New Rochelle, N.Y. - In their first home action since returning from a South Carolina road trip, the Monroe College Baseball team split a doubleheader with Dutchess Community College, winning game one, 6-5, in nine innings and dropping game two, 6-3. The team is now 5-10 on the season.
 
In game one, Monroe kept Dutchess off the scoreboard for the first five innings of play. Oliver Mailloux got the start, threw 5.1 innings, and didn't figure in the decision. He scattered just three hits and walked one across five innings, before having some trouble in the sixth.
 
The Mustangs took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the fourth. Shadrach Meulens led off with a single, but was erased on an Andy Karlan fielder's choice. After walks to Christopher Palermo and Carlos Torres, Wayne Roberts came up with the bases loaded and one out. The sophomore laced a base hit to right that scored Karlan and Palermo and gave Monroe a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, Torres came in on a Michael Crispino sacrifice fly.
 
The Mustangs were in control until the sixth, when Dutchess scored five times and drove Mailloux from the game. The trio of Monroe relievers that came in shut down the Falcons the rest of the way.
 
Trailing 5-3 in the sixth, Monroe got a run back when Carlos Torres tripled and scored on a wild pitch. Ramon Encarnacion got Dutchess out in the sixth and shut them out in the seventh. Monroe scored the tying run in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, sophomore Isaiah Torres came through with a solo home run that tied the score at 5-5, forcing extra innings.
 
Harry Colon was the next reliever up for Monroe in the top of the eighth. He gave up two hits, but did not allow a run. Monroe loaded the bases with the first three batters of the inning. Torres reached on a walk. Roberts got his second hit of the game, a base hit to right. Lastly, Dawy Lebron reached on an infield single. From there, the Falcons escaped the bases loaded jam without surrendering a run.
                                                                                                                         
The game went into the ninth, still tied at 5-5. Jason Alvarez was the final Monroe pitcher. He struck out the first two batters and retired Dutchess in order. In the Mustangs' at-bat, Meulens led off with a walk and took second on a passed ball. Edgardo Bernard walked, and Roberts continued his memorable day at the plate by collecting his third hit, a game-winning single to right that scored Meulens. Monroe won, 6-5.
 
In the game, Roberts had three hits and three RBI. Carlos Torres scored twice, and Isaiah Torres had two hits including the game-tying homer. Alvarez picked up his first win of the year.
 
Dutchess took game two, 6-3, but Monroe had the lead early. Scoreless into the third, Bernard led off with a walk. Crispino scored him with an RBI double, and later came in on an RBI single from Isaiah Torres. Monroe got another run in the fifth when Crispino tripled and score on a Kevin Garcia base hit. Ramon Disla was the losing pitcher for Monroe, despite a strong effort. He pitched 4.2 innings, gave up just one run and struck out five. Encarnacion also had another scoreless outing in this game.
 
The Monroe College Baseball team will return to action on Sunday, March 26th, hosting UConn Avery Point at noon for a doubleheader.