By Rob Potter
SULLIVAN COUNTY — For the second time in four seasons, the Sullivan County Community College (SCCC) Generals are the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XV Division II baseball champions.
The Generals won the 2011 title by defeating Rockland Community College, 12-6, on Monday evening on the Rockland campus in Suffern.
The victory competed a 3-0 run through the tournament by the Generals, who were the No. 1 seed.
SCCC defeated No. 4 seed Rockland, 14-3, on Sunday to advance to the winner’s bracket final in the double-elimination tournament.
In that winner’s bracket final, SCCC topped No. 2 seed Westchester Community College, 14-2, in a game halted after five innings because of the tournament’s run-rule.
SCCC sophomore Efrain Bautista, who was named the tournament MVP, went 3 for 5 with a three-run home run and five RBIs in the title-clinching victory. Corey Hamula went 3 for 5 and Stephen Sunday was 3 for 4.
Freshman pitcher Craig Miller earned the win for the Generals.
In their victory over Westchester CC, the Generals had 12 hits. Sunday and Louis D’Esposito led the offense. Sunday was 2 for 3 with four RBIs and D’Esposito was 2 for 3 with two RBIs.
Freshman Danny Castro got the win on the mound.
SCCC opened the tourney with the aforementioned 11-run triumph over Rockland CC. Bryan White went 2 for 2 with a grand slam and six RBIs and Jossue Delgado was 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
Idaury Peralta was the winning pitcher.
“I’m very proud of all of these guys,” SCCC Coach Ryan Snair said. “They earned it. They all worked hard and they really deserve this championship.”
Snair also credited Assistant Coaches Jared Carrier, Tom Mattice and Everett Saul for all of the time and effort they put in to help the team win the region title.
“All of the coaches did a terrific job,” Snair said. “We have a good program here.”
By winning the title, SCCC earned the right to host the three-team, double-elimination NJCAA D-II East District Baseball Championship.
However, the tournament will not be held at the Generals’ home field on the Loch Sheldrake campus.
“Our field is just not up to hosting an event like this,” Snair said. “We have a great playing field, but in terms of parking, bleachers for all of the fans and restroom facilities, we are not able to host it here.”
But Snair noted that SUNY New Paltz has been gracious enough to allow the Generals to host the NJCAA D-II East District Championship Tournament at Loren Campbell Memorial Field. The tournament will be held tomorrow and Sunday on the SUNY New Paltz campus.
The Generals, who are now 19-21 overall on the season, will be hosting two NJCAA nationally ranked teams. No. 4-University of Connecticut-Avery Point enters this weekend’s tourney with a 36-9 record and No. 10-ranked Monroe Community College of Rochester has a 28-10 record this spring.
In Game 1 at 10 a.m. tomorrow, SCCC will play Monroe CC. In Game 2 at 1 p.m. tomorrow, Monroe CC meets UConn-Avery Point. In Game 3 at 4 p.m. tomorrow, SCCC faces UConn-Avery Point
The results of tomorrow’s games will determine Sunday’s schedule.
The winner of the tournament advances to the NJCAA D-II World Series, which will take place from May 28 to June 4 in Enid, Okla.
“We’re going in as the underdog,” Snair said of the East District Tournament. “But we have a great group of guys. We’re swinging the bats well, our pitching has been great and we’re playing good defense. We’re going to do our best and see what happens.”