It took a late-inning rally by Bronx Community College to edge out defending champions Queensborough Community College, as the Broncos avenged last season’s CUNYAC/Con Edison Community College Baseball championship game loss and edged the Tigers, 5-4.

Victor Lopez, who was the starting pitcher for BCC, was named CUNYAC/Con Edison Most Valuable Pitcher, showed his ability at the plate as well, going 2 for 4 with what proved to be the game-tying hit and RBI and pitched 6.2 innings of four-run ball, with just two earned and struck out eight batters.

It was QCC drew first blood, in the top of the third inning.  With Matthew Schindler on second base, Christian Pinto slashed a double to left against Lopez to drive in the run.

BCC would tie it up in the bottom of the fifth, with a little assistance from the Tigers’ defense.  Carlos Grullon started the rally by reaching base on an error.  After an infield hit by Danny Zorilla that advanced Grullon to third, Geovanny Familla Jr. would drive in a Grullon with a run-scoring fielder’s choice. 

QCC would threaten to score again in the top of sixth inning, but Lopez was able to wriggle out of a bases-loaded jam.  With a 2-2 count to Brian Flynn-Kocurek, Lopez whirled around and picked off a relaxed Victor Chavez a second to get out of the inning unscathed.

The Tigers struck back in the seventh, thanks a few lucky bounces that went QCC’s way.  Leland Snaider would slice a line drive down the right field that landed just fair and past the outstretched glove of Erick Castillo, and Snaider raced to third ahead of the throw.  The Broncos would bring the infield in and it proved to be a costly mistake.  Edwin Suarez would slap a sharp grounder that rolled under the glove of second baseman Martin Bueno, giving the Tigers the lead yet again.  Jose Segnini would provide insurance later in the inning, smacking a hard single to center and padding the lead to 3-1 and knocking Lopez from the game.

But the Broncos would not go down quietly and responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the seventh inning.  Jarib Jimenez would lead off the inning with a double to right.  After a walk to Castillo, Familia dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over to second and third.  Zorilla hit a hard smash to first, only for Flynn to make an errand throw home, allowing Jimenez to score.  Jean Carlos Regalado would step up later on in the inning and singled home the tying run with two out.

Queensborough responded in the top of the eighth, as Victor Tejeda wrapped a hard single, plating the Tigers’ fourth run, only for Bronx to respond in the bottom half.

The first four batters for the Broncos reached base as BCC scored twice. Albeniz Sosa led off the inning with a double, followed by singles from Lopez, Jimenez and Martin Bueno. With two runs across already, Luis Mendoza bounced into a fielder’s choice before Zorilla bounced into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Queensborough threatened. With one out, Wilmer Peralta singled, but was cut down on a fielder’s choice. With two out, Jose Velez would strikeout to end the game and seal the victory for the Broncos.