BOILING SPRINGS, S.C., May 4, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs softball team was eliminated from the Region X Championship Tournament on Saturday by USC Union by a score of 13-6 after nine innings. The Bantams took the lead in the top of the ninth before lightning forced the game to be called.
 
The Bantams got off to a quick start in the top of the first. After Hannah Johnson led off the game with a single, Grace Revels hit an RBI triple, bringing in the first run of the game to put USC Union up, 1-0. Two batters later, a ground out by Emilee Price brought in Revels to leave the Bantams on top, 2-0.
 
Megan Soto led off the bottom of the second with a single up the middle for the Mustangs. She was then sacrificed over to second by Macie Kuppenbender. With one out, Marissa Vanduzer singled into center, plating Soto to cut the deficit in half.
 
The Mustangs got the first two batters out in the top of the third, but Revels then hit a solo homer to left, improving the Bantams' lead to 3-1. After a pair of walks, the Mustangs attempted to pick off the runner at first. The runner on second then took off for third, where the throw went high, allowing Audrey Pope to score and make it a 4-1 game.
 
Kaylynn Lopez reached on an error by the shortstop with one out in the third. Samantha Mancillas and Anessa Quiroz then drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Soto grounded out to third, but it was deep enough to score Lopez and bring the score to 4-2.
 
Keira Matos was hit by a pitch to get things going in the bottom of the fifth. Lopez once again reached on an error to get two runners on with nobody out. Later in the inning, Quiroz reached on a fielder's choice that resulted in no other runners being thrown out, loading the bases with one away. Two batters later, Kuppenbender drew a walk, bringing in a run to get the Mustangs within one.
 
The Mustangs strung together their big rally in the bottom of the sixth. Vanduzer led off with a single up the middle, and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chantel Winstead. Abigail Cancilla then singled to put runners on first and third, and then Lopez grounded out to first, bringing in Vanduzer to tie the game. Two batters later with two runners on, Quiroz tripled to right, plating two runs to put the Mustangs on top, 6-4.
 
The Mustangs were one out away from clinching the win in the top of the seventh, but an error kept the inning going and left two runners on base. Pope then hit a two-RBI single, tying the game up at 6-6.
 
The score remained the same until the top of the ninth inning. Johnson hit a one-out single to get things going for the Bantams. Revels then reached base on a fielder's choice that did not result in an out. Pope then delivered the big blow, a three-run homer to center, putting the Bantams ahead, 9-6. Kiara Lee then hit a two-out double, and Sarah Wrennall knocked her in with an RBI single to make it a 10-6 game. Summer Clinton then singled through the left side, and Kyleigh Collins followed with an RBI single to center to put the Bantams up by five. Odum then added a two-RBI double to make it a 13-6 game.
 
Quiroz finished 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two RBIs in the game. Vanduzer also hit 2-for-4, knocking in a run and scoring another. Mancillas scored twice after hitting 1-for-4. Lopez batted 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Cancilla finished 1-for-2 with a run scored.
 
The Mustangs finish the season with a 24-16 overall mark. Monroe's .600 winning percentage is the program's best since going 23-14 in 2012, and the team's best percentage since moving up to NJCAA Div. I. The Mustangs' 24 wins are the most in Monroe single-season history, and a three-win improvement on the team's 2018 performance. The Mustangs also qualified for the Region X Championship Tournament for the second straight season, winning a game in the tournament for the second consecutive year as well.
                         
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).