CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Sunday, May 15, 2005
Erie Community College (38-10/29-1 Region III) rebounded from its first Region III loss of the season to defeat Hudson Valley Community College, 11-0, and capture the NJCAA Region III Division III championship.
Needing to win two games to win the tournament, Hudson Valley (34-15/24-6) jumped out to 5-0 lead in the first inning of the opener and held on for an 8-6 win. Sophomore catcher Craig Mastroianni (Colonie/Colonie High School) had a pair of two-run singles to spark the Vikings attack.
Sophomore Joel Molina (Middletown/Middletown High School) had three hits.
Sophomore pitcher Phil Carr (Shandaken/Onteora High School) went four innings to pick up the win for Hudson Valley. He allowed four runs on nine hits, striking out one and walking none.
Sophomore pitcher Mike Ziewicki (Cheektowaga) tossed a complete-game four-hit shutout for Erie in the final game. He struck out two and walked one.
Conversely, Erie touched up Hudson Valley's pitchers for 17 hits in the nightcap. Freshman Jeff Rowley (West Seneca) had three hits and four RBI.
Freshman Scott Caruana (West Seneca) and sophomore Adam LaFleur (Clarence) also had three hits or the Kats.
Erie has advanced to the NJCAA Division III World Series for the second time in the last three years.
Game 1
Hudson Valley 500 030 000 - 8 10 0
Erie 003 102 000 - 6 14 5
Hudson Valley battery: Phil Carr, K.K. Pierce (4), Josh Frank (7), Nick Testo (9) and Craig Mastroianni
Erie battery: Bobby Bell, Brian Alterio (6) and Scott Caruana
Game 2
Hudson Valley 000 000 000 - 0 4 0
Erie 003 140 21x - 11 17 0
Hudson Valley battery: William Lewis, Mike Ruffinen (4), Mark Pennisi (5), Vince Laviano (7), Ed Byrnes (8) and Tom Zink
Erie battery: Mike Ziewicki and Scott Caruana