NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., April 13, 2022 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team dropped a close matchup to Mercer County Community College by a score of 5-3 Wednesday afternoon at Dick Caswell Field.
 
The Vikings needed two pitches to get on the board in the top of the first. On the first, Randy Steen hit a line drive that went over the right fielder's head for a triple. Matt Ervolina then flew out in foul territory to left, but it was deep enough to bring Steen home on a sacrifice fly, putting Mercer County ahead, 1-0.
 
Ervolina got the third frame going for Mercer County with a one-out single up the middle, and then he stole second base. With two outs, a wild pitch moved him to third, and then Jarrett May walked to put runners on the corners. A slow dribbler by Xavier Delgado then ended up between the pitcher and third baseman, but was too slow to make a play on, allowing Ervolina to score from third and make it a 2-0 ballgame.
 
The Mustangs finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Andres Castro led off with a triple into the right-center gap. Dante Paolucci then lined the next pitch into left, scoring Castro with an RBI single to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.
 
Mercer County added to its lead in the top of the fifth. Ervolina walked with one out, and then Josearmando Diaz tripled down the right-field line to make it a 3-1 game. May followed with an RBI double to left, pushing the Vikings' lead to 4-1.
 
Monroe got one back in the bottom of the seventh. Jaison Andujar ripped a triple over the center fielder with one out. Kristopher Salinas then drove him in with a single to left, bringing the score to 4-2.
 
The Vikings got on the board once again in the eighth. Colin Houck led off with a pinch-hit single, and then Dan Ciotti singled up the middle. A wild pitch moved both into scoring position, and then a bunt single by Jake Kmiec brought in Houck to make it a 5-2 game.
 
The Mustangs had a big opportunity in the bottom of the eighth. Angel De La Cruz hit a one-out single into right, and then Castro, Paolucci and Salix Felix all walked, bringing in a run to make it a 5-3 game, but the Mustangs were unable to capitalize any more with the bases loaded, leaving them down two heading into the ninth, but the Mustangs were unable to extend the game in the final frame.
 
Anthony Wilk picked up the win after going five frames for the Vikings, improving to 2-0 on the season. Collin McLaughlin earned his second save of the year for Mercer County. Grant Goodlad shouldered the loss for Monroe to fall to 1-5.
 
Andujar and De La Cruz each hit 2-for-4 with a run in the game, with Andujar adding a triple. Castro went 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Luis Villalba batted 2-for-3. Paolucci and Felix each knocked in a run in matching 1-for-3 efforts. Salinas went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
 
The Mustangs will look to turn things around this weekend when they visit Suffolk County Community College for a three-game series across Friday and Saturday. A nine-inning contest on Friday, April 15, is set to begin at 3 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