MIDDLETOWN, N.Y., April 10, 2021 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team scored a total of 26 runs across a pair of victories at Orange County Community College on Saturday. The Mustangs won the opener, 14-4, before a 12-3 conquest in Game 2. The Mustangs improve to 16-2-1 overall with the wins, while the Colts drop to 2-2.
 
Game 1: Monroe 14, Orange 4 (5 INN)
The Mustangs opened the scoring right away in the top of the first in Saturday's opener. Leivin Rodriguez doubled to center with one away and later moved to third on a dropped third strike. Pedro Mota then singled him in to make it a quick 1-0 lead for Monroe.
 
Dante Paolucci led off the second with a walk, and then Jose Martinez blasted his third homer in just eight games, pushing the lead to 3-0.
 
Three straight singles in the bottom of the second got Orange on the board, and then a sacrifice fly added one more to make it a 3-2 game after two.
 
The Mustangs broke the game open in the top of the third and never looked back. Mota drew a walk with one out, and then Jared Paladino singled. Paolucci added another single to bring in Mota, and then Martinez made it three straight hits with another RBI single to push the lead to three. John Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Paolucci and make it a 6-2 game. Martinez then stole second and third, and then Daniel Palermo drew a walk to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch then brought in Martinez for a 7-2 lead. After Joan Sosa drew a walk, Rodriguez ripped another double, bringing in both runners to leave the Mustangs ahead, 9-2.
 
The lead grew again with a big rally in the top of the fourth. Paladino and Paolucci opened the frame with back-to-back singles. Garcia drew a one-out walk to load the bases, and then a fielder's choice by Palermo scored Paladino to push the lead to eight runs. Sosa followed with an RBI double to left to expand the score to 11-2. Rene Rios took advantage of a pinch-hit opportunity with a two-RBI double to left, giving the Mustangs an 11-run lead. He then scored on a single by Salix Felix to reach a score of 14-2.
 
Orange was able to add two runs in the bottom of the fifth frame, but it was not enough to keep the game going, resulting in a 14-4, run-rule final.
 
Roman Dorosh went the complete five frames for Monroe, allowing three earned runs with five strikeouts to improve to 4-0 on the season. Sal Mecca Jr. took the loss for Orange after giving up nine runs in 2.2 innings.
 
Nine different Mustangs scored at least one run in the Game 1 victory, while nine different Mustangs also had an RBI in the win. Martinez led the way in both categories with three RBIs and two runs after going 2-for-4 with a home run. Rodriguez doubled twice in a 2-for-3 outing, scoring once and knocking in two runs. Paladino hit 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a two-bagger. Paolucci went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI.
 
Game 2: Monroe 12, Orange 3
It was another quick start for the Mustangs in Game 2. Miguel Toribio led off the game with a single, and Felix hit a one-out double to put both runners in scoring position. Anthony Fontana then singled to left, bringing in both runners for an immediate 2-0 lead. Paladino followed with a double to left, bringing in Fontana to put the visitors ahead, 3-0.
 
The Mustangs had the bases loaded in the top of the second when Fontana drew a walk to score another run for Monroe.
 
Monroe had runners on the corners in the top of the third when Nathaniel Alvarez stole second. The throw to second got away, allowing Joshua Lopez to come home from third and push the lead to five. Two batters later, Toribio hit an RBI single to center, scoring Alvarez to make it a 6-0 game.
 
The Mustangs continued scoring in the top of the fourth after Felix found himself on third base. Richard Vasquez singled to left to bring him in, making it a seven-run ballgame.
 
Orange got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, but the Mustangs responded with two of their own in the top of the sixth. Felix hit a homer to deep center to make it 8-1, and later in the frame, Vasquez contributed an RBI triple to bring in Fontana for a 9-1 score.
 
The Mustangs struggled in the home half of the sixth, as a pair of walks and an error allowed a run to score. Chris Rahm later hit an RBI single for the Colts to bring the score to 9-3.
 
With one out in the top of the seventh, Kristopher Salinas singled, and then Toribio hit a double to get two runners on. Felix took advantage, blasting his second homer of the day, adding the final three runs of the game to make it a 12-3 final score.
 
Colm O'Shea allowed just one run in five frames while striking out seven batters to pick up his first win. Gabriel Lopez took the loss for the Colts.
 
Felix launched two home runs and finished 3-for-3 with four RBIs and four runs, adding a double as well in the win. Toribio went 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI, as well as a double. Vasquez hit 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs. Fontana knocked in three runs and scored twice himself after going 1-for-3 with a pair of walks.
 
Sunday's originally scheduled doubleheader at Mercer County Community College was pushed back to Monday, so the Mustangs will play next on April 12 in West Windsor, N.J. The afternoon doubleheader is set to begin at 2 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).