GRAND JUNCTION, Colo., May 25, 2019 – Three lengthy games to open the 2019 Alpine Bank Junior College World Series forced the Monroe College Mustangs baseball team's opening game against Central Arizona College to start two and a half hours later than its originally scheduled start time. The Vaqueros were able to take an early advantage and held on to win, 12-4, in a game that concluded shortly before 1 a.m. in Grand Junction. The Mustangs fall into the loser's bracket and will now play New Mexico Junior College Sunday evening with both teams' lives on the line. The Vaqueros advance into the winner's bracket, which will continue on Monday.
 
The Vaqueros got the early jump on the Mustangs with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Liam Spence led off with a grounder to third that took a terrible hop, giving Spence a single. Clayton Keyes then doubled down the right-field line, bringing in Spence for the first run of the game. Later in the frame, Keyes managed to score on a wild pitch, leaving Central Arizona up, 2-0, after the first.
 
Brennan Reback started a rally for the Vaqueros with a one-out single in the second. Jake Meyer followed with a walk, and then Reback managed to steal third to put runners on the corners. Ian Raidy then hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing in Reback to make it a 3-0 game.
 
Ernny Ordonez led off the third for Central Arizona with what was originally ruled a ground out to short. After an argument from the Vaqueros' head coach, the umpires huddled to discuss the call and chose to rule that the first baseman's foot was off the bag, putting Ordonez on first. Zach Hogueisson then homered to right, putting the home team up, 5-0.
 
The Mustangs finally broke through in the top of the fourth. With two outs and Daniel Alfonzo on first after being hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, Iasid Bernal sent a double to deep center field, plating Alfonzo from first to get the Mustangs on the board. Neifi Mercedes then legged out a double on a grounder up the middle, bringing in Bernal to make it a 5-2 game. Adner Mercado immediately roped a double the other way to left-center, scoring Mercedes to bring the score to 5-3.
 
Josh Dudden led off the sixth for the Vaqueros with a single through the right side. With one away, a double by Jake Meyer plated Dudden to make it a 6-3 game. Raidy then singled past the first baseman, scoring Meyer to put the Vaqueros up, 7-3. After stealing second, Raidy took off for third on a throw back to the mound. The throw to third got past the third baseman, allowing Raidy to score and make it an 8-3 ballgame. Spence then drew a walk and Nathan Presbot came in to take over on the hill for Monroe. Keyes then hit a two-run homer to right, pushing Central Arizona's lead to 10-3.
 
The Mustangs got back on the board in the top of the seventh frame. With two outs, Joe Rosselli singled up the middle to keep the inning alive. Gustavo Gonzalez was then hit by a pitch, and Freddy Rojas Jr. followed with an RBI single up the middle, bringing in Rosselli to make it a 10-4 game.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, the Vaqueros managed to bring in two more runs on a pair of hits and an error, bringing the score to 12-4 and ending the game via run rule.
 
Dakota Donovan allowed four runs in seven frames while striking out 15 batters to earn the win for the Vaqueros, improving his season record to 6-3. July Sosa shouldered the loss for the Mustangs to drop to 6-3 overall.
 
Seven different Mustang hitters picked up a hit in Saturday's final game. Mercedes finished 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Bernal hit 1-for-4, matching Mercedes with a double, run and an RBI. Mercado also added an RBI double in a 1-for-3 effort, while Gonzalez finished 1-for-3 with Monroe's fourth double.
 
The Mustangs will now take on New Mexico Junior College in their first elimination game of the tournament on Sunday, May 26. New Mexico JC suffered a 20-12 defeat against Chattahoochee Valley Community College earlier on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MDT.
 
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).