BEL AIR, Md., February 22, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team fell to the Harford Community College Fighting Owls, 8-7, in 10 innings on Friday at the Harford Varsity Baseball Field.
 
After the Mustangs left two on in the top of the first, Harford got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the frame. Lou Testa's double put runners on second and third with two outs, before a wild pitch brought the first run of the game home.
 
After two quick frames, Jose Martinez walked to lead off the top of the third. Gustavo Gonzalez followed with a single to put runners on the corners for Daniel Alfonzo, who tied the game at one with his RBI double. Joseph Encarnacion gave Monroe the lead with his sacrifice fly, and the Mustangs headed to the bottom of the third up 2-1.
 
The Mustangs added to their lead in the top of the fifth. With the Fighting Owls going to their bullpen, Monroe extended their lead to 4-1. With two on and nobody out, Freddy Rojas Jr. singled to load the bases for Encarnacion. A fielder's choice made it 3-1, before Adner Mercado made it 4-1 with an RBI single.
 
Harford cut into the Mustangs' lead in the bottom of the inning, as Nolan Charlton tripled and scored on a wild pitch. The Fighting Owls threatened again in the sixth, loading the bases with just one out, but July Sosa held Harford to just one run on Jimmy Nixon's fielder's choice, keeping the Mustangs out in front by a run.
 
Sosa pitched a quality start, allowing three runs on five hits over 6.0 innings pitched, but took a no-decision in the loss. Sosa struck out 10 batters, while walking just two.
 
With the Mustangs up by a run, Gonzalez led off the top of the seventh with a hit-by-pitch. A walk and another hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Monroe, before Encarnacion brought home the first run off the inning, drawing a walk off Marty Neal.
 
Alfonzo scored on a passed ball to make it 6-3, before Mercado's sacrifice fly extended the lead to four heading to the bottom of the seventh.
 
Patrick Morrissey pitched a scoreless seventh for the Mustangs, working around a trio of walks, and allowed just one run in the eight on a wild pitch, to send Monroe to the ninth up 7-4.
 
However, Harford loaded the bases, and although Jacknell Guzman was able to strike out the next two batters, a wild pitch made it 7-5 before Spencer Harbert tied the game at seven with a two-run double.
 
Guzman struck out Justin Brown to send the game to extras, but after the Mustangs went in order in the tenth, the Fighting Owls walked off on a passed ball to pick up the 8-7, extra-inning victory.
 
Guzman (0-2) took the loss for the Mustangs, who drop to 1-11 on the season, while Mike Taylor (3-0) earned the win for Harford, who moves to 4-3 with the win.
 
Alfonzo led the Mustangs at the plate going 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and an RBI, while Encarnacion tallied a team-high three RBIs, going 0-for-2 with two walks.
 
The Mustangs will look to bounce back when they wrap up their three-game set against the Fighting Owls on Saturday, Feb. 23 with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 29 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 nine varsity and junior varsity 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).