MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., March 15, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs softball team finished off its trip to the Ripken Experience in grand fashion, sweeping a doubleheader against Spartanburg Methodist College (SMC) on Friday to cap off its 11-game scheduled in Myrtle Beach. The Mustangs won Game 1, 7-1, before picking up a 10-5 win in the finale. Monroe comes home with a 5-6 overall record, while the Pioneers drop to 7-13.
 
GAME 1: MONROE 7, SPARTANBURG METHODIST 1
The bats were silent for both sides until the bottom of the third. Abigail Cancilla led off with a single for the Mustangs, and was sacrificed over to second by Anessa Quiroz. Chantel Winstead walked, and then Marissa Vanduzer reached on a walk herself with two outs. With the bases now loaded, Samantha Mancillas blasted a grand slam to left, lifting the Mustangs to a 4-0 advantage with one swing.
 
Megan Soto and Baudy Alba hit back-to-back singles to start the home half of the fourth. Cancilla then reached on a fielder's choice that resulted in nobody being thrown out, loading the bases once again. With two outs, a passed ball on strike three allowed Kaylynn Lopez to reach safely and Alba to score, making it a 5-0 game.
 
Macie Kuppenbender reached on an error with one away in the fifth. Soto then doubled to left, bringing in Monroe's sixth run of the game.
 
The Pioneers got one back in the sixth after Kristen Gass led off with a walk and followed that up by stealing second. She moved up to third on a fly out to left, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Hannah Cannon, getting the Pioneers back within five.
 
The Mustangs pushed the lead back to six in the bottom of the sixth. Quiroz singled to short, and then Alyssa Alfaro pinch ran for her. Alfaro moved all the way to third on an error by the catcher, and then scored on a ground out by Winstead, making it a 7-1 ballgame.
 
Kuppenbender improved to 3-4 overall with the win, allowing just one run and two hits in seven frames. SMC starter Lindsay Jordahl took the loss to fall to 2-4.
 
Mancillas finished 1-for-2 with a grand slam in the win. Soto batted 2-for-3 with an RBI double. Winstead, Alba and Cancilla all went 1-for-3 with a run, while Winstead also had an RBI. Quiroz went 1-for-2.
 
GAME 2: MONROE 10, SPARTANBURG METHODIST 5
The Mustangs took off running in the top of the second in Game 2. Soto doubled to lead off the inning, then Alba singled her in to give Monroe the lead, but she was thrown out trying to take second. Cancilla, Quiroz and Winstead hit three straight singles, the third knocking in another run to make it a 2-0 game. Lopez then reached on an error, plating Alfaro, who pinch ran for Quiroz, to take a 3-0 lead. A passed ball brought in Winstead from third, and then an error on a double steal plated Lopez to leave the Mustangs up, 5-0.
 
Monroe continued to lay it on in the third. The Mustangs loaded the bases with one away, setting up Winstead for a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Alba to make it a six-run game. Lopez then singled to center, scoring Cancilla to put the Mustangs up by seven.
 
Jessica Stanley led off the bottom of the third with a single for the Pioneers, and then stole second base. She moved to third on a ground out, then scored on another ground out by Lauren Reed, cutting Monroe's lead down to six.
 
Three straight walks loaded the bases for Monroe to start the fourth. Soto was then hit by a pitch, bringing in Yanessi Jusino to push the lead to 8-1. Two batters later, Alexis Cruz drew a bases-loaded walk, making it a 9-1 ballgame.
 
McKinley Johnson drew a one-out walk for the Pioneers in the bottom of the fourth. Rachel Shell then came on to pinch hit, and came through with an RBI triple to make it a 9-2 game.
 
The Pioneers continued to chip away in the bottom of the fifth, starting with a single by Lauren Reed with one out. Cannon then tripled to score Reed, and Desiree Santos hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate Cannon and make it a five-run game.
 
The Mustangs gave themselves a little more wiggle room in the top of the seventh. Lopez and Mancillas both singled, then Kuppenbender hit a double to left, scoring Lopez to make it a 10-4 game.
 
Cannon hit a two-out single for the Pioneers in the bottom of the seventh to keep the game going. Santos then tripled her in to make it a five-run game, but that was as close as the Pioneers could get.
 
Kuppenbender evened her record at 4-4 with the win, tossing the complete seven innings once again. Alexis McCormick took the loss for SMC to fall to 0-1.
 
Lopez batted 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Kuppenbender and Soto each hit 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, with Soto also scoring a run. Quiroz matched all three of them by also hitting 2-for-4. Alba went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Mancillas hit 1-for-3 with a run and a stolen base. Winstead knocked in two runs and scored another after hitting 1-for-2. Cancilla finished 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
 
The Mustangs will return home having won five of their last six games. They will play next on Wednesday, March 20, when they host SUNY Orange at the Flowers Park Softball Field in New Rochelle. Game 1 of the doubleheader is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
 
AB­OUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 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 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).