NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 10, 2022 – After falling in extra innings to Rockland Community College on Tuesday, the Monroe College Mustangs baseball team avenged Tuesday's defeat in emphatic fashion on Thursday, taking down the Hawks by a score of 10-2 via the run-rule after seven innings at Dick Caswell Field. The Mustangs improve to 5-12 with the win, while the Hawks fall to 5-3.
Much like Tuesday's matchup, the Hawks got the early jump on the Mustangs. Dan Tauken led off the top of the second with a single into right-center. With one out, Paul Brothers was hit by a pitch, and then Jaison Mock singled down the first-base line to load the bases. Anthony Nigro then hit a slow grounder to second, forcing
Andres Castro to go to first for the out and let Tauken score. Ryan Mogg then reached on an error with two outs, allowing Brothers to score and make it a 2-0 game, but Mock was then thrown out trying to score, ending the inning.
The Mustangs chipped away at the deficit in their next at-bat.
Dante Paolucci and
Salix Felix both walked to open the frame, and then
Jaison Andujar singled to right to load the bases. The Hawks then caught a break, as a slow chopper by
Luis Villalba was sent home by the pitcher and then over to first for a double play. The Mustangs got a break of their own, as a balk plated Felix from third to make it a 2-1 game, but the Mustangs were stymied from there to keep Rockland on top.
Monroe jumped ahead in the bottom of the third.
Luis Tejada and
Miguel Toribio drew walks to start the inning, but Tejada was picked off at second for the first out.
Nathaniel Alvarez made it three straight walks, and then
Andres Castro roped a double into the right-center gap, bringing in both runners to make it a 3-2 lead for the Mustangs. With two outs, Felix hit a long fly ball to right that was dropped by the right fielder, bringing in Castro and leaving Felix on third to make it a 4-2 ballgame.
Monroe added to the lead in the fifth. Alvarez opened with a walk, stole second base, and then moved to third when the throw to second got away. Castro then brought him in with a sacrifice fly to left, making it a 5-2 score. Paolucci walked, Felix was hit by a pitch, and then Andujar walked as well to load the bases with just one out. Villalba also walked, plating Paolucci to make it a 6-2 game. Crespo then hit a grounder to third, which the third baseman took to third for the second out of the inning, but then threw away trying to turn the double play, allowing two runs to score on the play and make it an 8-2 game. Crespo then scored from third on a passed ball to leave Monroe up, 9-2.
Needing just one run to put the game away in the bottom of the seventh, the Mustangs did just that with just three batters in the frame. Andujar led off with a double down the left-field line, and then Villalba beat out a single down the line toward first to put runners on the corners. Crespo then hit a long fly ball to right that was dropped, but would have been deep enough to bring in Andujar from third anyway, ending the game with a 10-2 final.
Roman Dorosh went the complete seven frames for Monroe with five strikeouts and just four hits and one earned run allowed to improve to 1-2 on the season. Rockland's Anthony Antonello took the loss after yielding four runs (three earned) across three-plus frames.
Castro knocked in three runs in a 1-for-3 outing, scoring once as well and hitting a double. Crespo brought in two runs despite hitting 0-for-3, scoring once as well. Andujar batted 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Villalba finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Toribio went 2-for-3 with a run. The Mustangs drew 11 walks in the win, as well as a hit-by-pitch.
With Saturday's doubleheader at Scotland Campus canceled, the Mustangs will play next on Saturday, March 19, when they are set to host Scotland Campus in a doubleheader at Dick Caswell Field. First pitch of Game 1 is set for 1 p.m.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 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 and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 14 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).
