SANBORN, N.Y., March 24, 2021 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team extended its winning streak to five games on Wednesday, picking up a pair of victories at Niagara County Community College to continue the team's extended road trip. The Mustangs won the opener, 9-5, before shutting out the Thunderwolves, 4-0, in the finale. Monroe stands at 7-1 on the early season with the wins, while the Thunderwolves fall to 3-3.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 9, Niagara County 5
The Mustangs were consistent with their scoring in Game 1, spreading their nine runs across five frames. Leivin Rodriguez walked with one away in the first, then Anthony Fontana hit a two-out single to put runners on the corners. Jared Paladino walked to load the bases, and then a passed ball allowed Rodriguez to score and give Monroe an early 1-0 edge.
 
Joan Sosa reached on an error with two away in the second to keep the inning alive. A failed pickoff then moved him to second, and an infield single by Rodriguez had runners on first and third. Salix Felix then tripled to left, bringing in both runners to give Monroe a 3-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, and then Chris Tani was hit by a pitch to bring in the Thunderwolves' first run of the game, cutting the deficit to two.
 
Richard Vasquez was on first with two outs in the third when Miguel Toribio singled into right and then got caught in a rundown, allowing Vasquez to come around and score and leave Monroe ahead, 4-1.
 
Monroe had two runners in scoring position in the top of the fourth when a wild pitch brought in John Garcia to push the lead to four. With runners on the corners, Felix grounded out to third, allowing Sosa to score and make it a 6-1 game. Paladino legged out an infield single to once again place runners on first and third, and then Dante Paolucci knocked in Rodriguez with a single to left to give the Mustangs a 7-1 advantage.
 
Niagara County loaded the bases without an out to start the home half of the fourth. Starter Vladimir Ceverino then go Cole Laskowski to ground into a double play, allowing the Thunderwolves to score their second run of the game, but helping him eventually escape without any more damage.
 
The next two innings were quiet before the Mustangs got back on the board in the top of the seventh and final frame. They had two runners in scoring position when Sosa brought in Toribio on a ground out to short to make it an 8-2 game. Rodriguez then hit a sacrifice fly to right, plating Garcia for Monroe's ninth run of the day.
 
The home team did not go down without a fight with their last licks in Game 1. With runners on first and third and one out, Cal Brazier brought in a run on a fielder's choice to make it a six-run ballgame. With two down and two on, Matt Ferris doubled to right to bring in two more runs and make it a 9-5 game, but the Mustangs were able to get the final out after that to wrap things up with a four-run victory.
 
Ceverino earned his second win of the year on Wednesday, allowing just two runs on three hits with five strikeouts across six frames. Liam Reynolds took the loss for the Thunderwolves after allowing four runs (two earned) in three innings of work.
 
Felix totaled three RBIs in a 1-for-5 effort that included a triple. Rodriguez scored three times after hitting 1-for-2 with an RBI and two walks. Paolucci hit 2-for-2 with two walks and an RBI. Garcia scored a pair of runs in a 1-for-3 outing.
 
GAME 2: Monroe 4, Niagara County 0
After all of their high-scoring efforts so far this season, the Mustangs came out on top in a pitcher's duel in Wednesday's second contest. The scoring opened up in the top of the third with the Mustangs putting together a two-out rally. With the bases clear, Sosa doubled to left to keep the inning alive. Rodriguez then singled into right to bring him in and give Monroe a 1-0 lead.
 
That was all the scoring until the Mustangs put together one final rally in the top of the seventh. Angel De La Cruz reached on a dropped pop up with one out, and then Nathaniel Alvarez doubled to right to get both runners into scoring position. Sosa was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and then Rodriguez singled into center to bring in two runs and push the lead to three. Felix then single to right to bring in one more run for the eventual final score of 4-0.
 
Olvis Genao was stellar in his first start of the year, going the complete seven frames and allowing just four hits with five strikeouts for the victory. Devaun Farnham was solid for the Thunderwolves, but suffered the loss after allowing just one run on three hits in six innings.
 
Rodriguez had two of Monroe's six hits in the win, finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Sosa scored twice after hitting 1-for-2 with a double. Alvarez hit a double in hit 1-for-3 effort, also scoring a run. Felix picked up one more RBI after hitting 1-for-4.
 
The Mustangs' upstate trip comes to an end on Thursday, March 25, when they visit Erie Community College in Buffalo, N.Y. Tomorrow's doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 36 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports program, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 17 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 Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).