ALVIN, Texas, February 16, 2023 – Nearing the end of its season-opening trip to Texas, the Monroe College Mustangs softball team came away with another win on Thursday, splitting a doubleheader at Alvin Community College. The Mustangs won a back-and-forth battle in Game 1, 12-10, before dropping a close 6-4 final in Thursday's finale. The Mustangs move to 2-10 on the season, while the Dolphins go to 6-6 overall.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 12, Alvin 10
The Mustangs got on the board first in Thursday's high-scoring affair. Cinthia Ramirez led off the top of the second with a double to left, and then Zoe Rivera sacrificed her over to third. Ashleigh Stewart knocked her in on an RBI single to make it an early 1-0 lead for Monroe.
 
The Dolphins struck back in the bottom of the second. J'lailah Dotson hit a one-out double, and then Menina Cavazos later hit a double of her own with two outs to bring in Dotson and knot things up at 1-1.
 
Genesis Duarte-Suarez hit a one-out single to get things going in the third. Paola Calderon then knocked her in on a double to left to put the Mustangs back on top. Thanysha Gil reached on a fielder's choice that saw Calderon remain at third, and then a double steal allowed Calderon to score and make it a 3-1 game.
 
The Dolphins once again closed the gap quickly in the bottom of the third. Kasen Morkisch drew a walk and then stole second. Liberty Herrera then singled to left, but an errant relay throw allowed Morkisch and Herrera to both score, tying the game at 3-3.
 
The Mustangs appeared to break the game open in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Calderon doubled to right-center to keep the inning alive. Gil then singled her in to put the Mustangs up, 4-3. Ramirez and Rivera hit two more singles to load the bases, and then a grounder by Stewart saw all the baserunners advance safely, making it a 5-3 game. Ashley Ulmschneider then delivered the big blow of the inning, a bases-clearing double to left, pushing Monroe's lead to 8-3.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Haily Villarreal led off for the Dolphins by reaching on an error. After stealing second, Villarreal was knocked in on a Maggie Blythe single to get the Dolphins within four. Yliana Kuykendall drew a walk, and then Morkisch hit a two-RBI triple to make it a two-run game. Alasia Haines brought in Morkisch on a single, and then Herrera hit a two-run homer to center, putting the home team up, 9-8, heading to the seventh.
 
Calderon tripled to lead off the seventh for Monroe to put them in prime position to keep the game going. Gil drew a walk, and then Ramirez brought in Calderon on a ground out to short, tying the game at 9-9. An error allowed Rivera to reach base, and then another fielder's choice by Stewart saw all the runners move up safely, bringing in another run for the Mustangs to put them up, 10-9. Ulmschneider drew a walk to load the bases, and then Marissa Thalassinos hit a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle, leaving the Mustangs on top, 12-9.
 
Dotson hit a one-out triple for the Dolphins, and then Bel Lopez hit a pinch-hit RBI double to bring her in and cut the deficit to two. Varela Cappas then came on to pitch for Monroe, and quickly got pinch-hitter Alyssa Pena to ground into a game-ending double play to close out the two-run victory.
 
Sarah Wall picked up the win for the Mustangs after allowing just three earned runs in 6.1 innings, improving her record to 2-6. Cappas got her first save after a quick two outs to close out the game. Celeste Gonzales took the loss in relief for the Dolphins to drop to 1-3.
 
Calderon hit 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, three runs scored and an RBI in the win. Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Stewart batted 1-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Ulmschneider finished 1-for-2 with three RBIs and a double.
 
GAME 2: Alvin 6, Monroe 4 (6 INN-Darkness)
The Dolphins got the early jump on the Mustangs in Thursday's finale. In the bottom of the first, Lopez kept the inning alive with a single, followed by a double from Tavery Ortiz. An error then allowed Liberty Herrera to reach base and Lopez to score, giving the home team a 1-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs came right back in the second. The Mustangs had runners on second and third when Stewart brought pinch runner Ava Gillen home on a ground out to second, tying the game at 1-1.
 
The Dolphins loaded the bases with one out in the second. Lopez then singled in a run to put Alvin back on top. With two outs, Herrera hit a two-RBI single to center to make it a three-run game. Dotson followed with an RBI single of her own to push the lead to 5-1.
 
Monroe cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth. Calderon led off with a single, and then Gil followed with one of her own. A fielder's choice off the bat off Ramirez caught Gil at second, but still left runners on the corners for the Mustangs. Ramirez took second base, and then Juliana Vasquez hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Calderon. Stewart followed with an RBI single up the middle to plate Ramirez and make it a 5-3 ballgame.
 
A miscue allowed the Dolphins to add a run in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on second and third and two outs, Lopez reached on an error that brought in Zoyie Smith from third, pushing Alvin's lead to 6-3.
 
Gil led off the top of the sixth by legging out an inside-the-park home run to right, bringing Monroe within two. However, the next three batters could not reach base, and the game was then called due to darkness, seeing the Mustangs fall in Game 2, 6-4.
 
Hayley Calhoun went all six frames for Alvin to earn the win and improve to 2-1. Layla Ramos shouldered the loss for the Mustangs.
 
Stewart added another two RBIs after going 1-for-3 in Game 2. Gil batted 3-for-3 with a solo home run, her first of the year. Calderon and Ramirez each went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
 
The Mustangs wrap up their season-opening trip to Texas tomorrow, Feb. 17, when they take visit Galveston College for a single seven-inning game. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. EST.
 
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