CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu, (518) 629-7898 or (518) 416-2137
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Saturday, March 30, 2024
The Hudson Valley Community College baseball team, the No. 12 ranked team in the latest NJCAA Division III baseball poll, handled its business as they completed the four-game sweep of Jefferson following two more wins on Saturday afternoon at Joe Bruno Stadium on the campus of HVCC. The two wins extended the Vikings win streak to 14th straight games and they improved their record to 15-1 on the year.
GAME ONE: Hudson Valley 7, Jefferson 0 (Final)
The Vikings came out on top for its 13th consecutive win and its fourth shutout win of the season. Jeremy Taggart continues to swing a hot bat as he went 3-for-3 at the plate, which included a double in the first inning. He scored two runs and tallied one RBI in the win.
As a team, the Vikings collected 11 hits and Jayden Kennedy led the team with three RBIs as he finished 1-for-2 at the plate and a run scored. Ethan Pues and Matthew Carrera each collected two hits and Carrera led the way on the bases, stealing three bags on the day. As a team Hudson Valley continues to put pressure on opposing defenses as they collected five stolen bases and did not commit a defensive error.
GAME TWO: Lackawanna 2, Hudson Valley 0 (Final)
In the final game of the day, The Vikings were pushed to the brink but ultimately prevailed as their offense was just too potent late in the game and overcame a three-run deficit to secure the program's 14th straight win. The Vikings outscored Jefferson 7-2 in the final four innings of the game.
Anthony Rizzo recorded the big momentum-changing hit as he sent a 2-RBI double down the rightfield line to erase the Vikings deficit and tied the game up at 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Rizzo's double was the first of three-straight RBI double by the Vikings. Following Rizzo's double, Tyree Jackson doubled to centerfield (scoring Rizzo). Following Jackson, Ethan Pues sent a 3-1 pitch to leftfield for another double to score Jackson and pushed Hudson Valley's lead up to 7-5.
Jefferson immediately responded with a two-run sixth inning to keep the pressure on the Vikings. However, Hudson. Valley's offense proved to be too much as they scored the game-winning runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Alexander Marino and Niko Sorice both scored on wild pitches with two outs in the inning.
Following a shaky start on the mound, Richie Tamsett was the fourth Vikings pitcher to enter the game and he settled the team, keeping Jefferson at bat to allow for the Vikings dominant offense to regroup. Tamsett tossed the final four innings and gave up two runs (0 earned) on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
ON DECK:
The Vikings will hit the road on Tuesday, April 2 as they travel to take on Cayuga. The Vikings doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m. in Auburn, NY.