Baseball Team Headed to College World Series
SANBORN, N.Y. – For the first time in program history, the Niagara County Community College (34-7) baseball team will be playing in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) College World Series May 16-22. The Trailblazers earned the berth by defeating Herkimer County Community College (32-9), 10-2, Sunday in the Division III Region 3 Tournament title game at Veterans Memorial Park in Little Falls.
With the regional title, the Trailblazers advance to the double-elimination NJCAA College World Series in Tyler, Texas, for a 4 p.m. game on May 16 vs. the Region 19 winner. NCCC enters the CWS on a five-game winning streak and winners in 11 of its last 12 games.
Ranked eighth nationally and as the No. 2 seed in this weekend’s tournament, NCCC sophomore Brian Kwiatkowski (Tonawanda, N.Y./Tonawanda) hit a lead-off home run to open the game. Herkimer tied it on a single in the bottom of the first. NCCC’s Jordan Windisch (Oakville, Ont.) stroked a two-run home run in the second inning, giving the Trailblazers a 3-1 lead.
NCCC extended its lead to 6-1 in the third when Kwiatkowski doubled home a run, and the Trailblazers used a bases-loaded walk and a delayed steal. Herkimer scored its second run on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fifth.
Windisch collected a RBI single in the sixth and sophomore Tyler Windisch (Oakville, Ont.) duplicated his twin brother’s effort to make it 8-2. NCCC plated its final two runs in the top of the eighth.
Freshman Matt Whidden (Hamilton, Ont.) picked up the win on the mound, going nine innings and striking out eight. At the plate, sophomore Sean Jamieson (Simcoe, Ont.) went 3 for 5 and Kwiatkowski and Tyler Windisch each had two RBI.
Division III Region III All-Tournament Team
Brett Backes, Fr., Newfane, N.Y./Newfane
Brian Kwiatkowski, So., Tonawanda, N.Y./Tonawanda
Matt Whidden, Fr., Hamilton, Ont.
Pitcher of the Tournament
Matt Whidden, Fr., Hamilton, Ont.
Tournament MVP
Sean Jamieson, So., Simcoe, Ont.
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