GRAND JUNCTION, Colo., May 29, 2018 – Troy Davern and Francisco Justo powered the No. 20 Monroe College Mustangs to a 10-4 victory over the No. 8-ranked Jefferson College Vikings to stave off elimination and advance in the JUCO World Series on Tuesday at Sam Suplizio Field.
 
After a slow start against San Jacinto College North, it did not take long for the Mustangs to get on the board against the Vikings in game two. In the top of the first, Joseph Encarnacion drew a two-out walk before Shadrach Muelens reached on an error to put two-on with two-out for Troy Davern.
 
Davern shot the first pitch from Austin Hicks over the left field wall, his first home run of the season, clearing the bases and giving Monroe an early 3-0 lead.


 
Justo worked around baserunners in the bottom of the first and second, but after the Mustangs left two on in the top of the third, the Vikings got on the board in the bottom of the frame.
 
A walk and a hit-by-pitch put two-on for Nick Hagedorn, whose bloop single to left cut the lead to 3-2. Justo though, struck out Dalton Doyle swinging to end the inning and strand Hagedorn at second.
 
Iasid Bernal led off the top of the fourth with a walk, moving to second on Gustavo Gonzalez' sacrifice bunt. Joel Paulino's single put runners at the corners for Abner Vincenty, who got a run back with an RBI groundout, scoring Bernal and extending the Mustangs' lead to 4-2. Marquis Orozco followed with an RBI single, scoring Paulino from second to make it 5-2, but was caught on the base paths to end the fourth inning.
 
Justo set down the side for Jefferson College in the fourth, fifth and sixth, before the Mustangs got on the scoreboard once again in the seventh.
 
Orozco led off with a double, before Edwin Feliciano Jr. was hit by a pitch to put two on with nobody out. After Encarnacion fouled out, Muelens dropped in a single to left to load the bases for Davern. Davern hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Orozco from third, and extending Monroe's lead to 6-4.
 
Meanwhile, Justo continued to dominate on the mound, working 1-2-3 frames in the seventh and eighth as well to make it five-straight for the right-hander.
 
With one out in the top of the ninth, Encarnacion reached on a throwing error, and moved to third on Muelens' single. Davern followed, knocking in another run, this time with an RBI double, extending the Mustangs' lead to 7-2. Davern finished the day 3-for-4 with a double, home run, two runs scored and five RBI.
 
Bernal's RBI groundout made it 8-2, before Gonzalez reached on an error, scoring Davern to make it 9-2, and Paulino smacked a double to left center, scoring Gonzalez and giving the Mustangs' an eight-run lead heading to the ninth.
 
Jason Alvarez relieved Justo to begin the bottom of the ninth, and although he allowed a two-run double to cut the lead to 10-4, he struck out Andrew Colin to end the threat and give the Mustangs a 10-4 victory.
 
Justo (1-0) picked up the win, throwing eight innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits, walking two and striking out nine. For the Vikings, Hicks (0-1) took the loss, allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits over 5.1 innings pitched.
 
Muelens and Paulino also each tallied three hits for the Mustangs, with Muelens going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Paulino went 3-for-5 with a double, run scored and RBI.
 
With the win, the Mustangs (1-1) advance in the JUCO World Series loser's bracket and will take on the loser of Game 13 between Walters State and San Jacinto-North on Wednesday, May 30 at 3:00 p.m. in another elimination game.
 
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).