NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., April 1, 2022 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team had the bounce-back game it had been looking for on Friday, getting a strong start from Grant Goodlad while the offense had a big day to defeat ASA College (NYC) in the Region 15 opener at Dick Caswell Field, 11-1, after five innings. The Mustangs get the win to kick off the weekend's five-game series, which continues with a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.
 
Though he had plenty of support, Goodlad did not need much of it, as he held the Avengers to just one run across the complete five frames to pick up his first victory of the season. He struck out five batters while allowing just three hits in the winning effort.
 
The Mustangs had two down in the bottom of the second for Kristopher Salinas, but the second baseman kept the inning alive with a single up the middle. Luis Villalba then dropped a double just short of the fence in left field, allowing Salinas to score all the way from first for the first run of the day. Nathaniel Alvarez followed with a double down the left-field line, plating Villalba to leave Monroe on top, 2-0.
 
Monroe struck again in the third. With one out, Salix Felix reached on an error on the pitcher that allowed him to advance all the way to third. It did not matter what base he ended up on, because Dante Paolucci followed with a triple into the left-center gap to bring in Felix and make it a 3-0 game. Andres Castro then flew out to right, long enough to bring Paolucci home on a sacrifice fly to give Monroe a 4-0 advantage.
 
ASA loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the fourth. Johan Sandoval drew a walk, bringing in the Avengers first run of the day, still without an out. Goodlad bounced back by striking out Miguel Garcia, and then he got Elquin Rodriguez to ground into a double play, ending the inning with just one run coming in.
 
Salinas led off the fourth with another single up the middle. Villalba walked, and then both runners advanced when Salinas stole third and the throw toward the bag hit the batter, allowing Villalba to take second. Alvarez then reached on an error by the shortstop, bringing in Salinas to make it a 5-1 game. A wild pitch then plated Villalba from third to bring Monroe's lead to 6-1. After Pedro Crespo was hit by a pitch, another wild pitch allowed Alvarez to score from third and put Monroe up by six. Miguel Toribio drew a walk, and then Felix doubled down the line in left to bring in two and bring the score to 9-1.
 
Alvarez and Crespo both drew walks with one out in the fifth. Toribio was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. A wild pitch plated Alvarez to put the Mustangs up by nine, and one more brought in Crespo to end the game via run-rule at 11-1.
 
Alvarez went 1-for-2 with two RBIs, two runs, a double and a stolen base in the win. Felix knocked in a pair and scored once as well after hitting 1-for-2 with a double and a pair of stolen bases as well. Villalba matched their 1-for-2 efforts with two runs, an RBI and a double. Paolucci tripled, scored a run and knocked in another in a 1-for-2 outing. Salinas hit 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Crespo batted 1-for-2 with two runs and two swiped bags.
 
The Mustangs and Avengers go head-to-head twice on Saturday, April 2, at Dick Caswell Field. Game is is scheduled for a new start time of 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