NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., May 10, 2018 – The Monroe College baseball team took one step closer to its fourth consecutive Region XV Championship on Thursday, as the Mustangs defeated ASA College in Game 2 of the tournament by a score of 4-3 at Dick Caswell Field to take a 2-0 lead in the series. The Mustangs can close out the best-of-five slate with a win on Friday.
 
The Avengers struck first in Thursday's contest after being shut out in Game 1. They drew back-to-back walks in the top of the second to put the Mustangs in some trouble. Back-to-back groundouts then allowed a run to score, giving ASA a 1-0 lead early in the game.
 
With one away in the bottom of the second, Lenyn Napoleon check swung at a ball in the dirt. A delayed call by the first-base umpire said he went around, so Napoleon took off for first. A bad throw by the catcher allowed Napoleon to reach first base. A failed pickoff attempt by the pitcher July Sosa allowed Napoleon to move all the way to third. He then scored on a balk by Sosa, tying the game at 1-1.
 
Kevin Garcia drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third. Marquis Orozco later sent a double off the fence in right field, putting both runners in scoring position. Edwin Feliciano Jr. then flew out to center, deep enough to score Garcia and put the Mustangs ahead, 2-1.
 
The Mustangs made it three straight innings with at least a run in the bottom of the fourth. Shadrach Meulens led off with a walk, and later moved to second on a wild pitch. Joseph Encarnacion then blasted a double deep in the left-center field gap to bring in Meulens and make it a 3-1 game. Garcia followed with a single up the middle, bringing in Encarnacion to push the lead to 4-1.
 
ASA worked its way back into the game in the top of the sixth. Dilson Vasquez got things going with a double to left-center, and he eventually moved to third on a balk. Miguel Medina was then hit by a pitch and was able to steal second. Louis Winter then blooped a single over the shortstop, bringing in both runners to make it a 4-3 ballgame. 
 
Mustang starter Richard Moesker tossed seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out five batters to improve to 6-2 on the season. Luis Grullart tossed a clean eighth inning, and then Jason Alvarez shut them down in the ninth to earn his eighth save of the year. Sosa went all eight innings for ASA, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits.
 
Garcia hit 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run for the Mustangs in Game 2. Encarnacion finished 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run as well. Meulens and Napoleon each hit 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
 
The Mustangs will look to close out the series on Friday, May 11, when they take on the Avengers in Game 3 of the Region XV Championship Series at Dick Caswell Field. First pitch is set for 3 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).