NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., May 1, 2019 – Wednesday's Region XV Championship Series opener proved to be one for the history books, as a brilliant performance by July Sosa lifted the Monroe College Mustangs baseball team to a 3-1 victory over ASA College at Dick Caswell Field, the 300th win of head coach Luis Melendez's tenure at the helm of the Mustangs baseball program. The win gives the Mustangs a 1-0 lead in the region championship series over the Avengers.
 
With the Mustangs' 24th win of the 2019 season, Melendez earned the 300th win of his 13-year tenure as head coach of the Mustangs baseball team. His career record runs to 300-244-3 as of Wednesday's win, which brings the Mustangs one-third of the way to Melendez's sixth Region XV Title.
 
Sosa turned in a terrific performance on the hill on Wednesday to help lead the Mustangs to victory. He tossed the complete nine innings, his longest outing of the season. Sosa proved he is not a one-trick pony in Wednesday's win, as the sophomore struck out six batters while consistently finding ways to get the Avengers out early in the count. He produced 11 ground outs and eight fly outs, both season highs. The win improved Sosa to 5-2 on the season.
 
A pitcher's duel brought Wednesday's contest to the sixth inning without a score. In the home half of the sixth, Gustavo Gonzalez broke up Alexis Saldana's no-hitter with a single through the left side. Freddy Rojas Jr. then moved Gonzalez to second with a slow ground out to the second baseman. Daniel Alfonzo followed with the biggest hit of the game to that point, a line drive to right that scored Gonzalez from second to break the scoreless tie and give Monroe a 1-0 lead.
 
Joseph Encarnacion ripped a ground-rule double to left-center to lead off the seventh. After a passed ball moved him to third, Iasid Bernal drew a walk to put runners on the corners. Neifi Mercedes then strategically dropped a bunt down the first-base line, which he was able to beat out, bringing in Encarnacion in the process to double the lead at 2-0. Thomas Drouin then stepped in for a pinch-hit opportunity. He bunted to the right of the pitcher's mound, where Rohandry Javier was even with the rubber. Javier picked up the ball, but decided to run toward home before turning and throwing toward first. The throw went into right field, allowing Bernal to come around and score to give Monroe a 3-0 advantage.
 
It was not until the top of the ninth that the Avengers found their way onto the scoreboard. Ernefi De Leon dropped a one-out single into right, and then Richard DiMartino beat out a slow roller to short to get two runners on. Jose Mejia Jr. then drew a walk to load the bases. Bryan Lopez grounded out to second, but it was enough to plate De Leon to make it a 3-1 game. Sosa then got Ezequiel Santana to ground out to third, clinching the victory for the Mustangs.
 
Saldana took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Mustangs, but Monroe managed to get to the Avengers' ace after that. He finished with seven innings pitch, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits to take the loss and fall to 3-2 on the season.
 
Gonzalez and Encarnacion both hit 1-for-3 with a run in the win, with Encarnacion's hit being a double. Mercedes batted 1-for-3 as well, knocking in a run with his tremendous bunt single in the seventh. Alfonzo went 1-for-4 with the RBI single that produced Monroe's first run of the day.
 
The Mustangs and Avengers will play Games 2 and 3 of the Region XV Championship Series on Thursday, May 2, at Dick Caswell Field. The doubleheader begins early in the morning, with first pitch set for 9 a.m. The Mustangs can close out the series with a doubleheader sweep on Thursday.
 
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).