Clingersmith notches No. 500 as NCCC advances

Niagara County Community College head coach Matt Clingersmith earned his 500th career victory with a two-game sweep of visiting Tompkins-Cortland Community College in the Region III sub-regional playoffs this past Saturday. The 15th-year skipper currently has a record of 500-193-1.

NCCC, ranked No. 10 in the latest NJCAA Div. III poll, is 27-8 on the season and advances to this coming weekend's Region III Final Four, which is a double-elimination tournament slated for Little Falls' Veteran's Memorial Park. N-Trip is the No. 2 seed and will begin the tourney at 5 p.m. Friday vs. Finger Lakes CC. Host Herkimer College is the top seed. 

Niagara CCC 6, Tompkins-Cortland CC 1

Sophomore Joey Battaglia was 2-for-4 with a home run, double and two RBIs as the T-Wolves cruised. Freshman Cal Brazier was also 2-for-4, ripping a double with two RBIs and two runs scored. Classmate Lance Baldensperger added an RBI double. On the mound, sophomore Ryan Peterson improved to 8-0 as he allowed just six hits and struck out 11 in a nine-inning, complete-game effort. 

Niagara CCC 11, Tompkins-Cortland CC 1 (6 inn.)

Sophomore Scottie O'Bryan was 3-for-3 with a home run, double, four RBIs and four runs scored as NCCC won via the mercy rule. Freshman Chris Tani went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs and fellow first-year player Cole Laskowski chipped in an RBI double. Freshman Chad Gartland was dominant on the mound as he struck out nine and allowed just three hits in six innings of work.