SCRANTON, Pa., March 27, 2019 – In what was the team's first set of away games this season, the Monroe College Mustangs softball team split a doubleheader at Lackawanna College Wednesday afternoon. Monroe picked up a 6-3 win in the opener, but dropped a 2-0 decision in Game 2. Monroe finishes the day at 11-10 overall, while the Falcons move to 14-7.
 
GAME 1: MONROE 6, LACKAWANNA 3
The Mustangs continued to flash the power they have boasted all season in the top of the first to take a quick lead on the Falcons. With two outs, Anessa Quiroz drew a walk, and then Samantha Mancillas blasted a two-run homer over the fence in center field to give Monroe a swift 2-0 advantage.
 
The Falcons rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the second. Gabrielle Vuocolo hit a solo homer to left to lead off the inning and cut the deficit in half. Mia Pawelski then reached on an error, and then Colleen Cwalina beat out an infield single. Alexandria Thoman followed with an RBI single to right, bringing in Pawelski to tie the game. Later in the frame, with one out and the bases loaded, Vanessa Wolf hit a fly ball to center, which was caught by Mancillas, who then threw out Thoman trying to tag up and score for an inning-ending double play.
 
The Mustangs regained the lead in the top of the sixth. Quiroz doubled to right, immediately putting a runner in scoring position. Lucy Rivera-Duval pinch ran for Quiroz, and was able to score on a single to left by Mancillas, putting the Mustangs up, 3-2.
 
Monroe gave itself a more comfortable lead in the top of the seventh. Stacy Hernandez led off with a single, and then Chantel Winstead singled with one out. Kaylynn Lopez smacked the Mustangs' third single of the inning to load the bases, and then Quiroz hit an RBI single up the middle to make it a 4-2 game. Mancillas continued a big game, doubled to center to plate Winstead and Lopez to put the Mustangs on top, 6-2.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Cwalina hit a one-out home run to left, making it a 6-3 ballgame with the Mustangs just two outs away from victory. Two more runners managed to reach base, but Macie Kuppenbender worked her way out of trouble to hang on for the three-run victory.
 
Kuppenbender improved to 10-6 on the season, earning the victory after allowing just two earned runs in seven frames while striking out four batters. Marlena Pegula took the loss for the Falcons to fall to 3-3.
 
Mancillas knocked in five runs and scored another herself, going 3-for-4 with her fourth homer of the year and a double. Quiroz continued her hot streak, going 3-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI. Winstead made her return to the lineup, going 2-for-4 with a run scored out of the leadoff spot. Hernandez went 1-for-3 and scored a run in the win.
 
GAME 2: LACKAWANNA 2, MONROE 0
All of the scoring in Game 2 came in the bottom of the first inning. Cwalina hit a two-run homer to right, scoring Courtney Hoffman to give the Falcons the only two runs of the game.
 
Kuppenbender pitched well once again, but took a hard-luck loss after giving up just two runs in six frames, falling to 10-7 on the year. Falcon starter Mia Pawelski improved to 5-0 on the year with the complete-game victory.
 
Keira Matos finished 2-for-2 for the Mustangs in Game 2. Kuppenbender batted 1-for-3 with a double. Quiroz hit 1-for-3, extending her hitting streak to 15 games. Winstead also went 1-for-3, which extends her current hitting streak to 10 games.
 
The Mustangs get back to work on Saturday, March 30, when they take a trip to Warwick, R.I. to take on Community College of Rhode Island in another road doubleheader. The day is set to begin at 2 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).