The Roadrunner Baseball team came out swinging from the start! No one would or could stop them from claiming a second straight NJCAA Division III National Championship Wednesday night.
They did so in impressive fashion with an easy 18-3 triumph over No. 3 seed Dallas College-Eastfield in the title game at Falcon Park in Auburn, NY. Ernesto Polanco led the offensive assault with 5 hits and 5 RBIs as the Runners concluded a glorious 2024 campaign with a gaudy 51-8 overall record and a clean sweep of the college World Series field with a 4-0 mark in the tournament.
With their championship runs in both 2023 and 2024 DIII World Series tournaments, the Roadrunners captured their ninth overall title in program history and third under head coach Rob Valli.
Shortstop Caden Dulin enjoyed a spectacular series and was selected World Series Tournament MVP!
Dulin, who contributed three hits in the series' title game, said that the Runners' recent Region 19 championship triumph on May 17 -- when the squad was forced to win 3 games in one day to even qualify for the national tournament -- gave the team unstoppable momentum heading into the DIII World Series.
Click Here to View Complete Wrap of Championship Game by NJCAA.org
"Coming off winning that three-game series (in the regions) in one day put us on a roll afterwards," said Caden. "Our pitchers were really dominating and our own hitters did what they had to do -- and it all came together."
Click Here for Interview with World Series MVP Caden Dulin
The outcome was never in doubt from the start. The winners erupted for a 7-0 first inning lead thanks to a clutch two-run single from Polanco. By the end of the third inning, the lead swelled to 11-0.
"The first hit was big for me," Polanco said. "Once we got that first inning moving, we knew we wouldn't be stopped."
Click Here to View NJCAA World Series Photo Album
Aside from Polanco, leadoff man Gavin Degnan knocked in three runs while teammates Juan Peralta and Dulin added three hits apiece.
"We really came together throughout the tournament," said Degnan following the win. "Our attitude during the whole tournament was that we would get this done and establish our own identity."
Freshman hurler Mason Dobbs closed out with 3 2/3 innings of solid work to gain the win on the mound.
Click here for interview with RCSJ Coach Rob Valli