BEL AIR, Md., April 3, 2022 – The Monroe College Mustangs softball team dropped a pair of matchups at Harford Community College on Sunday. The Fighting Owls picked up an 8-0 victory in Game 1 before a comeback bid by the Mustangs in Game 2 fell just short, seeing them fall, 8-6.
 
GAME 1: Harford 8, Monroe 0 (6 INN)
Game 1 was scoreless through two frames before the Fighting Owls put together a rally in the bottom of the third. Kaitlyn Delaney hit a one-out, two-run homer to bring Harford's first two runs across. With two down, Paige Clark hit a two-RBI single to double the lead at 4-0.
 
Delaney struck again for Harford in the fourth with her second two-run homer of the game, making it a 6-0 ballgame. The Fighting Owls had the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth when a single by Makayla Savoy brought in Harford's seventh run of the game. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Delaney delivered one more blast for the Fighting Owls, hitting a leadoff home run to make it 8-0 and end the game via the run rule.
 
Mackenzie Burton picked up the complete-game victory to improve to 6-3 on the year. Asia Gonzalez shouldered the loss for Monroe to fall to 2-4.
 
Miralba Sandez, Leiloni Pina and Mya Jack each went 1-for-2 in Game 1. Navaeh Gaynor batted 1-for-3 with a double.
 
GAME 2: Harford 8, Monroe 6
The Mustangs fell into an early hole in Game 2 when the Fighting Owls put three runs on the board in the bottom of the first. The Mustangs chipped away at the lead in the top of the third when an error on a ground ball by Gaynor brought in Jack to cut the deficit to 3-1.
 
In the bottom of the third, Harford once again had a big inning, scoring another four runs to take a 7-1 advantage. The Mustangs picked up another run in the fourth when Camryn Brooks scored from third on a fielder's choice by Pina, but Harford responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the fourth to make it an 8-2 game.
 
The Mustangs put together their biggest rally of the day in the top of the fifth. Jack led off with a bunt single, and then stole second. Gaynor hit a bunt single with one out to put runners on first and third, and then Thanysha Gil doubled to clear the bases and make it an 8-4 game. Brooks then grounded out, but it was enough to bring Gil home from third to bring the score to 8-5. Sandez followed with a single to keep things going, and then Pina reached on an error to bring in Sandez to make it an 8-6 ballgame, but unfortunately that proved to be the final run of the game.
 
Alyssa McLaughlin picked up the win for the Fighting Owls to improve to 5-4 on the season. Hilda Sanchez shouldered the loss for Monroe.
 
Gil hit 1-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored in Sunday's finale. Sandez batted 3-for-3 with a run in the game. Jack scored twice after going 2-for-4. Gaynor scored a run in a 1-for-4 outing, while Brooks knocked one in and scored one herself after also hitting 1-for-4. Zoe Rivera batted 1-for-4 in the game.
 
The Mustangs are back in action on Wednesday, April 6, when they visit St. Joseph's College-LI for an exhibition doubleheader in Patchogue, N.Y.
 
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