EDISON, N.J., March 23, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs JV baseball team dropped a pair of road contests at Middlesex County College on Saturday. The Mustangs fall to 2-7 overall, while the Blue Colts improve to 10-1.
 
GAME 1: MIDDLESEX COUNTY 12, MONROE JV 8
The Blue Colts got the early advantage on the Mustangs, taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after a couple miscues in the field by Monroe. The Mustangs then knotted things up at 2-2 in the top of the second when Adrian Rosario hit a two-RBI single to score Forrest Ruiz and Jason DeJesus.
 
The home team got the lead back in the bottom of the second on an RBI double by Chris Giordano that made it a 3-2 game. Samuel Abreu then smacked a two-run homer to center, pushing the Blue Colts' lead to 5-2.
 
The Mustangs chipped away at the deficit in the top of the third on an RBI single by Eddy Vicioso. Vicioso helped out again in the fifth with another RBI single to make it a one-run game. DeJesus and Rosario both drew bases-loaded walks later in the frame, pushing the Mustangs ahead, 6-5. The Mustangs then took advantage of a dropped fly ball in center that allowed Ruiz and DeJesus to score, giving the Mustangs an 8-5 edge.
 
The Blue Colts wasted no time closing the gap in the bottom of the fifth. Mike Izzo sent a three-run homer over the fence in left to tie the game up at 8-8. Later in the inning, Abreu roped a two-RBI single into left to give the Blue Colts a 10-8 lead. Bryan Fernandez later reached on an error that brought in one more run to make it an 11-8 game.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Nick Michaels and Nick Clemente executed a double steal with runners on the corners, scoring Clemente from third to give the Blue Colts a 12-8 advantage.
 
Pether Minier got the win in relief for the Blue Colts to improve to 1-0 on the year. Manielvic Diplan took the loss for Monroe despite allowing just three earned runs in 4.2 frames. Nick Estes picked up the save for Middlesex.
 
Vicioso went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored in Game 1. Javier Ortiz batted 3-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. DeJesus finished 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI. Ruiz scored twice in a 1-for-2 outing. Rosario knocked in three runs while going 1-for-3 in the game.
 
GAME 2: MIDDLESEX COUNTY 16, MONROE JV 7
Game 2 got away from the Mustangs early on. The Blue Colts picked up two runs in the bottom of the first, and then nine more in a big second inning to go up, 11-0. The home team added another run in the third, followed by three more in the fourth to take a 15-0 advantage.
 
The Mustangs got on the board in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Kevin Hernandez drew a walk to bring in Monroe's first run of the game. A wild pitch then brought in Nick Simonenko to make it a 15-2 ballgame.
 
The Blue Colts managed to bring in another run in the bottom of the sixth to go up, 16-2.
 
Monroe then put together another rally in the top of the seventh. Carlos Aranda hit a solo homer to left to get the scoring going in the inning. Simonenko later hit an RBI double to left, scoring Vicioso. Jonas Marte followed with a triple to right to bring in Simonenko. Hernandez then doubled to center to score Marte, and then an error on a grounder from Bryant Perdomo allowed Hernandez to score and make it a 16-7 game.
 
Miguel Ozoria shouldered the loss for Monroe in Game 2 to fall to 0-1. Daniel Gross got the win for the Blue Colts to improve to 1-1 on the year.
 
Hernandez went 1-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and a run. Marte finished 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a triple. Aranda hit 1-for-3 with a solo home run. Simonenko went 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI double.
 
The Mustangs will look to bounce back on Tuesday, March 26, when they host SUNY Sullivan at Dick Caswell Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4 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).