CONTACT: R. Sean Coffey, (518) 629-7898, r.coffey@hvcc.edu
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Monday, May 3, 2010
The Hudson Valley Community College baseball team (28-15) defeated Erie Community College in the first round of the Region III Tournament in a best two-out-of-three series at Joe Bruno Stadium on Saturday and Sunday, May 1 and 2. The Vikings split the first two games on day one, winning game one, 6-4, and losing game two, 10-6. In the third and deciding game, the Vikings' bat got hot as they crushed Erie, 11-3.
In game three, pitcher Levi Washburn (Schuylerville, Gansevoort) gave the Vikings the start they needed, throwing a complete game that allowed only three runs. The game had three lead changes in the early innings as the Kats got on the board in the first inning, 1-0. The Vikings answered with a two-run third. Once again, Erie took the lead in the top of the fourth as they scored two runs. The Vikings answered emphatically with a five-run bottom half of the inning, putting Hudson Valley up, 7-3. Chris Massaroni (Voorheesville, Voorheesville) capped off the Viking offensive explosion with two of his game-high three RBIs in the inning. From there it was all Hudson Valley with the game ending in the eighth inning due to the eight-run mercy rule put into effect after a Dave Balsamo (Shenendehowa, Halfmoon) triple knocked in two runs.
Massaroni finished the day three-for-four. Bobby Peluso (Columbia, East Greenbush) and Balsamo each went two-for-four with a pair of RBIs.
The Vikings will play in the Region III Tournament's round-of-four to be held in Little Falls, NY beginning Friday, May 7. It is a double elimination tournament and the Vikings hope to spend Mothers' Day playing in the Region III Championship game.