CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Sunday, May 11, 2003
Needing to win two games on Sunday to stay alive, the Hudson Valley Community College (27-17) baseball team gave Erie Community College all it could handle before eventually succumbing to the Katz in the NJCAA Region III Division III championship tournament. Hudson Valley rallied from a three-run deficit to win the opener 9-4, but fell in the nightcap 16-8.
Hudson Valley scored four runs in the seventh and eighth innings to overcome a 4-1 deficit and avoid elimination in the opener. Freshman Ryan Gijon-Owen (Puebla, Mexico/Bowie, TX High School) hit a two-run double in the seventh to tie the game at 4-4. He came around to score the winning run on a single to right by sophomore Michael Harrington (Troy/Troy High School).
Freshman Chris Salamida (Watervliet/Watervliet High School) was three-for-four at the plate to lead Hudson Valley. The Vikings also received two hits apiece from Gijon-Owen, Harrington and sophomore Matt Nobles (Rensselaer/Bishop Maginn High School).
Sophomore Pitcher Daniel Barbero (Bronx/Lehman High School) allowed four runs on three hits to pick up his second win of the season for Hudson Valley.
Erie (32-13) overcame a 7-0 deficit to defeat the Vikings in the second game and advance to the NJCAA national championship tournament.
Barbero was four-for-five at the plate for the Vikings. Gijon-Owen finished the contest three-for-five with two home runs and five RBI.
Game 1
Hudson Valley 000 001 440 - 9 14 1
Erie 021 001 000 - 4 8 4
Hudson Valley: Daniel Barbero and Ryan Ratigan
Erie: Rick Hagerty, Joe Loncar (7), Alex Winiewicz (8), Brent Thompson (9) and Nick Lorich
Game 2
Hudson Valley 331 000 100 - 8 13 6
Erie 001 630 24x - 16 15 2
Hudson Valley: Jeremy Gulich, Joan Cabrera (4), Daniel Barbero (4), Kelvin Paulino (5), Daniel McKittrick (8) and Ryan Ratigan
Erie: Matt Larson, Matt Clingersmith (2), Dave Brozyna (5) and Mick Lorich