SOMERSET, NJ - Region XIX athletic director's voted at their annual Fall meeting to accept the Division III baseball coaches recommendation to extend their season by one week, beginning this season in Spring 2012.

The change means that the Region XIX Division III tournament will now take place on May 11-13, 2012 instead of May 4-6.

"With our expansion to 14 teams in Division III, the coaches really felt that we needed an extra week in order to get all of our games in," remarked Baseball Chairman Troy Tucker (Northampton), "the majority of AD's also agreed, however the one drawback is that we really have no wiggle room when it comes to poor weather during regional weekend."

The NJCAA Division III World Series is set for May 18th thru May 25th in Tyler, Texas.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Veteran baseball coach Lou Lombardo, of Montgomery County Community College, threw out the first pitch at Phillies game vs. the Mets on Monday evening.

Lombardo, the long-time coach of the Mustangs, is well known in coaching circles in the Delaware Valley.  "Coach Lou is a great representative of MCCC," remarked Director of Athletics Bruce Bach, "he has served as a mentor to hundreds of student-athletes and continues to dedicate his life to the game of baseball."

NEWTOWN, Pa. - Bucks County Community College has announced that they will be adding Baseball to their NJCAA offerings, beginning Spring 2012.

Bucks, which currently sponsors NJCAA teams in Men's Golf, Women's Soccer and Men's Soccer, is elevating their baseball program from the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (EPCC).

The addition of Bucks County will give Region XIX 14 teams competing in Division III Baseball in Spring 2012.

TRENTON, NJ - Mercer County Community College freshman pitcher James Pugilese was drafted in the 18th round by the Chicago Cubs in the Major League Baseball Draft.

Pugilese, who was recently named a NJCAA Third Team All-American, finished his freshman season with a 6-1 record with a 1.27 ERA, including 71 strikeouts in 56.2 innings of work.