Contributed Story
SAUGERTIES — The Sullivan County Community College (SCCC) Generals baseball team split a Mid-Hudson Conference (MHC) Saturday doubleheader with the host Ulster Community College Senators after dropping a Friday afternoon game the SCCC campus in Loch Sheldrake.
On Friday, Ulster CC defeated SCCC, 14-5, in Loch Sheldrake.
Sullivan got blitzed by the Senators in the fourth inning as Ulster scored seven runs in the fourth to pull away. The Generals banged out 14 hits against Ulster, but couldn’t put any together to make a serious comeback.
John DeGroodt led the Generals offense going 4-for-5. Albert Bevacqua continued his hot hitting by going 3-for-5 with an RBI.
Fred Moore and Mark Roarty added two hits apiece for SCCC.
In Saturday’s first game at Ulster CC, Sullivan pitcher Jess Kelly and Ulster pitcher Karl Bithorn matched zeroes through four innings. But the Senators erupted for five runs in the bottom of the fifth en route to a 5-1 victory.
Fred Moore blasted a mammoth solo home run in the seventh to put the Generals on the board.
Bithorn allowed only three hits in the contest – a homer and double by Moore and a single by Ali Ferreiras.
In Game 2, the Generals came out swinging, scoring three runs in the top of the first off the Senators. SCCC added one in the second inning, two in the fourth and two in the fifth to take a 8-0 lead and keep Ulster playing catch up all afternoon.
Will Elberth picked up the win on the mound for SCCC. He extended his scoreless inning streak to 10 2/3 before giving up a run in the bottom of the fifth.
Elberth only allowed two hits, but was in trouble all afternoon by walking seven and hitting two batters.
The Generals’ bullpen came on and prevented the Senators from rallying. Melvin Simmons pitched a scoreless sixth and Mark Roarty pitched a scoreless seventh to secure the 8-1 victory.
SCCC improved to 13-17 overall and 9-11 MHC, while Ulster CC fell to 23-17, 12-8 MHC.
“Our goal at the beginning of the year was to get a home game for the first round of the playoffs, and it came down to the last conference game of the regular season to do it, but mission accomplished,” said a pleased SCCC Coach Mike Marra.
With the win, the Generals will open the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XV Baseball Tournament today. Fourth-seeded SCCC will host fifth-seeded Orange CC at 3:30 p.m.
The winner advances to the Regional Final Four, which begins this Friday, May 2 at Rockland CC. 
Rockland CC is the top seed for the Region XV tournament, while Dutchess CC is No. 2 and Ulster CC is No. 3.