MIDDLETOWN, N.Y., April 29, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs softball team closed out the regular season on the right foot on Monday, picking up a pair of wins on the road at SUNY Orange. The Mustangs won Game 1, 6-2, before picking up a 5-1 victory in the day's finale. The Mustangs close out the regular season with a 23-14 overall record, while Orange drops to 6-25 with the pair of losses.
 
GAME 1: MONROE 6, ORANGE 2
The Mustangs got things going in the top of the second in Game 1. Anessa Quiroz led off with a line-drive single to center. Alyssa Alfaro pinch ran for the Mustang catcher, and was then sacrificed over to second by Megan Soto. Macie Kuppenbender followed with an RBI double to left, plating Alfaro to give Monroe a 1-0 edge.
 
Monroe built upon its lead in the top of the fourth. Kuppenbender was on second with two outs when Marissa Vanduzer singled through the right side, plating Kuppenbender to double the Mustang lead. After a single by Chantel Winstead, Keira Matos singled to right, scoring Vanduzer to put the Mustangs on top, 3-0.
 
The lead grew once again for the Mustangs in the fifth. With two outs, Soto blasted a solo homer to center, pushing the lead to 4-0.
 
The Colts got themselves within striking distance in the bottom of the sixth. Sonnymarie Davoren reached on an error with one away, and then Cassidy Smith hit a home run to left, cutting the deficit in half.
 
The Mustangs were given some extra breathing room in the top of the seventh. Quiroz beat out an infield single with one away, and then Kuppenbender put a single into right field with two down. A dropped fly ball in right field then allowed both runners to score, leaving the Mustangs ahead, 6-2.
 
Kuppenbender went the complete seven innings, striking out nine while allowing just two hits and one earned run to improve to 20-11 on the season. Karlee Weeden took the loss for the Colts to drop to 4-14.
 
Kuppenbender helped herself out by going 3-for-4 at the dish, scoring twice and knocking in another run while adding a double in a strong game. Vanduzer batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run, while Quiroz scored once in a 2-for-4 effort. Soto batted 1-for-2 with a solo homer in the win. Stacy Hernandez finished 1-for-2, while Winstead and Matos both batted 1-for-4. Matos added an RBI and a stolen base in the game.
 
GAME 2: MONROE 5, ORANGE 1
The Mustangs once again managed to take an early lead in the top of the second in Game 2. Soto led off with a single, and was then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Quiroz. Baudy Alba moved her to third on a ground out to second, and then Hernandez brought her in with an RBI single to make it a 1-0 game.
 
The Mustangs had Kaylynn Lopez on first with two down in the third when Samantha Mancillas ripped a triple to deep center, bringing Lopez around to score and push Monroe's lead to two.
 
The Colts cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth. The bases were loaded for Orange when Brandi McNamara beat out a single to short, knocking in Victoria Crozier to get the Colts within a run at 2-1.
 
The score remained the same until the top of the sixth. Mancillas drew a walk to lead off the inning, and Quiroz beat out a bunt single with one away. Hernandez then continued a big game, smashing a triple to left with two outs to bring in both runners and put the Mustangs ahead by three. Vanduzer then knocked her in after reaching on an error, leaving Monroe on top, 5-1.
 
Kuppenbender will close out the regular season with a 21-11 record after tossing another complete game in Game 2. She allowed just one run with five strikeouts to pick up the win. Crozier took the loss for the Colts to fall to 2-11 on the year.
 
Hernandez batted 2-for-3 with three RBIs, a run and a triple in the Game 2 victory. Kuppenbender batted 3-for-4 with a triple, while Soto finished 2-for-4 with a run scored. Mancillas hit 1-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and a run. Quiroz and Lopez both scored a run apiece after going 1-for-3 and 1-for-4, respectively. Vanduzer finished Game 2 batting 1-for-3.
 
The Mustangs are now set to compete in the 2019 NJCAA Region X Tournament, hosted by Spartanburg Methodist College in Spartanburg, S.C. The double-elimination tournament will take place from Friday, May 3, through Sunday, May 5. No. 3-seed Monroe opens its weekend in South Carolina against No. 6 USC Sumter on Friday at 12 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).