NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 20, 2022 – The Monroe College Mustangs softball team got its first win at home this season on Sunday in a doubleheader split with Harford Community College at Flowers Park. The Mustangs won Game 1, 16-8, with a run-rule stoppage in the fifth inning, but fell to the Fighting Owls in Game 2, 16-10.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 16, Harford 8 (5 INN)
Miralba Sandez powered the Mustangs into the lead in the bottom of the second in Game 1. After a leadoff single by Leiloni Pina, Sandez launched a long fly ball over the center fielder, allowing her to touch them all for a two-run homer that put Monroe up, 2-0.
 
The Fighting Owls got right back in it in the top of the third. Emily Curry kept the inning alive with a two-out single up the middle. Kaitlyn Delaney then reached on an error, putting runners on second and third. Lena Wondolowski drew a walk to load the bases, and then Brooke Nall dropped a double down the left-field line to bring in two runs and tie the game at 2-2.
 
The Mustangs had a two-out rally of their own in the home half of the third. Thanysha Gil kept the inning going with a double into left. Pina then hit a long line drive to center, dropping it in for an RBI triple to put Monroe back on top, 3-2. Angelina Perez then singled into center, plating Pina to make it a 4-2 game. Sandez followed with a single through the left side, and then Genelly Cruz singled to center to bring in Perez and make it a 5-2 score. Navaeh Gaynor hit another single up the middle, scoring Sandez before an error by the catcher throwing to third allowed the runners to advance again, bringing Cruz home to extend Monroe's lead to 7-2.
 
The trend continued in the top of the fourth, with Harford once again getting things going with two outs. Jess Bouthet singled to right to keep things moving, and then Curry drew a walk. Delaney hit an RBI single to right, scoring Bouthet to bring the score to 7-3.
 
Zoe Rivera led off the fourth with a triple to deep center for the Mustangs. With one out, Thanysha Gil launched a long fly ball to left-center, long enough for an inside-the-park home run, pushing Monroe's lead to 9-3. Pina and Perez hit two more singles to put runners on the corners, and then Sandez reached on a bunt single, but Pina was unable to advance home on the play, loading the bases. Cruz followed with a single into right-center, plating two runs to make it an 11-3 ballgame. With two outs and the bases loaded, Rivera beat out a slow roller to second, bringing Cruz home to make it a 12-3 game.
 
The Fighting Owls looked to keep the game going in the top of the fifth. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Paige Clark dropped a single into right field, bringing in a run to make it a 12-4 score. Mackenzie Burton followed with a grounder to third, but Sandez got the runner out at the plate for the first out. Bouthet then hit a high pop up to short center that dropped in front of Jack, but with the runners holding, Jack was able to throw the runner at third out at home for the second out. Curry then delivered the big blow of the inning for Harford, blasting a grand slam to left-center to make it a 12-8 ballgame, ending the Mustangs' chance to end the game via the run-rule for the time being.
 
The Mustangs continued to hit in the fifth, beginning with a single for Gil to lead off the frame. Pina then doubled just inside the third-base bag to get two runners in scoring position. Asia Gonzalez then grounded out to short, but brought in Gil to put Monroe up, 13-8. Sandez then ripped a single into right, scoring Pina to put Monroe up by six at 14-8. Cruz followed with a single and advanced on the throw trying to get Sandez at third, putting both runners in scoring position. Gaynor then tried to sacrifice bunt, but the throw got away, allowing both runners to score and make it a 16-8 game, forcing a run-rule finish.
 
Perez got the win with four innings of work to improve to 2-1 on the season. Burton took the loss for the Fighting Owls to fall to 3-3.
 
Sandez finished 4-for-4 with three RBIs, three runs and a home run in the win. Pina also hit 4-for-4 with a triple, a double, four runs and an RBI. Gil went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, three runs, a homer and a double. Cruz batted 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Perez scored twice and knocked in a run in a 2-for-2 outing. Gaynor brought in two runs in a 3-for-3 outing. Rivera went 2-for-4 with a triple, a run and an RBI. Jack batted 2-for-5 out of the leadoff spot.
 
GAME 2: Harford 16, Monroe 10
The Fighting Owls got the early jump on the Mustangs in the top of the first in Game 2. Curry hit a one-out single, and then Wondolowski hit a two-out homer to right-center to make it a quick 2-0 lead for the visitors.
 
Harford added to its lead in the third. Burton beat out a bunt single to lead off the frame, and then Bouthet homered to left-center to make it a 4-0 game.
 
The bats woke up for the Mustangs with two outs in the bottom of the third. Jack was hit by a pitch to keep the inning going, and then Rivera beat out a grounder to short that allowed Jack to get to third and put runners on the corners. Gil came through with a single into left, scoring Jack to make it a 4-1 game. Pina then hit a line-drive single to center, scoring Rivera from second to cut the deficit in half at 4-2.
 
Harford fired back in the top of the fourth to add to its lead. The Fighting Owls had runners on first and third when a fielder's choice on a grounder to short by Bouthet brought in Alyssa McLaughlin to make it a 5-2 game. Curry then singled up the middle, and an error in the outfield allowed Bouthet to score and make it a 6-2 score. Delaney then singled into right to bring in Curry and leave Harford up, 7-2.
 
The Mustangs put together a big rally in the fourth to get themselves back in the game. Sandez led off with a single into left, and then Shania Thomas reached on an error. Nickoya Lindo walked to load the bases, and then Gaynor knocked in the first run with a single into right to get Monroe within four. Jack hit into a fielder's choice, but Thomas was able to score to cut the deficit to three. With runners on second and third, Rivera hit a sacrifice fly to left, plating Lindo to make it a two-run game. Jack then stole third, and the throw got into the outfield, allowing her to score and make it a 7-6 game. Gil kept things going with a walk, and then Pina ripped a double down the left-field line, bringing Gil around to score from first to tie the game at 7-7.
 
The Fighting Owls loaded the bases with one out in the fifth. Burton drew a walk to bring in Nall and put Harford back up, 8-7. Bouthet then doubled into left to bring in two and make it a 10-7 game. Curry followed with another double into left, plating two more runs to push the score to 12-7. With two outs, Wondolowski doubled to left-center, bringing Curry home to give Harford a 13-7 advantage.
 
The Mustangs kept fighting back in the bottom of the fifth. Sandez walked to lead off the inning, and then Thomas singled through the left side. Lindo grounded out to the pitcher, but she moved both runners into scoring position. Gaynor took advantage with a two-RBI single up the middle, cutting the deficit to 13-9.
 
The Mustangs got back on the board in the home half of the sixth. Cruz reached on an error on a hard grounder off the first baseman to keep the inning going with two outs. Sandez then reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, allowing her to advance all the way to third and bring in Cruz to make it a 13-10 game.
 
The Fighting Owls erased that run in the top of the seventh. With one out Wondolowski homered to deep center, making it a 14-10 ballgame. Later in the frame with runners on second and third and two down, McLaughlin doubled to left-center, scoring two more runs to bring the score to 16-10.
 
Hilda Sanchez shouldered the loss for the Mustangs in relief in Game 2, falling to 0-6 on the season. McLaughlin went all seven for the Fighting Owls to pick up the win and improve to 2-3.
 
Gaynor had a strong Game 2, hitting 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Pina went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double. Sandez scored twice after hitting 1-for-3, while Thomas hit 1-for-4 with two runs. Gil scored once and knocked in another run after going 1-for-2. Rivera batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.
 
The Mustangs are back in action next Sunday, March 27, when they host Community College of Rhode Island at Flowers Park. 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). Read Full Article