TOMS RIVER, NJ - The NCC baseball team put their backs against the wall last week, losing five straight games to put themselves on the brink of playoff elimination.  Maybe the pressure is just what they needed, as the Spartans have now rolled off four consecutive wins, including a doubleheader sweep at Ocean County College on Saturday afternoon.

In game one, Eric Bohem's two-run double was the key hit in a four run 1st inning for the Spartans.  Ryan Mickley was 3 for 4 with a run scored and a stolen base and Bily Turner was 2 for 3 with four runs scored and hit his 2nd homerun of the season in the 2nd inning (a two-run blast) to give NCC a 7-0 lead, as the Spartans cruised to a 13-4 victory.

Jason Pennypacker went the distance, scattering 11 hits and striking out four while improving to 3-2 on the season.

In game two, the Vikings and Spartans needed to go extra innings before NCC pulled off the dramatic 8-7 victory in 10 innings.

Down 7-6, with two outs in the bottom of the 7th, Ocean's Brendan Melody tied the game with a RBI double off reliever Chris Chamberlain, who came on in the 7th for starter Mike Ciavarella

game remained tied at 8-8 until the top of the 10th when Joey Bamford (3 for 5) reached first on a bunt single and then went third on a single by Christian Joest (3 for 5).  Billy Turner then walked to load the bases and Eric Bohem (4 for 5) hit a ground ball that hit off the field umpire, scoring Bamford with what proved to be the winning run.

Demetri Christofes, who had entered in the 9th inning, shut the door on the Vikings in the bottom of the 10th, striking out David Kalaih to end the game.

The streaking Spartans are now 16-15 overall and 8-6 in Region XIX.  

Ocean falls to 11-10 overall and 4-8 in Region XIX.

NCC will look to continue their playoff push on Sunday when they host nationally-ranked Camden County College at noon.