NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 24, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs softball team wrapped up an eight-game home stand on Sunday with a doubleheader against Rowan College of Gloucester County, splitting the games with the Roadrunners at Flowers Park. The visitors picked up a 6-4 win in Game 1 before Monroe earned a walkoff 7-6 victory in Game 2. The Mustangs move to 10-9 overall while the Roadrunners go to 7-7.
 
GAME 1: ROWAN GLOUCESTER 6, MONROE 4
The Mustangs got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the third in Game 1. Kaylynn Lopez led off with an infield single to short. Anessa Quiroz then sent a long fly ball over the center fielder for an RBI triple, scoring Lopez to give the Mustangs a 1-0 edge. Megan Soto then hit a two-out fly ball to left that was dropped by the left fielder, allowing Quiroz to score and make it a 2-0 game. Baudy Alba then hit a line-drive single to right, scoring Soto to put the Mustangs up, 3-0.
 
Jackie Lesher reached on an error to lead off the top of the fourth for the Roadrunners. Macenzie Long then singled to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch brought in Lesher from third to make it a two-run game. Mackenzie Ponto then blasted a long fly ball to deep center for a two-run inside-the-park home run to tie the game. Later with a runner on second and two outs, an error at third allowed Kelsee Murphy to score and leave the Roadrunners on top, 4-3.
 
The Roadrunners added to their lead in the top of the fifth. Lesher dropped a blooper down the right-field line that she turned into a triple, and then a ground out by Long brought her in from third, making it a 5-3 ballgame.
 
Christina Wilgus hit a one-out single up the middle in the sixth for the Roadrunners, and then stole second base to get into scoring position. Miranda Booras then singled up the middle, scoring Wilgus to give Rowan Gloucester a 6-3 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the seventh with one down, Quiroz slammed her seventh home run of the week, a long fly ball into the left-center field gap that made it a 6-4 game, but that was as close as the Mustangs got in the final frame.
 
Lesher picked up the win for Rowan Gloucester in Game 1 to improve to 5-2 on the year.  Macie Kuppenbender shouldered the loss for the Mustangs, dropping her record to 8-6.
 
Quiroz finished 2-for-2 with two RBIs, two runs, a triple and a home run in Sunday's opener. Alda batted 1-for-2 with an RBI. Lopez and Keira Matos both went 1-for-4 with Lopez also scoring a run. Abigail Cancilla finished 1-for-3.
 
GAME 2: MONROE 7, ROWAN GLOUCESTER 6
The Roadrunners took the early advantage in Game 2, getting on the board in the top of the second when Lesher hit a solo inside-the-park home run to right-center to make it a 1-0 game. Mackenzie Freas did the same in the third inning to give the visitors a 2-0 edge.
 
The Mustangs followed the trend in the bottom of the fifth. Stacy Hernandez sent a long fly ball into the gap in right-center, allowing her to sprint around the bases for a solo homer of her own to cut the deficit in half.
 
The Mustangs then made a big push in the bottom of the sixth. Matos led off the frame by legging out a grounder to third for a hit. She then took second on a wild pitch. Quiroz was hit by a pitch, and then Soto singled to left, scoring Matos to tie the game. Samantha Mancillas followed with a single through the left side to load the bases. Lesher then came back in to pitch for the Roadrunners, but her first pitch hit Alba to bring in a run and put the Mustangs ahead, 3-2. Cancilla then hit into a fielder's choice, but managed to bring in Soto from third to give Monroe a two-run lead. Two batters later, Marissa Vanduzer lined a single into left, scoring Alba to make it a 5-2 ballgame.
 
The Roadrunners refused to go down easy in Sunday's finale. Freas led off the seventh with a single, and was soon knocked in on a triple by Lesher to make it a two-run game. Long then reached on an error to get two runners on for Rowan Gloucester. With two outs, Olivia Farina then blasted a three-run inside-the-park homer to left, putting the Roadrunners on top, 6-5, heading to the bottom of the seventh.
 
With one out, Quiroz was once again hit by a pitch to put the tying run on base. Soto was then put out when the catcher made a leaping catch to snag the ball before it landed in the Roadrunners' dugout, leaving the Mustangs down to their final out. Mancillas then hit a long fly ball to right that the right fielder was unable to handle, and Mancillas hustled around the bases, coming all the way home to bring in two runs and walk it off for the Mustangs.
 
Vanduzer went 2-for-2 after subbing in later in Sunday's finale, knocking in a run in the win. Hernandez batted 1-for-3 with a solo homer, her third of the year. Alba went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run. Quiroz finished 1-for-1 with a run while being hit by a pitch three times in the game. Matos, Soto and Mancillas all went 1-for-4 with a run, while Soto also had an RBI. Cancilla knocked in a run in a 1-for-3 outing.
 
After eight straight games at home, the Mustangs get back on the road on Wednesday, March 27, when they visit Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa. Game 1 of the doubleheader is set to begin at 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).