GROTON, Conn., April 15, 2018 – The Monroe College baseball team wrapped up a four-game weekend at UConn-Avery Point on Sunday, splitting the final two games of the series with the Pointers. The Mustangs picked up their third straight shutout of the Pointers in Game 1 with a 2-0 victory, but fell in Game 2, 14-4. Monroe goes to 22-9 overall after the split, while the Pointers move to 15-8-1.
 
Game 1: Monroe 2, UConn-Avery Point 0
For the third straight game this weekend, stellar pitching got the job done for the Mustangs. After going scoreless for the first three frames, Monroe got all it needed in the top of the fourth. Joseph Encarnacion led off the inning with a double to left, and then Abner Vincenty singled him in to give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs doubled their lead in the top of the fifth after putting runners on second and third. Iasid Bernal hit a fly ball to left that was dropped by the left fielder, bringing home Gustavo Gonzalez to make it a 2-0 game.
 
Antonio Frias did not need much help on Sunday, going the complete seven innings and allowing no runs on two hits while striking out 13 batters to improve to 4-0 on the season. UConn-Avery Point starter Charles Cywin fell to 0-2 after allowing both Mustang runs in four innings of work.
 
Vincenty went 1-for-3 with an RBI in the win. Encarnacion hit 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Edwin Feliciano Jr. hit 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Bernal knocked in a run, and Gonzalez scored one himself, despite both going 0-for-2.
 
Game 2: UConn-Avery Point 14, Monroe 4 (5 innings)
The Mustangs got things going on the right foot in Game 2, starting with a leadoff double by Marquis Orozco in the top of the first. With two down and runners on the corners, Troy Davern singled in Orozco to put Monroe up, 1-0.
 
The Pointers then managed to put up their first runs of the weekend in the bottom of the first, starting with a pair of two-run homers by Mike Chiovitti and Brayden Cooney. Anthony Socci later hit an RBI triple to put the Pointers up, 5-1.
 
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Mustangs strung together a rally to get back into the game in the top of the fourth. Davern reached on a single to center with one away, and Juan Torres later singled to right with two outs. Marcos Hernandez was then hit by a pitch, and then Gonzalez cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to left, drawing the Mustangs within a run at 5-4.
 
The Mustangs could not remain close for long, as a Cooney grand slam in the bottom of the fourth put the home team up, 9-4. The Pointers put up another five runs in the bottom of the fifth to claim a 14-4 run-rule victory.
 
UConn's Gary Costello picked up the win to improve to 4-1 on the season. Andrew Pena shouldered the loss for Monroe to fall to 2-1.
 
Davern hit 2-for-3 in Game 2, knocking in a run and scoring another himself. Gonzalez batted 1-for-2 with a three-RBI double. Orozco went 1-for-3 with a run and a double. Torres finished 1-for-2 with a run scored.
 
The Mustangs will look to continue their winning ways on Wednesday, April 18, when they visit Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake, N.Y. First pitch of the nine-inning game is set for 4 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).