GALVESTON, Texas, February 15, 2023 – The Monroe College Mustangs softball team shouldered a pair of tough defeats at Galveston College on Wednesday. The Whitecaps picked up a 14-4 win in the opener before beating the Mustangs, 11-5, in Game 2.
 
GAME 1: Galveston 14, Monroe 4 (5 INN)
The Mustangs jumped out to an early lead on the Whitecaps in Game 1 when Paola Calderon sent a solo home run over the fence in center to put the Mustangs up by a run in the top of the first.
 
Galveston's Karlie Barba led off the home half of the first with a solo homer of her own, tying the game at 1-1. That score remained until the Whitecaps scored seven runs with three home runs in the bottom of the third to take an 8-1 advantage.
 
The Mustangs began to chip away in the top of the fourth. Genesis Duarte-Suarez singled to right, and then Calderon drew a walk. Thanysha Gil knocked in both runners on a double to right, making it an 8-3 game. After Cinthia Ramirez was hit by a pitch, Marissa Thalassinos brought in Gil from second on a single to center, making it an 8-4 score.
 
The Whitecaps kept their momentum in the bottom of the fourth. The home team tallied another six runs in the inning, going up, 14-4, before getting three more outs in the fifth to end the game via the run rule.
 
Gabriella Guzman improved to 6-0 for Galveston after yielding four runs across four innings of work. Sarah Wall took the loss for Monroe.
 
Gil knocked in two runs and scored once herself in a 1-for-2 effort that included a double. Calderon went 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI along with her solo homer. Duarte-Suarez scored a run after hitting 1-for-2. Thalassinos also batted 1-for-2 with an RBI.
 
GAME 2: Galveston 11, Monroe 5
Game 2 got off to a rough start for the Mustangs. In the bottom of the first, the Whitecaps loaded the bases with one away. Maria Andrade then drew a walk to bring in the game's first run. Kamryn Cottrell followed with a two-RBI single, leaving the Whitecaps up, 3-0, after one.
 
The Whitecaps added to their lead in the bottom of the second. Jessica Munro singled to center with one out, and then Guzman hit a two-run homer to left, pushing the home team's lead to five.
 
The Mustangs got right back into the game in the top of the third. Ashley Ulmschneider led off with a walk, and then Mya Jack reached on an error to get two runners on base. With one out, Calderon launched her second homer of the day, this time bringing in three runs on a long ball to center, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
 
Monroe quickly got another run back in the fourth. Thalassinos smacked leadoff homer over the wall in right, getting the Mustangs back within a run at 5-4.
 
The long ball came into play once again for Galveston in the home half of the fourth. With a runner on, Cottrell plated two runs on a homer to left, stretching Galveston's lead to 7-4.
 
Monroe continued to battle in the fifth. With Calderon on first, Ramirez stroked a double to center, bringing Calderon all the way around to score to make it a 7-5 ballgame.
 
The Mustangs were unable to keep the Whitecaps off the board in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Munro reached on an error, scoring Emily Parks from third to make it an 8-5 game. After Tallulah Civoniceva singled, Aviana Gonzalez hit a three-run homer, extending the lead to 11-5, which proved to be the final score of Game 2.
 
Abigayle Woodson pitched the complete game for the Whitecaps, allowing five runs (four earned) across those seven frames to improve to 4-1. Layla Ramos took the loss for Monroe.
 
Calderon finished 1-for-4 with a three-run homer, her second dinger of the day, three RBIs and two runs scored. Thalassinos batted 1-for-3 with a solo home run, her second of the year. Ramirez knocked in a run in a 1-for-3 outing that included a double. Juliana Vasquez went 1-for-2 in the game, while Duarte-Suarez hit 2-for-3. Jack scored once in a 1-for-4 effort.  
 
The Mustangs added two new games to the schedule for Thursday, Feb. 16. They will head back to Alvin Community College for another doubleheader against the Dolphins. Game 1 is set to begin at 2 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 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 11 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