(Courtesy Region15athletics.com)

Brooklyn, New York - The fourth-seeded Kingsborough Community College Baseball team broke open a 1-1 tie with an eight-run fifth inning en route to their second straight Division III Region XV Championship, 12-1, over second-seeded Monroe-Bronx in the Region XV title game at Kingsborough Athletics Field. The Wave move on to the Northeast District Championship this Friday May 17 against Region 21 champion and NJCAA Division III No. 11 nationally ranked Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, Massachusetts.

The Wave put up their 18th double-digit hitting performance of the year, led by 2024 CUNYAC All-Star and All-Region XV Second Team selection Thomas Laino, who spearheaded the offensive effort with a game-high four RBI's and three hits, including a home run to be named to the Region XV All-Tournament team. Nicholas Fancellu recorded two hits, and Laino, Nasir Useini, Filippo Venditti, and Yoskar Guzman scored a team-high two runs. Guzman was named to the 2024 Region XV Division III Baseball Tournament MVP.

Robert Pacifici was huge on the hill for the Wave, shutting down an Express offense that rang up 12 runs in their previous game against top-seed Suffolk Community College, holding them to two hits and one run (unearned) while striking out five and walking four on 119 pitches for his third victory on the season. Pacifici landed on the Region XV All-Tournament team after for his efforts on Sunday.

Laino opened the scoring in the top of the first for the Wave, connecting for a sacrifice fly to score Guzman before the Express responded in the bottom of the inning when Hecxiel Perez, a Region XV All-Tournament team selection, grounded out to third scoring Gregory Espinal to tie it at one apiece.  

After both teams were held off the board over the next three innings, the Wave provided the knockout blow in the top of the fifth, erupting for eight runs to stretch the advantage to 9-1. Guzman led off with a single, then advanced on a wild pitch. After Venditti walked, Laino unloaded a three-run shot to right field, putting Kingsborough back in front for good 4-1. The Wave would grab their next four runs on throwing errors by the Express as Andrew Ardito, and Useini came across on a throwing error by Adrian Quezada to make it 6-1. Fancellu and Victor Perez scored on a throwing error by Jose Capellan to bring the advantage to 8-1. Danny McLaughlin crossed home with the bases loaded after a pitch hit Useini to make it 9-1 KCC going into the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Wave would add to their lead with a two-run triple by Ardito in the top of the seventh to make it 11-1 and a Sam Lee RBI single in the top of the ninth to left field, putting the exclamation point on the title game, making it 12-1 for a second straight Region XV Championship for the Wave.

2024 Region XV Division III Baseball All-Tournament Team: 

Region XV Tournament Most Outstanding Player: Yoskar Guzman

All-Tournament Team

Andrew Ardito, Kingsborough Community College

Thomas TJ Laino, Kingsborough Community College

Alvin Paulino, Kingsborough Community College

Robert Pacifici, Kingsborough Community College

Hecxiel Perez, Monroe-Bronx

Adrian Quezada, Monroe-Bronx

Yan Ortiz Torres, Monroe-Bronx

Luke Buyes, Suffolk County Community College 

Dominic LaFroscia, Suffolk County Community College  

William Winter, Suffolk County Community College

GoWave!!!