It has become a rite of spring. As sure as April showers bring May flowers, the Brookdale Community College baseball and softball teams play in the junior college national championships.

The two teams — which over the years have become national powers — were at it again in 2009.

Coach Johnny Johnson's baseball team finished third at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III World Series in Tyler, Texas.

Coach Bo Scannapieco's softball team finished sixth at the NJCAA Division III Women's Fastpitch National Championship in Rochester, Minn.

During the regular season both teams won the Garden State Athletic Conference championship and then went on to win the Region XIX Tournament and the trip to the national championships that goes with it.

The Jersey Blues' baseball team and softball team were each ranked No. 5 in the country in the final national polls.

Ocean Township High School graduate Keith Weinkofsky, who put together an All-American season, took the World Series by storm. In Brookdale's five games he was 11-18, good for a .611 batting average. He smacked three home runs (tops in the tourney) and six doubles and had a slugging percentage of 1.278. Weinkofsky's on-base percentage was .704 and his 23 total bases were easily the best of anyone. He led the tournament in RBIs (11) and runs (9) as well.

Several other Brookdale players played well at the World Series. Ed Martin (Raritan) batted .500 and had five RBIs and four runs scored. Brian Seres (South Amboy) batted .429 with five RBIs. Nicholas Scarillo (South Amboy) hit .385; Andy Vega (Queens, N.Y.), hit .381 with nine runs scored; Kevin Mager (Middletown North) hit .333 with four doubles, and Frank Mormino (Howell) hit .300 and scored seven runs.

Ryan Casey (Manchester) was Brookdale's ace on the mound. He was 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA. Freehold High School graduates Matt Yuhas and Jeff Frost both pitched to a 2.70 ERA.

Connor Smith (Monmouth Regional) earned Brookdale's third win in the World Series in relief.

Brookdale opened the World Series on May 16 with a 12-3 win over Niagara County Community College, N.Y., as Weinkofsky went deep and drove in three runs. Martin and Ivan Rodriquez (Newark) also had three RBIs.

Montgomery College-Germantown, Md., put the Jersey Blues in the loser's backet by wining a 13-7 slugfest on May 17.

Brookdale bounced back with wins over Suffolk County Community College Grant, N.Y., 20-7, on May 18 as Weinkofsky went 4-4, including a home run and five RBIs, Rodriguez had three doubles, and Joe Talerico (Toms River) had three RBIs; and on May 19 over Joliet Junior College, Ill., 6-2, as Casey went the distance, striking out nine.

In the late game on May 19, Montgomery Germantown ended Brookdale's bid for the national championship, 7-4, one game shy of the final.

In the championship game, Richland College, Texas, defeated Montgomery- Germantown, 7-5, on May 20.

Brookdale finished the 2009 season with a 40-9 record.

The Brookdale softball team opened play in the NJCAA Division III Women's Fastpitch National Championship with a 10-0 win over Suffolk County Community College, N.Y., on May 14.

Samantha Deixler (Southern Regional) was 1-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

Samantha Wagner (Manalapan) and Brianne Faynor (Manchester) each went 2-4 with two RBIs. Danielle Davenport (Matawan) went 3-4 with three runs scored.

Jessica Carroll (Keyport) pitched a three-hitter in the five-inning game and won her 15th game of the season. Carroll was 15-7.

Brookdale lost to Tompkins Cortland Community College, N.Y., 14-9, in the second game on May 14, and ended its tournament by losing the fifth/sixthplace game to Suffolk County, 5-4, on May 15.

Deixler was named to the All-Tournament Team. She was 7-13 and hit .538. Her slugging percentage was .769 and her on-base percentage was .647. She led the team in RBIs (six) and runs scored (five).

Davenport hit .429; Faynor hit .438 with five RBIs; Kara Kelsey (Middletown North) hit .400; and Kelly Mormino (Howell) hit .462 with four runs scored.

The Jersey Blues finished the season 35-16 with the promise of a bright future with a host of starters returning and a strong recruiting class coming in.