BUFFALO, N.Y., March 25, 2021 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team concluded its Upstate New York trip on Thursday, splitting a doubleheader at Erie Community College. The Mustangs won Game 1, 5-3, to extend their winning streak to six games, but saw their run come to a halt with an 8-4 defeat in Game 2. The Mustangs head home with an 8-2 overall record on the early season.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 5, Erie 3
The Mustangs got the early advantage in Thursday's opening, starting with a one-out single by Leivin Rodriguez in the top of the first. Salix Felix followed with a single of his own, and a wild pitch moved both runners up. Anthony Fontana then hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing in Rodriguez for a 1-0 lead.
 
The runs came quickly again for the Mustangs in the top of the second. Jared Paladino led off with a double, then Richard Vasquez brought him in on a single to center to double the lead. Two batters later, Vasquez was able to score from third on a ground out by John Garcia, leaving Monroe up, 3-0.
 
The Kats fired back in the bottom of the third when Isaiah Salas hit a two-run homer, cutting the deficit down to a single run.
 
The Mustangs made sure to erase the Kats' runs in their next at-bats. Garcia drew a one-out walk, then Joan Sosa reached on an error. Rodriguez grounded out, but moved both runners into scoring position with two outs. A wild pitch then scored Garcia, and a double by Felix brought in Sosa to extend Monroe's lead to 5-2.
 
Arlain Sesin led off the fifth with a single for Erie, moving up to third on an error in centerfield. With one out, Salas came through again for the Kats with an RBI single to get the home team back within two runs, but that was it for the scoring, as the Mustangs held on for the 5-3 victory.
 
Making his second start of the season, Roman Dorosh had a solid outing to pick up the win and improve to 2-0. He allowed just two earned runs across six innings with three strikeouts. Erie starter Billy Quinn shouldered the loss after giving up five runs (three earned) in 3.2 frames. Nicholas Feretic came on to close for the Mustangs, striking out the side without a run for his first save of the season.
 
Felix continued a hot start to the season, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Vasquez hit 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Paladino scored a run after hitting 1-for-3 with a double. Garcia finished 0-for-2, but contributed with a run and an RBI.
 
GAME 2: Erie 8, Monroe 4
Game 2 could not have gotten off to a quicker start, as Paladino led off the game with a solo homer for an instant 1-0 lead for the Mustangs.
 
Erie played some small-ball in the bottom of the second to tie things up. Carter Arbuthnot led off the inning with a single, and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Mason Wright then singled him in to lock things up at 1-1.
 
Salas opened the home half of the third with a double for the Kats, followed by a single by Greg Hare to put runners on the corners. Arbuthnot then grounded into a double play, but it was enough to bring in Salas from third to put Erie on top for the first time, 2-1.
 
The Mustangs did not trail for long, erasing the deficit in their next time up. With one out, Pedro Mota drew a walk, and then Dante Paolucci doubled to put both runners in scoring position. Angel De La Cruz hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Mota to knot things up at two runs apiece.
 
Kristopher Salinas got things going in the fifth for Monroe with a one-out single. He then moved to second on a wild pitch, and then third on a passed ball. Paladino drew a walk, and then Rodriguez grounded out to third, which was enough to bring Salinas home and give the Mustangs a 3-2 lead.
 
Hare led off the home half of the fifth with a walk and promptly stole second. Arbuthnot was hit by a pitch, and Wright later reached on an error to load the bases. A wild pitch then scored Hare from third, tying the game at 3-3. With the bases loaded once again, Sesin reached on an error, allowing two runs to score and put the Kats back on top, 5-3.
 
The Mustangs took advantage of some help in the top of the sixth. De La Cruz walked to open the inning, but back-to-back fielder's choices had the Mustangs looking at two outs with a runner on first. Salinas then reached on an error to get two runners on and keep the inning going, and then Paladino singled in Nathaniel Alvarez to bring Monroe back within a run, but with two runners in scoring position, the Mustangs were unable to tie the game.
 
Hare hit a one-out single for the Kats. He stole second, and an error allowed him to move up to third. Arbuthnot then reached base on another error, bringing in Hare to give Erie a 6-4 advantage in the sixth. Colin Fryling followed with a single, and he and Arbuthnot moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Wright then singled in both runners to push the lead to the eventual final score of 8-4.
 
Richard Vasquez shouldered the loss in relief for the Mustangs, giving up one earned run in 1.1 innings of work, to fall to 0-1. Connor Desiderio got the win for the Kats in relief, while Salas got the save after moving from the field to the mound.
 
Paladino finished 2-for-2 with two RBIs, a run and his leadoff homer. Salinas hit 1-for-3 with a run scored. Rodriguez went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
 
The Mustangs' trip upstate has concluded and, as the schedule stands today, will not play until Thursday, April 1, when they return home for a newly scheduled doubleheader against ASA College at Dick Caswell Field. Next Thursday's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3:30 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).