BEL AIR, Md., May 14, 2022 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team saw its postseason run come to an end on Saturday, as the Mustangs dropped an 11-1 final to USC Sumter in the first elimination game of the East District Championship at the Harford Sports Complex. The Mustangs are eliminated from the tournament with the loss, while USC Sumter remains alive and takes on No. 14 Florence-Darlington Technical College later on Saturday in another elimination game.
 
USC Sumter took an early lead in the top of the second after a Mustang miscue. Capers Molinaroli was on second with two outs after a walk and a sacrifice bunt. Kameron Heath hit a grounder to short, but the throw came in short and got away, allowing Molinaroli to score and give the Fire Ants a 1-0 lead.
 
Andres Castro tied the game up with one swing in the home half of the second. With one out, Castro launched a solo shot just under the left side of the scoreboard in left field, knotting things up at 1-1.
 
The Fire Ants managed to get on the board again in the third with two outs. Xavier Cumbee hit a screaming line drive to left that hit just below the yellow line on the wall, resulting in a double. Molinaroli then doubled inside the right-field line to bring Cumbee around to score and put USC Sumter back on top, 2-1.
 
The Fire Ants had two on with one out in the top of the fourth. Joel Haskin then singled into center, bringing Heath around to score from second to make it a 3-1 game. Joe Dwyer then hit a sacrifice fly to center, plating Jack Chermside to push the lead to 4-1. Two walks loaded the bases for the Fire Ants, and then Molinaroli singled into right, plating two more runs to make it a 6-1 ballgame.
 
With one out on the fifth, Heath went the opposite way for a solo homer just over the wall in left-center, giving the Fire Ants a 7-1 advantage. In the next inning, Dwyer and Cooper Bryson opened the frame with back-to-back singles, and then Cumbee made it three in a row, bringing in Dwyer to make it an 8-1 game. Molinaroli followed with the fourth straight single to score Bryson and bring the score to 9-1. After a pair of strikeouts, a wild pitch brought in Cumbee to make it 10-1. Two batters later with the bases loaded again, Joel Haskin single through the left side, bringing in one more run to bring the score to 11-1, eventually forcing the run-rule finish after six.
 
Austin Fine went all six frames for the Fire Ants to earn the win in Saturday's elimination game. Je-andrick Lourens took the loss for Monroe to fall to 4-3 on the season.
 
Castro finished 2-for-3 with a solo homer for the Mustangs on Saturday. Nathaniel Alvarez finished up a strong weekend, going 2-for-2 with a stolen base in the game. Pedro Crespo batted 1-for-2 with a stolen base as well.
 
The Mustangs' season ends with a 24-29 overall record. The Mustangs took home the 2022 NJCAA Region 15 Championship and made their seventh straight trip to the East District Championship tournament.
 
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