NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 7, 2023 – Frigid conditions are nothing new in a home opener for the Monroe College Mustangs baseball team, and the Mustangs battled through the cold temperatures and whipping winds to win a back-and-forth battle with Rockland Community College, 16-8, in seven innings on Tuesday at Dick Caswell Field on the back of a two home run game by Ronald Almanzar. The Mustangs improve to 6-9 on the season with the win, while the Hawks fall to 0-5.
 
The Mustangs got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first. Andres Castro walked to lead off the inning, and then he swiped second. A failed pickoff pushed him over to third, and then a passed ball on ball four to Diego Urreta brought him home for an instant 1-0 lead. Almanzar then singled to right to put runners on the corners. Jordy Batista hit into a double play to short, but managed to bring Urreta home on the play to leave the Mustangs up, 2-0.
 
The Hawks responded in the top of the second, beginning with Anthony Nigro getting hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Patrick Joseph singled to center, and then a failed pickoff moved both runners into scoring position. Kaden Krauss singled them both in to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Rockland loaded the bases for Chris Calvario in the top of the third. The right fielder then drew a walk, bringing in a run to put the visitors ahead, 3-2.
 
With one out in the home half of the third, Urreta hit a ground-rule double over the fence in left-center. Ronald Almanzar then smacked a double down the left-field line, plating Urreta to tie the game at 3-3.
 
A walk and a single had two runners on quickly for the Hawks in the fourth, with both moving into scoring position with one out. A balk then brought in Dan Sidoti from third to put Rockland back ahead, 4-3.
 
The Hawks appeared to be taking control in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Calvario drew a walk to keep the inning alive. Jaison Mock then singled to left, where a misplayed ball allowed Calvario to come around and two for a two-run lead. Sidoti then singled in Mock to make it a 6-3 score in favor of Rockland.
 
The Mustangs then bounced right back in a big way in the bottom of the fifth. Urreta walked to lead off the inning, and then Almanzar launched a no-doubt homer down the right-field line to get the Mustangs within a run. Jeremy De La Mota followed with a pinch-hit walk, and then an error on a grounder by Pedro Crespo put runners on the corners. Pedro Vasquez hit a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to center, scoring De La Mota to tie the game at 6-6.
 
The Mustangs were not done there. Gilbert Gomez then singled into right, and a wild pitch moved both runners up to second and third. Yeremay Moreno singled through the left side, scoring Crespo to give Monroe the lead. Matthew Franco also pinch hit, ripping a double to left to bring in Gomez for an 8-6 lead. Castro hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate Moreno to go up by three, and then Urreta singled into left to score Franco to go up, 10-6. Almanzar came up again and repeated his feat from earlier in the inning with a two-run blast to center to leave the Mustangs on top, 12-6.
 
Rockland got a run back in the sixth when Frank Messina slapped a pinch-hit double down the left-field line to score Nick Varano to get the Hawks within five. Rockland also put runners on the corners with one out in the seventh, bringing one in one a fielder's choice off the bat of James Lusignan to make it a 12-8 game.
 
The Mustangs then finished the job in the bottom of the seventh. Franco and Castro hit back-to-back doubles to open the inning and make it a 13-8 game. Urreta then singled in Castro for a 14-8 score. After Almanzar was hit by a pitch, De La Mota hit a ground-rule double to left-center to make it a seven-run game with runners on second and third and nobody out. Crespo drew a walk to load the bases, and then Vasquez sent a long fly ball over the center fielder, allowing Almanzar to score to walk it off with a 16-8 run-rule final.
 
Pedro Duran earned the win with 2.1 innings of work in relief to improve to 1-0 on the season. Phillip Kurisko took the loss for the Hawks in relief to fall to 0-1.
 
Almanzar had a phenomenal game, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs, three runs, two homers and a double. Urreta finished 3-for-3, scoring five times and knocking in two more while also hitting a double. De La Mota doubled twice after pinch-hitting midway through the game, plating a run while scoring once himself. Castro doubled in a 1-for-3 effort that saw him score twice and knock in two runs. Franco also went 2-for-2 with a pair of two-baggers after subbing into the game, scoring twice with one RBI. Gomez hit 2-for-4 with a run scored. Vasquez brought in two runs in a 1-for-2 outing after also pinch-hitting later in the game.
 
Monroe's 16 runs were the team's most through 15 games this season, and they will look to build upon that on Thursday, March 9, in a rematch against Rockland at Dick Caswell Field. First pitch on Thursday is once again set for 3:30 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