Vikings Headed to World SeriesHudson Valley Downs Niagara, 12-2, in Championship Game to Earn Berth in 2008 NJCAA Division III JUCO World Series;Rich Guillod Named Tournament MVP

CONTACT: Athletic Department (518) 629-7328
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, May 11, 2008

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BATAVIA, NY - Sophomore pitcher Ryan Washburn (Gansevoort, NY/Schuylerville) pitched a complete game five-hitter and Rich Guillod (Closter, NJ/Northern Valley) drove in four runs, including a two-run home run to lead the Hudson Valley Community College baseball team to a 12-2 win over Niagara County Community College on Sunday afternoon at Dwyer Stadium in the championship game of the Region III Baseball Tournament. With the win, the Vikings earned a berth in the NJCAA Division III JUCO World Series for the first time since 2001. The World Series will be played next week (May 17-22) at Mike Carter Field in Tyler, Texas.

For the second straight game, Guillod hit an opposite field home run in the first inning to give the Vikings the early lead. With one out and Max Keado on first, Guillod drove a David Hucsko pitch deep over the wall in right-center to give Hudson Valley a 2-0 lead.

The Vikings added two runs on three hits in the third inning to increase their lead to 4-0. Keado led off the inning with a single and Mike Guillod doubled high off the wall in right-center to put runners on second and third. Keado scored on John Barna's fielder's choice and Scott Robinson, who went 3-for-6 in the game, followed with a single to right, putting runners on the corners. Barna would score on a wild pitch to give Hudson Valley a 4-0 lead.

Niagara scored a run in the fourth inning on two hits and one error to cut the lead to 4-1. Sean Jamieson tripled to right-center and Mark Bigley followed with a bloop single that dropped in front of right fielder Max Keado. The Trail Blazers added another run in the sixth inning on a home run by Brain Kwiatkowski to left to close within two runs. Kwiatkowski hit a 1-0 pitch from Washburn high over the left-center wall to cut the lead to 4-2.

But that would be the only mistake of the afternoon for Washburn, who pitched his third complete game of the season. He allowed two runs on five hits and struck out seven to improve his record to 4-1.

Hudson Valley put the game out of reach in the seventh inning with five runs on four hits and three errors to take a 9-2 lead. Rich Guillod drove in two runs with an RBI double and Robinson followed with a RBI double to score Guillod.

Guillod, who was named the tournament's MVP, went 2-for-5 with 4 RBI in the win. In the four games in the tournament, he batted 388, with two doubles, one triple, two home runs and 11 runs batted in.

Notes: Ryan Washburn and John Barna were named to the Region III Baseball All-Tournament Team. In the four games in the tournament, Barna batted .411, with a double and two runs batted in. With a record of 31-8, the baseball team is the second HVCC team to record 30 or more wins in a season joining the men's basketball team, which finished the 2007-08 season with a record of 30-1. The baseball team also joins the HVCC men's and women's bowling teams as 2008 Region III champions. The Vikings scored 10 or more runs for the 16th time this season. They have a record of 15-1 this season when scoring 10 or more runs in a game. Heading into the tournament, Hudson Valley was ranked No. 1 in Region III in team offense (.3476 batting average) and pitching (4.60 era).

Hudson Valley Community College 12, Niagara Community College 2

Ryan Washburn and Jeremy Villano. David Hucsko, John Rubino (7), Matt Glowish (8) and Tyler Windisch. WP - Washburn. LP - Hucsko. 2B - Mike Guillod (HVCC), Chris Chisena (HVCC), Rich Guillod (HVCC), Scott Robinson (HVCC). 3B -Sean Jamieson (GCC). HR - Rich Guillod (HVCC), Brain Kwiatkowski (GCC). TEAM RECORD - Niagara Community College 18-15; Hudson Valley CC, 31-8.