NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 16, 2023 – Sarah Wall turned in a pair of terrific starts for the Monroe College Mustangs softball team on Thursday to lead the Mustangs to a doubleheader sweep of Orange County Community College at Flowers Park. Everything went right for the Mustangs, who picked up a two run-rule victories of 8-0 and 11-1 over the Colts. Monroe improves to 8-15 overall with the wins, while the Colts start their season 0-2.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 8, Orange 0 (6 INN)
­After a quiet two innings, the Mustangs broke through in the bottom of the third. Mya Jack drew a one-out walk, and then quickly stole second. Genesis Duarte-Suarez then ripped a double into the left-center gap, scoring Jack to put the Mustangs up, 1-0. Paola Calderon then flew out to right, but the right fielder lost her balance after making the catch, allowing Duarte-Suarez to not only tag up and take third, but also come home to make it a 2-0 game.
 
Calderon led off the fifth with a line-drive single into center, but the center fielder let it go through her legs, allowing Calderon to spring around the bases to push Monroe's lead to 3-0. Cinthia Ramirez followed with a single, and then a bobbled ball on a grounder by Marissa Thalassinos put two runners on for Monroe. Angie Ordonez then singled into right, scoring Ramirez to make it a four-run game. Wall followed with another RBI single to score Thalassinos and push the lead to five. With two outs, Mya Jack beat out a slow roller to the pitcher, bringing in another run for a 6-0 Mustang advantage.
 
The Mustangs put the game away in the bottom of the sixth. Calderon dropped a double down the right-field line, and then Thanysha Gil hit a double of her own into left-center to bring in Calderon for a 7-0 lead. Ashley Ulmschneider pinch ran for Gil and immediately stole third. After Ramirez was hit by a pitch, Thalassinos skied a long fly ball into center for a walk-off single, ending the game via the run rule at 8-0 when Ulmschneider touched home.
 
Wall was stellar in the circle for the Mustangs, going all six innings and allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out an impressive 13 batters, matching her season-high to improve to 5-8 on the season. Orange starter Miranda Faber took the loss after giving up the first two runs across three frames.
 
Every batter in the Mustangs' lineup had a hit in Game 1. Thalassinos finished 2-for-3 with a run and the game-ending RBI in the win. Calderon scored twice and knocked in a run after going 2-for-3 with a double. Wall hit 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Ramirez batted 2-for-3 with a run scored. Ordonez plated a run and scored once herself in a 1-for-3 effort. Gil doubled and knocked in a run in a 2-for-4 outing. Duarte-Suarez batted 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run, while Jack brought in a run and scored once herself in a 1-for-3 game. Ashleigh Stewart went 1-for-3 in the win.
 
GAME 2: Monroe 11, Orange 1 (5 INN)
After being shut out in Game 1, the Colts got on the board quickly in Game 2. Amanda Miller led off with an infield single toward short, and was then sacrificed over to second. With two outs, she stole third, and a throw in the dirt allowed her to come home to give the visitors an early 1-0 edge.
 
The Mustangs did not stay down for long with a rally in their first at-bat of the game. Jack led off with a walk, and then stole second. Duarte-Suarez then beat out a grounder to second, with Jack getting into a rundown but making it back to third, allowing Duarte-Suarez to advance to second on the play. With one out, Calderon ripped a hard line-drive down the left-field line that rolled all the way to the fence, allowing her to come all the way around for a three-run, inside-the-park home run, putting the Mustangs ahead, 3-1.
 
The Mustangs caught a break in the bottom of the second to extend the lead. With two outs, Juliana Vasquez kept the inning going with an infield single to third. She then stole second, and moved to third on a single by Jack. Jack then stole second, and a pickoff throw to third hit Vasquez's foot and ricocheted away from the bag, allowing Vasquez to come home. The shortstop threw home on the play, but there was contact at the plate, sending the ball to the backstop and allowing Jack to come around and score as well, leaving Monroe on top, 5-1.
 
Ordonez led off the third with a single, and then Calderon reached on an error by the shortstop. Ramirez hit a slow ground out to second, but Ordonez was hustling and managed to score from second on the play to make it a 6-1 lead for Monroe. Thalassinos then ripped a triple over the left fielder, plating Calderon for a 7-1 advantage. The Mustangs later loaded the bases for Vasquez, who hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate Thalassinos to make it an 8-1 game. Jack then singled to left-center, plating another two runs to make it a 10-1 game. Two batters later, Ordonez hit an RBI double down the left-field line, bringing in Jack for an 11-1 Mustang advantage, which eventually proved to be the final score.
 
Wall went another four innings in Game 2, allowing just one unearned run on one hit with six more strikeouts to earn her second win of the afternoon to improve to 6-8. Orange starter Jessica Stewart shouldered her first loss after allowing five runs (three earned) across two innings. Layla Ramos struck out two in a perfect fifth frame for the Mustangs.
 
Calderon went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored after hitting her fourth home run of the season. Jack hit 2-for-2 with three runs, two RBIs and a pair of stolen bases. Ordonez doubled, scored a run and knocked in another after hitting 2-for-3. Thalassinos batted 1-for-2 with a triple, an RBI and a run. Vasquez finished 1-for-1 with a run and an RBI.
 
The Mustangs are on the road on Sunday, March 19, visiting Rowan College South Jersey-Gloucester in Sewell, N.J. Game 1 is set to begin at 1 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).