LINCROFT, NJ - Despite dropping a Region XIX doubleheader to nationally-ranked Brookdale Community College on Sunday, the NCC Baseball team locked up the #4 seed for the upcoming Region XIX Tournament, finishing the regular season with a 17-9 league record.

In game one, the Jersey Blues jumped out to a commanding 8-0 lead after 4 innings, but the Spartans responded with a seven run 5th inning, led by Greg Garcia's 3-run homerun to right field.  Elliott Freeman led off the inning with a walk, followed by a walk to Jake Chamberlain and Richie Eilenberger then got hit by a pitch to load the bases.  2011 NJCAA All-American Mike Tenaglia then laced a single to left field, scoring Freeman and Chamberlain.  Preston Koehler added an inside the park homerun to make the score 8-7 Brookdale heading into the bottom of the 5th inning.

Brookdale added a run in the bottom of the 5th to make it 9-7, but NCC responded with a run of their own in the top of the 6th as Alex Longernecker scored on a sacrifice fly by Tenaglia (2 for 3, 3 RBI) to make the score 9-8.

Leading by a run in the bottom of the 6th, Brookdale's Dave Egeland hit a 3-run homerun to right field to give BCC a 4-run cushion, and they then closed the door on NCC in the top of the 7th for a 12-8 victory.

Greg Taylor (1-2) took the loss for NCC, allowing 8 hits and 6 runs in 3 1/3 innings.

In game two, NCC jumped out early with a run in the top of the 1st as Tenaglia (2 RBI) hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Jake Chamberlain, who had doubled to open the game.

Brookdale evened the score at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the 3rd, but Eilenberger singled to lead off the top of the 4th and advanced to third on a botched pick-off play, before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Tenaglia to put the Spartans up 2-1.

NCC increased their lead to 3-1 in the 5th, but Brookdale scored 2 runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, with the key hit a triple by Joe Post, to tie the game at 3-3.

The game went into extra innings after both teams failed to score in either the 6th or 7th innings.  Alex Longernecker lead off the 8th inning with a double and scored on an Eilenberger sacrifice fly to give Northampton a 4-3 advantage.

Brookdale came back against Matt Smith, who came on in relief of starter Aaron Barry, and scored 2 runs to take the thrilling 5-4 extra inning victory.

Smith (2-4) took the loss, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs in 2 1/3 innings of work.

NCC finishes the regular season with an overall mark of 22-18 (17-9 in Region XIX) and will face 5th seeded Bergen Community College in a first round series of the Regional Tournament on Saturday May 5th and Sunday May 6th (if necessary).  The Spartans, as the #4 seed, will host the best of three series.

Brookdale improves to 32-13 overall and 22-4 in Region XIX.