SUFFERN, N.Y., April 3, 2019 – Despite a big start to the game, the Monroe College Mustangs JV baseball team fell to Rockland Community College by a score of 20-10 Wednesday afternoon. The Mustangs fall to 3-10 overall, while the Hawks improve to 10-7.
 
With the warm weather came hot hitting, as the Mustangs teed off in the top of the first for their biggest inning of the season. Jonas Marte found himself on second base after an error by the third baseman to lead off the game. Javier Ortiz then singled on a bunt, and Carlos Aranda drew a walk to load the bases. Stanley David then knocked in all three runners on a single into left, quickly putting the Mustangs up, 3-0. Jaylen Kelley kept things going with a single, followed by a bunt single by Nick Simonenko to load the bases once again. Jordy Batista then hit a single to center, scoring David to make it a 4-0 game.
 
Jason DeJesus followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Kelley to push the lead to five. Bryant Perdomo then doubled to right, bringing in Simonenko for a six-run lead. Marte then hit a double of his own, bringing in Batista and Perdomo to put the Mustangs up by eight. Aranda drew a walk with two outs, and then a single by David scored Marte to leave the Mustangs up, 9-0, after a half inning.
 
The Hawks got a run back in their first at-bat of the day. With runners on the corners, Miles Kelly hit an RBI single into right, making it a 9-1 game.
 
The Mustangs quickly pushed their lead back to nine in the top of the second. Simonenko hit a solo homer over the wall in center field with one out, bringing the score to 10-1.
 
Kenneth Hoppe led off the bottom of the second with a double for the Hawks, and then Alex Perich singled him in to get Rockland back within eight. Two batters later, Joseph Ottaviano hit an RBI double to center for Rockland's third run of the day. With two outs, Raymond Pacella hit an RBI single to right, scoring Ottaviano to make it a 10-4 game. After a walk, Kelly singled to left, scoring Pacella to bring the score to 10-5 after two frames.
 
Michael Pavelchak came through for the Hawks in the third, hitting an RBI single with one out to plate Hoppe from second and get the home team within four. Later in the frame, with runners on first and third, Pacella hit a two-RBI double to left, bringing the Hawks all the way back within two runs.
 
The Hawks were aided by some miscues to take the lead in the home half of the fourth. Runs came in on a couple errors, as well as a bases-loaded walk and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, helping the Hawks score four runs to take a 12-10 lead.
 
The Hawks kept their momentum going in the bottom of the fifth, and put together their biggest inning of the game. They picked up eight runs, forcing the game to end via run-rule with a 20-10 final.
 
John Freeman picked up the win in relief for Rockland with 1.2 scoreless innings, improving to 3-0 on the year. Marcos Rodriguez took the loss for the Mustangs to drop to 0-2.
 
David finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a run scored for the Mustangs in Wednesday's contest. Simonenko went 2-for-3 with a homer, two runs and an RBI. Marte batted 1-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs. Perdomo hit 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run.
 
The Mustangs will look to bounce back quickly from Wednesday's defeat when they take on Nassau Community College on Thursday, April 4, in Garden City, N.Y. First pitch is scheduled for 4 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 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).