NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 23, 2023 – Each team did all of its damage in just one frame, as a pitcher's duel between the Monroe College Mustangs baseball team and SUNY Sullivan resulted in a 3-2 victory for the Mustangs Thursday afternoon at Dick Caswell Field. The Mustangs earn their 10th straight win to improve to 13-9 on the season, while the Generals drop to 5-9.
Je-andrick Lourens was terrific for the Mustangs on the hill. He went seven innings, allowing no runs on just two hits while striking out nine batters to pick up the win and improve to 3-2 on the season.
Samuel Herrera tossed a clean eighth for the Mustangs, but after running into trouble in the ninth,
Brailin Duran earned his third save of the season to close it out. Gerard Santos went five scoreless innings for the Generals, but did not factor into the decision. Reliever Nate Coffey took the loss in relief after giving up all three of Monroe's runs.
After six scoreless frames, the Mustangs finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh. With one out,
Pedro Vasquez hit a slow dribbler up the third-base line for an infield single, but a high throw by the pitcher to first ended up in Monroe's bullpen, allowing Vasquez to advance all the way to third. A pinch-hitting
Pedro Crespo made the Generals pay, lining a single through the left side to bring Vasquez home to give the Mustangs a 1-0 edge. Crespo then stole second and moved up to third on a groundout by
Yosmil Diaz. A pinch-hitting
Andres Castro then singled up the middle to bring Crespo home for a 2-0 lead. Castro then stole second, and came home when a
Gilbert Gomez ground ball got through the legs of the shortstop, leaving the Mustangs on top, 3-0.
Andi Rivas hit a leadoff double to left for the Generals in the top of the ninth. Two batters later, Jim Paredes hit a two-run homer just over the fence in left-center, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Duran struck out the next batter, but a pinch-hitting Amir Chery drew a walk to keep the game going. Cameron Mann then pinch ran for Chery and stole second. A wild pitch then moved Mann to third. Another wild pitch had Mann scrambling for home, but a lucky carom off the backstop helped Diaz grab the ball and get back in time to block the plate and tag Mann out to end the game.
Crespo and Castro each went 1-for-1 after pinch hitting in the seventh, with each knocking in a run and then scoring one themselves in the win.
Jordy Batista hit 1-for-3 with a double, while
Jeremy De La Mota also doubled in a 1-for-4 outing. Vasquez scored a run after hitting 1-for-3.
The Mustangs are scheduled to play next on Saturday, March 25, at Harford Community College, but that doubleheader is in jeopardy due to expected inclement weather. If that doubleheader is postponed, the Mustangs will play next on Sunday, March 26, at Rockland Community College in Suffern, 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 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).
