Triestman and he would give SUNY WCC a performance. Over his complete game, nine-inning outing, Triestman would scatter seven hits while only allowing two earned runs and striking out seven Colt batters. On the other side of the game, the Viking batters would belt out 12 hits scoring seven runs enroute to the 7-2 victory. Both
Tommy Poggi and Stockhausen would lead the team with three hits each while
Mike Tiseo and
Nick Vendola added two hits and an RBI apiece. Westchester would now wait for the 4pm game to take on the loser of the SUNY Sullivan verses Rockland.
A familiar foe, Rockland Community College, would be the gatekeeper of the Vikings making it to Championship Saturday. Westchester would call on their ace in
Jackson Kossow to help propel them to victory. Kossow would put the team on his back and deliver. In a complete game win, Jackson would strike out 12 Hawk batters while only allowing one earned run and no hits. Kossow would earn his seventh win of the year and put his overall ERA to 1.48, third best in the NJCAA Division II. The Viking bats stayed hot from the morning game belting out 19 hits and putting across 16 runs in the mercy rule shortened game.
Nick Vendola would go 4 for 5 with two RBIs while
Tommy Poggi,
Mike Tiseo, and
Mike Kocovic all added three hits each and combined for five RBIs. Falciglia added two hits of his own while hitting in three Viking batters. The 16-2 win put Westchester into the Championship game on Saturday.
Day 3: 7-1 L vs. Sullivan
The Region 15 Championship. The Vikings would have to beat SUNY Sullivan twice in order to hoist the championship trophy, a feat they accomplished back in 2016 and 2012. The Generals would come out strong in the first and second inning putting up five runs to take the early lead. Westchester would break the shutout in the top half of the third bringing the Sullivan lead down to four. The would be the only run the Vikings would scratch across in the game while the Generals would add two more insurance runs enroute to their second straight Region 15 title.
Tommy Poggi would come in relief of starting pitcher
Mark Yorio and held SUNY Sullivan to one run over his four and a third innings pitched while striking out four batters.
AJ Falciglia and
Mike Kocovic would have two hits each for the Vikings offense while
Marc Stockhausen would have the lone RBI. Named to the All-Tournament Team was
Jackson Kossow,
Wyatt Triestman,
Tommy Poggi, and Kocovic.
As Westchester would be crowned as runners-up, the season is not over just yet. Both the Generals and Vikings qualify for the East District Tournament this upcoming weekend (May 17-19) to be hosted by SUNY Sullivan. SUNY WCC will take on the Region 19 winner Mercer County on Friday May 17
th at 1pm at SUNY Sullivan. The winner of that game will take on the winner of SUNY Sullivan and UConn Avery-Point who qualified with their two wins over sub-district foe Monroe Community College.
Tentative East District Tournament Schedule: (All games at SUNY Sullivan)
May 17:
Game 1: Mercer CC vs. SUNY WCC 1pm
Game 2: UConn AP vs. SUNY Sullivan 4pm
May 18:
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 10am (Elimination Game)
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 1pm
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 4pm (Elimination Game)
May 19:
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 11am
Game 7 (If Necessary): 30 min after conclusion of Game 6
All games will be streamed live via SUNY Sullivan Athletics YouTube page. With weather being a potential factor, game times and venue could change, please stay up to date via all Vikings Social Media!
