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Championship Central - Video

Bronx Broncos 4, Kingsborough Wave 3 - Box Score

The 2015 CUNYAC/MCU Community College Baseball Championship featured a rematch of the 2014 final. The result is all that changed, as the Bronx Broncos avenged their 11-8 loss from last season and defeated the Kingsborough Wave 4-3.

“It’s amazing and unbelievable,” said Francisco Ogando of Bronx, who hit the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning.

In the bottom half of the first, the Broncos drew three straight walks off Kingsborough starter Joseph Burgund. With the bases loaded, Ogando drew a tough walk on a full count pitch to give Bronx the first score of the game. Next, Yasser Mendez lined a two-run single to right center. Bronx closed the first inning with three runs on only one hit.

After three scoreless innings, Kingsborough got on the board in the top of the fifth inning after 2014 NJCAA All-American Nicholas Manzione lined a double down the right field line, scoring Eric Ricardo. Manzione advanced on the throw and Benny Pena followed with another base hit to right. That brought the Wave to within one run at 3-2.

Lutty Santiago entered the game in the top of the 7th in relief of 2014 CUNYAC Player of the Year Ruben Gomez, who started on the mound for Bronx and faced 29 batters on the night, scattering nine hits and finishing with seven strikeouts while only yielding two earned runs. Santiago got out of the jam without allowing a hit to keep the Broncos in the lead.

Burgund settled in nicely for Kingsborough after his shaky start, allowing only two hits and no runs after the first inning. He exited the game having gone seven innings and giving up three earned runs, three hits, and seven walks. The sophomore struck out eleven batters on the evening.

After an uneventful eighth inning, Kingsborough stepped to the plate down a run in the top of the ninth. The Wave were looking to, at the very least, tie the game. After Santiago made a diving stop to get the first out, Kingsborough’s Frank Vazquez reached on a throwing error and advanced to second. Following a sharp lineout to second, Kingsborough was down to their final batter. Derek Jentz was the last hope. He worked the count full and lined a single past a diving Gregory Perdomo at third, tying the game at 3-3. Kingsborough couldn’t get the go-ahead run across the plate, however.

Leading off the bottom of the ninth with a chance for a walk-off victory, Bronx’s Elvis Hernandez narrowly missed a home run, bouncing a shot off the warning track for a double. Kingsborough then yielded two walks, loading the bases. When a Broncos victory seemed imminent, Jose Marte grounded a sharp shot to third that Jentz fielded cleanly, turning an unassisted double play. It appeared Kingsborough would escape the jam, however following a wild pitch that re-loaded the bases, Bronx’s Francisco Ogando entered the batter’s box.

“I said to my team if we don’t win it now, I don’t think we’re going to win it,” said De Jesus. “When you have bases loaded and your best hitter is up, you’re supposed to win the game.

And that he did. Ogando grounded a ball down the third base line that Jentz snagged. His only option to send the game into extra innings was to make a miraculous throw to first for the out, but it sailed well over the first baseman’s head. The hit gave the Broncos the 4-3 victory.

Said Ogando, “I did it for my friends; they lost it (in the top of the 9th) and we wanted to take it back.”

For his efforts in the clutch, Ogando was named Championship MVP. He finished the game going 1-for-4 with 2 RBI’s, and teammate Yasser Mendez had 2 RBI’s off of his first inning single. Derek Jentz went 3-for-5 with an RBI for Kingsborough, while Eric Ricardo and Benny Pena had two hits apiece for the wave.

The victory gave the Broncos their 10th Championship in school history in 21 Championship appearances, while Kingsborough falls to 3-5 all-time in Championship games.

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