NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., May 2, 2018 – After a tough loss on Tuesday, the Monroe College baseball team defeated County College of Morris by a score of 13-3 via run-rule after five innings Wednesday afternoon at Dick Caswell Field. The Mustangs improve to 27-13-1 with the win, while the Titans fall to 18-21.
 
Morris took advantage of a couple breaks to get on the board in the top of the first. Jack Peterson reached after being hit by a pitch, and was later able to move up on a wild pitch. Stephen Loreng then blooped a single into center, scoring Peterson from second to give the Titans an early 1-0 advantage. With runners on first and second, the Titans executed a double steal, and the throw got past third base, bringing in Loreng to make it 2-0.
 
The Mustangs also took advantage of a few breaks in the bottom of the second. Lenyn Napoleon drew a walk with one away. He then stole second, and an errant throw moved him over to third. After Troy Davern drew a walk, a wild pitch moved both runners up, scoring Napoleon from third to make it a 2-1 game.
 
Justin Ayala led off the third with a single for Morris, and then moved up to second on a groundout. Jake Hall later doubled down the left-field line with two outs, scoring Ayala to give Morris a 3-1 lead.
 
The Mustangs loaded the bases after a single by Davern, walk by Joseph Encarnacion and hit-by-pitch by Diego Arcelay. Gustavo Gonzalez nearly broke the game open when he sent one over the fence down the line in left, but it turned foul. He later came through after a stellar at bat with a line-drive single into left-center, scoring Davern and Encarnacion to tie the game at 3-3.
 
Edwin Feliciano Jr. then hit a grounder to first, and a throw to second went into the outfield, allowing Arcelay to score from second and give Monroe a 4-3 lead. A groundout by Marquis Orozco to second then brought in Gonzalez to push Monroe's lead to 5-3.
 
After Bernal was hit by a pitch, Shadrach Meulens dropped a single into right-center, scoring Feliciano to make it a 6-3 ballgame. Napoleon followed with a bloop single into center, pushing Monroe's lead to four runs. Davern then singled down the right-field line, bringing in another two runs to make it a 9-3 game. Encarnacion then blasted one over the left-field fence for a two-run homer, capping off a 10-run inning that gave Monroe an 11-3 advantage.
 
Gonzalez opened the bottom of the fifth with a single to left. Feliciano then hit a grounder to second that was thrown into left field, putting runners on the corners for the Mustangs. After Feliciano stole second, Orozco ripped a double down the right-field line, scoring both runs to end the game via run-rule at 13-3.
 
Antonio Frias' four-game streak without allowing an earned run came to an end on Wednesday, but he still came through with a strong outing. He went the full five innings, giving up just two earned runs on three hits while striking out 10 batters to improve to 6-0 on the season. Morris starter Charles Betz took the loss to fall to 2-3.
 
Gonzalez batted 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Troy Davern matched Gonzalez with two RBIs and two runs scored of his own after hitting 2-for-2. Encarnacion finished 1-for-1 with a two-run homer, his third of the season, as well as two walks. Orozco knocked in three runs after hitting 1-for-3 with a walkoff double.
 
The Mustangs keep a busy week going on Thursday, May 3, when they visit Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, N.J. First pitch is set for 3:30 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).