SELDEN, N.Y., April 19, 2019 – Macie Kuppenbender dealt a pair of shutout victories on Friday, allowing just six hits in two games to lift the Monroe College Mustangs softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Suffolk County Community College. The Mustangs won both games via run-rule after the fifth inning with decisions of 10-0 and 13-0, respectively. Monroe improves to 19-12 overall with the wins, while Suffolk County's record evens at 10-10.
 
GAME 1: MONROE 10, SUFFOLK 0 (5 INNINGS)
The Mustangs rolled to victory in Game 1, getting things started with a first-inning rally. Chantel Winstead led off the game with a walk, and then quickly stole second base. Keira Matos reached on an error when laying down a sacrifice bunt, bringing Winstead home to make it a 1-0 lead for Monroe. Kaylynn Lopez beat out a bunt single to third, and then a double-steal attempt brought in Matos while Lopez was thrown out, making it a 2-0 game. Later in the inning, the Mustangs had runners on second and third for Macie Kuppenbender, who singled to left to score Samantha Mancillas to leave the Mustangs up, 3-0.
 
Marissa Vanduzer led off the fourth with a triple to center. Alyssa Alfaro then grounded out to short, bringing in Vanduzer to push Monroe's lead to four. Matos walked with two outs, and then Lopez doubled to put both runners in scoring position. Mancillas drew a walk to load the bases, and then Anessa Quiroz reached on an error that brought in Matos and Lopez to give the Mustangs a 6-0 advantage.
 
Megan Soto hit a single to center to kick off the fifth. Vanduzer then drew a walk, and Alfaro beat out a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Winstead then singled to left, bringing in Soto to go up by seven. Two batters later, Lopez hit a two-RBI double to make it a nine-run game. Mancillas then reached on an error, knocking in one more run to give the Mustangs a 10-0 edge, leading to a run-rule finish after five frames.
 
Kuppenbender went the complete five frames, striking out nine batters while allowing just five hits, no walks and no runs to improve to 16-9 on the year. Heather Cicinnati took the loss for Suffolk County to drop to 2-1.
 
Lopez went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs and a double in the win. Winstead batted 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Matos went 0-for-2, but scored two runs in the game. Vanduzer hit 1-for-2 with a triple and a run, while Alfaro knocked in a run and scored another while going 1-for-3.
 
GAME 2: MONROE 13, SUFFOLK 0 (5 INNINGS)
Winstead led off Game 2 with a single. She was then able to move all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt by Matos. With two outs, Mancillas blasted a two-run homer to center, leaving the Mustangs up, 2-0.
 
The first two batters of the second could not reach base for the Mustangs, but Vanduzer kept the inning going by being hit by a pitch. Alfaro then reached on an error attempting to bunt for a hit, allowing Vanduzer to come around and score and put the Mustangs ahead by three.
 
Lopez hit a one-out single in the third, and then Mancillas followed with a single of her own. With two outs, Kuppenbender drew a walk to load the bases, and then Soto singled to center, bringing in two runs to push the lead to 5-0.
 
The Mustangs had their big inning in the top of the fourth. A pair of errors and a single by Matos loaded the bases with nobody out. Lopez then hit an RBI single to go up by six. Mancillas followed with another RBI single to make it a 7-0 game, and then Quiroz added a third RBI single to make it an eight-run game. Kuppenbender then hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring in Monroe's ninth run. Soto hit an RBI double to push the lead to 10, and then a single by Vanduzer made it an 11-0 game. Yanessi Jusino hit a pinch-hit single, and then a passed ball brought in Vanduzer to make it a 12-0 game. Winstead then hit an RBI double to push Monroe's lead to 13-0, forcing another run-rule finish after five.
 
Kuppenbender was strong again in Game 2, allowing just one hit in five shutout frames with five strikeouts to improve her record to 17-9. Hannah Longboat took the loss for the Sharks to drop to 2-6.
 
Mancillas had a big Game 2 for the Mustangs, going 4-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored. Winstead had another excellent game, hitting 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Lopez went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Matos finished 2-for-3 with a run scored. Soto knocked in three runs and scored once herself after going 2-for-4 with a double. Vanduzer hit 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI.
 
The Mustangs' doubleheader scheduled for Saturday, April 20, was postponed due to expected inclement weather. The doubleheader has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 24. That doubleheader is now set to begin at 1 p.m.
                         
AB­OUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 30 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 11 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).