New Rochelle, N.Y. – The Monroe College baseball team got off to an auspicious start against SUNY Sullivan on Tuesday, jumping ahead 6-0 before Sullivan rallied to take a 7-6 lead.  In the end, some cheeky base running helped plate two runs late and lift the Mustangs to an 8-7, come-from-behind win.  The team notched its third straight victory.
 
Monroe scored three times in the first inning and three more in the second to grab a 6-0 lead.  The Mustangs' second batter was third-baseman Ramger Iglesias.  The freshman put his team up 1-0 with an inside the park home run to the wall in left-center field.  After Endy Villalona reached on an error and Isaiah Torres walked, designated hitter Lewis Gonzalez blasted a triple to right field that cleared the bases, bringing the score to 3-0.
 
In the second, Jose Pena laced a line drive into right for a base hit.  Alex De La Cruz ripped a grounder into the hole and both runners were safe.  Iglesias subsequently beat out a bunt to load the bases.  Villalona drove in a run with a walk.  Cam Crabbe lifted a sacrifice fly to left that plated De La Cruz, making the score 5-0.  Finally, Torres connected on a single that scored Iglesias to make it 6-0.
 
Monroe starter Francis Ortiz took control from there.  He surrendered just two hits over six innings of work, striking out eight.  In fact, the sophomore didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning.
 
Sullivan made a fierce comeback off of the Monroe bullpen.  Trailing 6-1 as they entered the seventh, the team rallied to score six runs, all with two outs.  They chased Fernando Figueroa and Johnathan Mendoza from the game, and when Monroe came to bat in the bottom of the seventh they were behind 7-6.
 
Paying homage to the older style of baseball, the Mustangs manufactured a pair of runs in the seventh by taking advantage of an error and using a little moxie.  Crabbe reached on a leadoff walk.  Torres followed with another walk.  From there, Crabbe danced and darted off second base, flummoxing the Sullivan pitcher and causing him to balk, which moved the runners to second and third.  From there, with Josh Luna at-bat as a pinch hitter, a pitch got by the catcher and Crabbe scored on the passed ball to tie the game.  Torres moved to third, but then darted home when the catcher retrieved the ball and made an errant throw to plate to try and nab Crabbe.  Monroe took an 8-7 lead without getting a hit.
 
Edward Nunez pitched a pair of scoreless innings to keep the score at 8-7, preserve the win, and earn his first save of the season.  The team is now 18-8 on the year, and has won three straight.  They will return to action on Wednesday, April 6, facing archrival ASA College at Dutchess Stadium in Kingston, New York.  The first pitch is scheduled for 3:30 PM.