SELDEN, N.Y., April 15, 2022 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team had the day it has been looking for on Friday, as the Mustangs cruised to a 13-3 run-rule victory in five innings at Suffolk County Community College to open a three-game weekend series.
 
After a quiet first two frames, the Mustangs started to break out in the top of the third. The Mustangs had a runner on first when Dante Paolucci singled to put runners on the corners. Andres Castro was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jaison Andujar was also plunked, scoring Salix Felix from third to bring the first run of the game across. Nathaniel Alvarez then singled into left, scoring Paolucci and Castro to put the Mustangs ahead, 3-0.
 
Monroe then had a much bigger rally in the top of the fourth. Luis Villalba opened the frame with a double, and then Miguel Toribio singled him in for the fourth run of the day. Angel De La Cruz singled, and then Felix walked to load the bases. Paolucci plated a run with a single to right, and then Castro knocked in two more with a single of his own to center to make it a 7-0 game. Andujar ripped a double to center to score Paolucci, and then Alvarez hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Castro and put Monroe up, 9-0. Andujar then stole third, but the throw got away, allowing him to score and make it a 10-0 game. Kristopher Salinas walked, and then Villalba hit his second double of the inning to put two runners in scoring position. Toribio brought them both home with a single to right, leaving Monroe with a huge 12-0 advantage.
 
Suffolk got a run back in the home half of the fourth when John Keane hit an RBI triple to make it a 12-1 game. The Mustangs quickly neutralized that run in the top of the fifth. With runners on first and second, Salinas doubled to center, bringing Castro home to push the lead to 13-1.
 
The Sharks chipped away some of the deficit in the bottom of the fifth when Alex Knopf hit a two-RBI single, bringing the score to 13-3. Reliever Carlos Peguero slammed the door on the Sharks after that to close out the run-rule final.
 
Andrelis Payampas earned the win after going 4.1 innings and allowing just three runs with seven strikeouts, improving to 2-3 on the year. Ray Hoffman shouldered the loss for Suffolk to drop to 1-2.
 
Every Mustang batter reached base in Friday's win. Toribio knocked in three runs and scored once himself, finishing 3-for-5 out of the leadoff spot for Monroe in Friday's victory. Castro batted 3-for-3, scoring three times while knocking in two runs. Villalba scored twice after hitting two doubles in a 2-for-4 effort. Alvarez plated three runs after hitting 1-for-2. Andujar finished 1-for-1 with a double, two RBIs, a run, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Paolucci went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Felix came home twice after batting 1-for-3. Salinas hit a two-bagger in a 1-for-3 game, scoring a run and knocking in another as well. De La Cruz hit 1-for-3 with a run scored.
 
The Mustangs will look to ride the momentum of Friday's win into Saturday's doubleheader against the Sharks. Game 1 on Saturday, April 16, is set for a 12 p.m. first pitch.
 
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