NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 27, 2022 – For the first time this season, the Monroe College Mustangs softball team earned a doubleheader sweep, taking advantage of an offense that's clicking of late to defeat the Community College of Rhode Island twice on Sunday at Flowers Park. Monroe walked off in the opener to win, 14-13, before a walk-off, run-rule victory by a score of 11-3 in Game 2.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 14, CCRI 13
The Knights took advantage of what was given to them to grab an early lead in the first. With one out and a runner on second, a dropped pop up in the infield put a second runner on base. The bases were loaded when Samantha Marsella hit a fly ball to center that should have ended the inning, but instead it resulted in a sacrifice fly to put CCRI up, 1-0. Emily McNeil then doubled down the left-field line, leaving the Knights ahead by two.
 
The Mustangs wasted no time getting right back in the game. Mya Jack beat out a bunt to the pitcher to lead off the home half of the first, and then Navaeh Gaynor dropped a single into center. With both runners in scoring position and a pair of steals, Thanysha Gil doubled to left-center, plating both runners to tie the game at 2-2. Two batters later, Zoe Rivera hit a long fly ball over the left fielder, allowing her to sprint around the bases for a two-run homer, putting Monroe ahead, 4-2.
 
With two outs in the top of the second, Hanna Dias blooped a double just over the shortstop, and then moved to third on a passed ball. Jillian Serra then beat out an infield single to bring in Dias and make it a 4-3 ballgame.
 
The runs continued to come in during the bottom of the second. Genelly Cruz led off with a single to left that was misplayed, allowing her to take second. She later stole third, and then a sacrifice fly by Gaynor to center brought her in to make it a 5-3 lead for the Mustangs after two.
 
McNeil hit a home run to deep right field in the top of the third to get CCRI back within a run at 5-4.
 
Rivera struck again for the Mustangs in the bottom of the third. She slammed her second homer of the game with a line drive down the left-field line, just out of reach for the left fielder, to make it a 6-4 lead for Monroe.
 
The scoring streak continued once again in the top of the fourth. Courtney Hafey beat out a bunt toward third to lead off the frame, and then Emily Gil doubled to left-center, bringing Hafey all the way around from first to once again make it a one-run game at 6-5. The Knights kept things going with Dias reached on an error that put runners on the corners. After Dias stole second, Serra singled into center, but the ball was misplayed in the outfield, allowing Serra to get all the way to third and bring in both runners to put the visitors up, 7-6. Ashley Torres then doubled with a hard grounder down the left-field line, plating Serra to make it an 8-6 game. Marsella then reached on another error that brought in Torres to put the Knights up by three. With McNeil on second and two outs, Kiley Ferns reached on Monroe's fourth error of the inning, bringing in McNeil to make it a 10-6 game.
 
Jack beat out a bunt just in front of the catcher to lead off the home half of the fourth, and then quickly swiped second base. Gil brought her in with a single to left-center to make it a 10-7 game.
 
Miralba Sandez singled to right to lead off the bottom of the fifth, and then stole second. Camryn Brooks drew a walk to get two runners on. With one out, Genelly Cruz stroked a line drive into the right-center gap that kept rolling all the way to the fence for a three-run inside-the-park home run, tying the game at 10-10.
 
With two on and two out in the top of the sixth, Gil hit a long line drive to right-center for an inside-the-park three-run homer, putting CCRI back on top, 13-10.
 
Rivera reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Sandez then roped a hard line drive into the right-center gap for a two-run homer, getting Monroe back within a run at 13-12.
 
With two outs in the home half of the seventh, Gaynor and Gil hit back-to-back singles to keep the Mustangs alive. Leiloni Pina walked to load the bases, and then a wild pitch brought in Gaynor to tie the game. Immediately after, another wild pitch allowed Gil to score, giving the Mustangs a walk-off win in Game 1, 14-13.
 
Asia Gonzalez picked up the win after a scoreless, three-strikeout seventh frame to improve to 1-2 overall. Ryleigh Ruddock took the loss for CCRI to fall to 0-1.
 
Rivera finished 2-for-4 with two homers, three RBIs and three runs scored in the win. Gil hit 3-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and two runs, including the game-winning run. Gaynor batted 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Sandez homered, knocked in two runs and scored twice in a 2-for-4 effort. Cruz also homered after going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs. Jack scored twice after going 2-for-5. Brooks hit 1-for-3 with a run scored.
 
GAME 2: Monroe 11, CCRI 3 (6 INN)
Gil led off the bottom of the second with a walk, and then Cruz tried a sacrifice bunt, but the throw got away from the first baseman, resulting in runners on second and third for Monroe. Sandez then brought in Gil with a single into center to put Monroe in the lead. A double steal then allowed Cruz to score and push the lead to 2-0. With runners on second and third, a wild pitch brought Sandez home to make it a 3-0 Mustang advantage.
 
Brooks and Gaynor hit back-to-back singles to open the third for Monroe. Gil then blasted a three-run homer to the gap in right-center to push Monroe's lead to 6-0.
 
With two down in the bottom of the fourth, Zoe Rivera dropped a single in front of the left fielder, but it managed to get past the defender, allowing Zoe to advance all the way home and make it a 7-0 game.
 
With a runner on in the top of the fifth, Gil ripped one into the right-center gap for a two-run homer, bringing the score to 7-2.
 
The Knights put runners on first and second with two outs in the sixth. Abby Pinault then singled to right, bringing in Marsella from second to make it a 7-3 ballgame.
 
Angelina Perez drew a walk to lead off the sixth for the Mustangs, and then Rivera reached on an error with one away. Brooks followed with a single to right, on which both Perez and Rivera hustled to score and make it a 9-3 game. Gaynor followed with a single to right-center, advancing on the throw to put both runners in scoring position. Gil then roped a triple just past the right fielder, plating two more runs for another walk-off victory, this time via the run-rule, 11-3.
 
Gonzalez was terrific in the start, going all six innings with five strikeouts and just three runs allowed to earn his second win of the day and improve to 2-2. Marsella took the loss for the Knights to drop to 0-2.
 
Gil knocked in five runs and scored twice herself in a 2-for-3 effort that included a home run and a triple in Game 2. Brooks batted 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs, while Gaynor went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Rivera finished 1-for-4 with two runs scored. Sandez scored once and brought in another run after hitting 1-for-3. Jack hit 1-for-3 as well.
 
Having won three of their last four games, the Mustangs will look to take that momentum into the final doubleheader of their 10-game homestand on Wednesday, March 30, when they host Lackawanna College at Flowers Park. Game 1 is set to begin at 2:30 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