MARTINSVILLE, Va., February 10, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team picked up its first win of the season on Sunday in a doubleheader split with Patrick Henry Community College at a chilly Hooker Field. The Mustangs will head home with a 1-3 record, while the Patriots move to 3-4 overall.
 
GAME 1: #14 MONROE 7, PATRICK HENRY 5
Things got started on the right foot for the Mustangs on Sunday, as Freddy Rojas Jr. slammed a two-out solo home run, the first of his career as a Mustang, over the right-field fence to give Monroe a 1-0 edge in the top of the first.
 
After a couple scoreless innings, Patrick Henry strung together a rally in the bottom of the third. Connor Watt and Brandon Cleveland drew back-to-back walks with one away, and then Chandler Kelley stroked a double to left, scoring both runners to make it a 2-1 game in favor of the Patriots.
 
Cleveland led off the home half of the fifth with a double to left, and later stole third with one away. With two outs, Charlie Varriano singled into right field, plating Cleveland from third to give the home team a 3-1 edge after five.
 
Things turned around for Monroe in the sixth when Leandy Castro caught a break and reached first after a dropped third strike. Francisco Paulino then singled through the left side to get two runners on. With one out, Jorge Rivera ripped a double to center, scoring Castro to make it a one-run game. With two down, Neifi Mercedes roped a single up the middle, plating Rivera and Thomas Drouin to put the Mustangs up, 4-3. Mercedes was then able to come all the way around to score on an error by the center fielder on the play, leaving Monroe up, 5-3.
 
The Patriots quickly put two runners on in the bottom of the sixth, and both runners later moved into scoring position on a double steal. Tanner Moyers then doubled both runs in, tying the game at 5-5.
 
The Mustangs rebounded in the top of the seventh to regain the lead. Joe Rosselli led off with a walk, and then Castro was hit by a pitch. Jose Martinez pinch ran for Rosselli, and then Monroe executed the double steal to put both runners in scoring position. Iasid Bernal was then able to bring in Martinez with a sacrifice fly to right to put Monroe back up by a run. Castro then scored on a passed ball, making it a 7-5 Mustang lead, which they held on to in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Ricky Otero did not allow a hit and struck out two in a two-inning start. Nathan Presbot earned his first win with one-third of an inning of work in relief, while Jacknell Guzman picked up his first save after taking over with a runner on in the seventh, striking out two without allowing another base runner. Patrick Henry reliever Matt Henson suffered the loss in relief.
 
Rivera batted 1-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored and a double in the win. Rojas hit his first homer of the year and finished 1-for-2. Mercedes went 1-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Castro went 0-for-2, but he scored two runs and stole a base. Rojas, Rosselli and Martinez also stole one base apiece in the win.
 
GAME 2: PATRICK HENRY 7, #14 MONROE 6
The Mustangs put three runners on in the top of the first, but were unable to bring anybody home. That changed in the second when Jordy Batista walked with one away. Martinez then walked with two down, and Gustavo Gonzalez came through with a single to left, bringing in Batista to give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs got off to another strong start in the third when Rojas doubled to center. He moved up to third on a ground out by Adner Mercado, and quickly scored on an RBI double by Joseph Encarnacion to double the lead. Bernal then singled in Encarnacion to make it a 3-0 game. DJ Gatz caught a break and reached on a dropped third strike with two outs to keep the inning going and move Bernal all the way over to third. Martinez then doubled to left, bringing in both runners to push the lead to 5-0. Gonzalez then picked up his second RBI of the game with a double to center, scoring Martinez to leave Monroe up, 6-0.
 
It was the Patriots that caught a break of their own in the bottom of the third. With runners on first and second, the Patriots went for a double steal. The throw went into left field, allowing both runners to score and cut the deficit to 6-2.
 
The bottom of the fourth featured another lucky break for the home team similar to the third. With two runners on, a double steal saw the throw get past the third baseman, allowing a run to come in and make it a 6-3 game. Joseph Borrero later hit an RBI single, plating another run to get the Patriots within two.
 
The Patriots loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the fifth. Paul Wise then singled through the right side, bringing in Kelley to make it a 6-5 ballgame.
 
The score remained the same until the bottom of the seventh. Wise singled to center, and then Ryan Shavers singled into right to get two runners on. Chris Brady then laid down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners into scoring position with one away. Watt then delivered the final blow, a two-RBI single up the middle that gave the Patriots their second walk-off win of the four-game series.
 
Edinson Sanchez struck out three across two scoreless innings in his first start, but he did not factor into the decision. Rigo Tapia had a strong outing in relief, going two inning without allowing a run or a hit and striking out five batters. Widiel Soto shouldered the loss for Monroe to fall to 0-1. Moyers picked up the win in relief for the Patriots with four hitless frames.
 
Gonzalez finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a double in Game 2. Rojas batted 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Encarnacion went 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, as well as a double of his own. Martinez scored once and knocked in another run in a 1-for-2 outing that also included a double. Bernal hit 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI as well. Batista and Gatz each scored a run in the game.
 
The Mustangs will spend a day back in New Rochelle before heading out for a longer trip down south. The week begins in Eunice, La. on Wednesday, Feb. 13 for the Mustangs, when they challenge LSU-Eunice for a single game. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. EST. Monroe will then travel through Texas for five games against three different teams across the rest of the weekend.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 27 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
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).