NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., April 23, 2019 – With a doubleheader sweep of Region XV rival ASA College on Tuesday at Dick Caswell Field, the Monroe College Mustangs baseball team claimed the 2019 Region XV Regular-Season Championship after clinching the season series against the Avengers. The Mustangs picked up a 6-2 win in Game 1 before defeating the Avengers, 5-3, in Game 2. The Mustangs improve to 20-20 on the year and 3-0 in Region XV play, while the Avengers drop to 7-13 and 0-3.
 
GAME 1: MONROE 6, ASA 2
After the first batter for the Mustangs batted out in the first, Monroe drew three straight walks to load the bases. Joseph Encarnacion then hit an RBI single through the left side, scoring Freddy Rojas Jr. to give the Mustangs a quick 1-0 lead.
 
The Avengers quickly tied the game in the bottom of the first. Jose Santana led off with a double down the first-base line, and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. A wild pitch then brought him in from third, tying the game at 1-1.
 
In the top of the second, Jose Martinez drew a one-out walk. Gustavo Gonzalez followed with a single up the middle, moving the speedy Martinez over to third. Rojas then dropped a fly ball down the left-field line, scoring Martinez to put the Mustangs on top, 2-1.
 
Jose Gil led off the bottom of the third for the Avengers with a triple to deep right. Rohandry Javier then reached on an error by the third baseman, bringing in Santana from third to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Gonzalez walked to lead off the fifth for Monroe. He then stole second to get into scoring position. Rojas then hit a hard grounder that got past the shortstop, allowing Gonzalez to come in from second and put the Mustangs back in the lead, 3-2. With runners on second and third, Encarnacion ripped a double into left field, plating both runs to give Monroe a 5-2 edge.
 
The Mustangs put runners on first and third with one away in the top of the ninth for Neifi Mercedes. He launched a high fly ball to deep left field that was caught near the fence, allowing Encarnacion to score from third and make it a 6-2 game.
 
July Sosa delivered a strong start against his former team in Game 1, tossing seven frames while allowing just two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 4-2 on the season. Nathan Presbot came on in relief, tossing two scoreless and hitless innings with four strikeouts to pick up his second save. Ashel Genao took the loss for ASA to fall to 1-2.
 
Encarnacion knocked in three runs and scored one more after going 2-for-4 with a double in the win. Rojas batted 1-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Mercedes finished 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with a run.
 
GAME 2: MONROE 5, ASA 3
The Mustangs got off to a quick start in Game 2, but needed to pull off a two-out rally to get on the board. Encarnacion kept the inning going with a walk, and then Iasid Bernal poked one just past the diving first baseman to put runners on the corners. Adner Mercado then ripped a single up the middle to bring in Encarnacion to score the first run of the day. Leandy Castro then reached on an error that brought in Bernal and left Monroe up, 2-0.
 
The Avengers had two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the second. A fly ball by Ezequiel Santana was dropped in center, allowing two runs to score to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Thomas Drouin hit a one-out single into right, and then Joe Rosselli singled through the right side to get two runners on in the fourth for the Mustangs. Gonzalez was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and a passed ball brought in Drouin to put the Mustangs ahead, 3-2. Rojas then hit a high fly ball between the second baseman and center fielder that was caught by the second baseman, but a collision allowed Rosselli to score from third on a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-2 game. Encarnacion then hit a single toward short, plating Gonzalez to push the lead to 5-2.
 
ASA got Jose Mejia Jr. on base with one out in the seventh. He then stole second and moved to third after a wild pitch. Santana then singled up the middle with two away, bringing in Mejia to make it a 5-3 game, but that was all the Avengers could score, as Santana was thrown out trying to steal second to end the game.
 
Backman had another great game for the Mustangs, going 6.1 innings and allowing just one earned run on one hit, matching his season-high of 13 strikeouts to improve to 6-2. Jacknell Guzman got the final two outs in the seventh to pick up his team-high fifth save. Mauricio Mendez took the loss for the Avengers to drop to 1-1.
 
Bernal went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Mustangs in the win. Encarnacion and Mercado each hit 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Encarnacion also scored a run. Drouin and Rosselli each batted 1-for-2 with a run scored.
 
The Mustangs and Avengers play twice more on Wednesday, April 24, at Dick Caswell Field. The doubleheader is set to begin at 3 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 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).