SEWELL, N.J., March 24, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team saw a six-game winning streak come to a halt on Sunday, as the Mustangs dropped both games of a doubleheader at Rowan College of Gloucester County. Monroe drops to 10-16 on the year with the losses, while the Roadrunners improve to 13-1.
 
GAME 1: ROWAN GLOUCESTER 4, MONROE 3
The Roadrunners took the early advantage in Game 1 when Lorenzo Morello scored on a passed ball with runners on the corners in the bottom of the first, putting the home team up, 1-0. The Mustangs then managed to tie things up in the top of the second when an error after a single by Freddy Rojas Jr. brought in Neifi Mercedes to make it a 1-1 game.
 
The Roadrunners took the lead right back in the home half of the second. Jose Correa hit an RBI double that brought in Dauri Genao, giving Rowan Gloucester a 2-1 edge. The Roadrunners then took a two-run lead in the third when Ryan Murphy brought in Jake Catalano with a sacrifice fly to right.
 
The Mustangs had two runners on in the top of the fourth for Jose Martinez, who capitalized with a single through the left side, scoring Rojas to get Monroe back within a run.
 
Martinez led off the seventh with a hit-by-pitch to reach base. Gustavo Gonzalez then sacrificed him over to second. Daniel Alfonzo beat out an infield single to put runners on the corners, and then a single by Iasid Bernal into left field brought Martinez home to tie the game at 3-3. An error then put two runners in scoring position for the Mustangs, but they were unable to take advantage, sending the game to the bottom of the seventh knotted up at 3-3.
 
Jack Billings pinch hit to lead off the seventh for Rowan Gloucester and came up with a single up the middle. Albert Munoz then pinch ran for him, and stole second with one out. Munoz then moved to third on a wild pitch. Correa followed with a single off the pitcher, bringing in Munoz to give the Roadrunners the walkoff win.
 
Brandon Backman took the loss in relief in Game 1 to fall to 3-2 on the year. Erick Duran earned the win for Rowan Gloucester with 3.1 innings in relief to improve to 1-1.
 
Martinez finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in Game 1. Mercedes went 1-for-4 with a run and a double. Rojas batted 1-for-2 and scored a run. Gonzalez hit 2-for-3, while Bernal went 1-for-1 with an RBI.
 
GAME 2: ROWAN GLOUCESTER 9, MONROE 3
The Roadrunners once again managed to grab the early advantage in Game 2. Ryan Murphy hit an RBI single in the bottom of the first, scoring Alex Gattinelli to make it a quick 1-0 game.
 
The Mustangs were able to get on the board in the top of the third. Manrique Mora led off with a walk, and was then sacrificed over to second by Martinez. Alfonzo drew a walk with two outs, and then Joseph Encarnacion singled into right, plating both Mora and Alfonzo to give Monroe a 2-1 lead.
 
Gattinelli hit a one-out double in the bottom of the third to get a rally going for Rowan Gloucester. He moved to third with two outs on a passed ball, and then a single by Anthony Angelino brought him in to tie the game at 2-2.
 
The Roadrunners rallied for four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead on the Mustangs. Catalano singled with two runners on to bring in a run and make it a 3-2 game. Gattinelli then hit a three-run homer to center, pushing the home team's lead to 6-2. Rowan Gloucester later added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 9-2 advantage.
 
Monroe was able to get one more run in the top of the seventh. Thomas Drouin pinch hit in the final frame and reached base on a bunt single. Chris Javier was then hit by a pitch in a pinch-hit attempt of his own. A passed ball moved both runners up, and then a wild pitch brought in Drouin to make it a 9-3 game, but that was all the Mustangs could score in the last stanza.
 
Gabriel Rodriguez fell to 0-2 on the season after taking the loss in Game 2. Joe Marino picked up the win in relief for the Roadrunners.
 
Encarnacion went 1-for-2 with the Mustangs' only two RBIs in the game. Alfonzo hit 1-for-2 and scored a run. Mora went 0-for-2 but also scored a run in the game.
 
The Mustangs will look to get back on track with a newly added game on Tuesday, March 26. Monroe will take on Rockland Community College at Dick Caswell Field Tuesday evening with first pitch scheduled for 7 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 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).