SELDEN, N.Y., April 7, 2021 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team had a rare tie with Suffolk County Community College on Wednesday out on Long Island. The two teams went back-and-forth for much of the game, but after completing nine innings with a 13-13 stalemate, the game was stopped due to darkness. The Mustangs move to 13-2-1 overall, while the Sharks go to 3-7-1.
 
The Mustangs got an early jump on the Sharks in the top of the first. Joan Sosa led off the game by being hit by a pitch. Leivin Rodriguez then singled to left, moving Sosa to third. With one out and the bases loaded later in the frame, Dante Paolucci brought Sosa in with a sacrifice fly to left, leaving the Mustangs with an early 1-0 edge.
 
Jared Paladino led off the fourth for the Mustangs with a single up the middle. Jose Martinez then blasted a two-run homer to left, pushing Monroe's lead to 3-0. With one out, Miguel Toribio singled to center, then Sosa drew a walk. Rodriguez followed with a single to short to load the bases. A balk then brought in Toribio to leave Monroe on top, 4-0.
 
The Sharks got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the fourth. Matthew Kanyuk led off with a single, then Nick LoMonaco drew a walk. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position, then Anthony Amato singled to short, scoring Kanyuk to make it a 4-1 score. Griffin Bell was then hit by a pitch, then Jake Giannico walked to bring in another run and get the Sharks within two. With the bases loaded, Chad Pike hit a bases-clearing double, putting the Sharks in the lead, 5-4. Alec Maag followed with a single into right, scoring Pike to leave the home team on top, 6-4.
 
LoMonaco led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk, and then Peter Montana singled into right. Amato sacrificed them into scoring position, and then Bell drew a walk to load the bases. Giannico then singled to left, scoring two runs to put the Sharks up, 8-4. With the bases loaded again, Maag reached on an error by the shortstop, bringing in two more runs to give the home team a 10-4 advantage.
 
Rodriguez reached on an error to start the sixth for Monroe, putting him on second. Salix Felix took advantage with an RBI single to center, plating Rodriguez to get the Mustangs back within five. Paolucci walked two batters later, and then Paladino hit a single up the middle, bringing in Felix to get within four. Martinez then doubled to left, scoring Paolucci to make it a three-run game, then John Garcia beat out an infield single that brought in Paladino to get Monroe back within two. Toribio then grounded out to first, but it was enough to bring in Martinez to leave the Mustangs trailing by just a run.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Sharks got a run back. After loading the bases with three straight singles, Bell grounded out to second, bringing in LoMonaco to push the lead back to two.
 
Martinez beat out an infield single with one out in the top of the eighth, and Toribio singled with two outs to put runners on the corners. A double steal worked out for Monroe, bringing in Martinez to get back within one.
 
The Sharks once again added to the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Amato singled with LoMonaco on second, bringing him in to make it a 12-10 ballgame heading to the ninth.
 
Rodriguez tripled to lead off the top of the ninth for the Mustangs, putting them in great shape to get back in the game. Felix wasted no time, bringing him in with a single to third to get Monroe back within a run without any outs. Two batters later, Paolucci put the Mustangs in the lead with one swing, launching a two-run homer to right to put Monroe ahead, 13-12.
 
The Mustangs were unfortunately unable to hang onto the lead for the final three outs. Giannico singled into left to lead off the inning, then moved up on a passed ball. William Martin then drew a walk, and a passed ball put both runners in scoring position. A wild pitch then brought in Giannico to tie the game, but Martin was thrown out at third on the same play for the first out. Pike struck out swinging, but Maag singled to keep the inning going. It did not last much longer, as Kanyuk also struck out, completing the ninth with a 13-13 tie. That is when it was decided the game was over, resulting in the draw.
 
Paolucci finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs, two runs and a two-run homer that gave the Mustangs the lead in the ninth. Rodriguez went 3-for-6 with two runs and a triple. Paladino also hit 3-for-6 with two runs and an RBI. Martinez hit 3-for-5 with three RBIs, three runs scored and a home run. Toribio went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Felix finished 2-for-5 with two runs batted in and two runs scored.
 
The Mustangs will look to start a new winning streak on Friday, April 9, when they kick off a long weekend with a nine-inning contest at Nassau Community College. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 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).