ABERDEEN, Md., March 4, 2018 – For the second straight day, the Monroe College softball team split a doubleheader against Harford Community College at Cal, Sr.'s Yard at Ripken Stadium. The Fighting Owls claimed Game 1 with an 11-3 decision, but the Mustangs responded with an 11-3 win of their own in the finale. The Mustangs leave their opening weekend with a 2-2 record, while Harford moves to 2-8.
 
Game 1: Harford 11, Monroe 3 (5 innings)
After a pair of scoreless frames, the Fighting Owls got on the board first in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, Samantha Znamiroski singled in Alexis Valentine, giving Harford a 1-0 edge.
 
The Mustangs got things going in the top of the fifth, starting with a leadoff double by Brianna Casiano. Later, with runners on the corners, Chantel Winstead smacked a triple, bringing in both runners for the Mustangs to give them a 2-1 lead. Kimberly Zapata then hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing in Winstead to leave Monroe up, 3-1. However, the home team managed to string together a 10-run rally in the bottom of the fifth, ending the game via the eight-run rule.
 
Luna Hernandez shouldered the loss in Sunday's opener to fall to 1-1 on the season. Harford's Alexis Valentine earned the win for the Fighting Owls.
 
Winstead went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run, a triple and a double in the game. Casiano scored a run after going 1-for-2 with a double. Zapata batted 1-for-2 with an RBI.
 
Game 2: Monroe 11, Harford 3 (6 innings)
The Mustangs bounced back in Game 2 on Sunday, and got off to a hot start in the top of the first. Zapata led off the game with an inside-the-park home run for a quick 1-0 lead. With Winstead on third and two outs, Selena Aguirre singled up the middle to plate Winstead and give Monroe a 2-0 lead.
 
Harford put runners on second and third in the bottom of the second before recording an out. Erica James then doubled down the left-field line, bringing in both runners to tie the game up at 2-2.
 
The game did not stay tied for long after the Mustangs' bats heated up once again. Winstead led off with a single, stole second, and moved to third after the catcher's throw trickled into the outfield. Veronica Casanova then brought her in on a groundout to short, putting Monroe back on top. Aguirre then doubled to left-center, and Brooke Boechler followed with a single. Luna Hernandez then walked to load the bases, and Casiano was then hit by a pitch to bring in another Mustang run. Abigail Cancilla then drew a walk to plate another run, and then Kortney Semper hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Hernandez to score and make it a 6-2 ballgame.
 
A single and a pair of errors allowed the Fighting Owls to load the bases in the home half of the third. James hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring in a run, but the Mustangs escaped without any more damage to maintain a 6-3 lead.
 
Winstead and Casanova kicked off the fourth with back-to-back singles. Aguirre then moved them both up on a fly out, and then Winstead scored on a wild pitch to push the lead to four. Casanova then scored on an RBI single by Boechler to make it an 8-3 Mustang lead.
 
After the first two hitters batted out in the fifth, Winstead kept the inning alive after being hit by a pitch. Casanova then singled, and Aguirre walked to load the bases. A wild pitch then brought Winstead in to score to give Monroe a six-run advantage.
 
Casiano got things going again in the sixth with a single up the middle with one away. Brianna Martinez was then hit by a pitch in a pinch-hit opportunity, and then both runners moved into scoring position on a groundout by Semper. Casiano scored during the next at bat on a wild pitch, and then Zapata singled in Martinez to put Monroe up by eight. After keeping Harford off the board in the bottom of the inning, the Mustangs were able to clinch the win with the eight-run rule.
 
Casiano got the win in Game 2 to improve to 1-1 on the year. She tossed the complete six innings, allowing just one earned run. Amanda Sullivan took the loss for the Fighting Owls.
 
Zapata went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, a run and a home run in the win. Winstead hit 2-for-3 with four runs scored, as well as a stolen base. Casanova and Boechler had matching 2-for-4, one-RBI, one-run efforts. Aguirre hit a double, scored a run and knocked in another in a 2-for-3 outing. Casiano also went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
 
The Mustangs now get set to head down to Cocoa Beach, Fla. for eight games in four days. The week begins on Thursday, March 8, when Monroe takes on Parkland College in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's rugby, and the newly added club women's rugby team, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has six teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level as of the fall of 2017.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).