SCRANTON, Pa., April 11, 2023 – Down to its final out, the Monroe College Mustangs baseball team came through under pressure, getting a game-winning three-RBI double from
Diego Urreta to defeat Lackawanna College, 15-13, Tuesday evening at Scranton High School. The Mustangs improve to 20-11 overall with the win, while the Falcons drop to 18-13.
The Falcons got the early jump on the Mustangs on Tuesday. In the bottom of the first, Ian Murphy got things going with a one out double, advancing to third on a fly out by Eric Ludwick. Michael Miller then singled him in to give the home team a quick 1-0 lead.
The Falcons loaded the bases in the bottom of the third for Miller, who brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to right to make it a 2-0 game. George Castro followed with another sacrifice fly to push Lackawanna's lead to 3-0. Michael Rickert followed with an RBI triple to make it a 4-0 lead for the Falcons.
The Mustangs got some help in the fourth to work their way back into the game. After
Jeremy De La Mota was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame,
Ronald Almanzar singled to get two runners on.
Jordy Batista then reached on an error by the pitcher that advanced him all the way to third, bringing two runs in to cut the deficit in half.
Matthew Franco then reached on another error to bring Batista in from third and make it a 4-3 ballgame.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ludwick led off with a walk, and then Miller doubled him in to make it a 5-3 game. Rickert later hit another RBI triple to push Lackawanna's lead to 6-3.
The Mustangs had a big sixth frame to take over in Tuesday's matchup. De La Mota led off with a single and advanced to second on an error. Almanzar then singled him in to make it a 6-4 score. Batista doubled in Almanzar to get within one, and then Franco singled in Batista to tie the game.
Yeremay Moreno singled to get two runners on. With one out,
Ivan Santos reached on a fielder's choice that saw the shortstop throw the ball away, bringing in Moreno and
Brian Cruz to put the Mustangs up, 8-6.
Gilbert Gomez then hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Santos and give the Mustangs a 9-6 advantage.
The Falcons had the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth when Rickert drew a walk to bring in the Falcons' seventh run. Ranciel Ventura then singled in two runs to tie the game at 9-9. With two down, a failed pickoff attempt at first allowed both runners to move up two bases, bringing in Rickert from second to put the Falcons ahead. Vincent Proietto then tripled in Ventura to leave the Falcons ahead, 11-9.
Almanzar singled with one out in the seventh, and then Batista doubled again to put runners on second and third. With two down,
Pedro Vasquez came on to pinch hit, and came through with a two-RBI single through the hole on the left side, tying the game at 11-11.
The Falcons jumped right back into the lead in the home half of the seventh. Ludwick hit a one-out double, and then Miller singled him in to give Lackawanna a 12-11 edge.
Joseph Wileczek walked to lead off the eighth for Lackawanna. Ventura then singled to left, and an error allowing Wileczek to come all the way home to make it a 13-11 lead for the Falcons.
Yosmil Diaz walked and
Brian Cruz was hit by a pitch with one out in the ninth to get two on for the Mustangs. Down to their final out, Gomez drew a walk to load the bases. Urreta then came up clutch with a huge bases-clearing double, putting the Mustangs in the lead, 14-13. De La Mota then doubled down the left-field line to bring Urreta home to give the Mustangs a 15-13 edge, which the Mustangs held onto in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win.
Jeffery Pena picked up the win in relief for the Mustangs, tossing the final two innings to improve to 3-0 on the season. Ben Riddick took the loss for Lackawanna to drop to 0-2.
Urreta finished just 1-for-6 in the game, but he made his hit count, hitting the game-winning three-RBI double and scoring a run shortly after. De La Mota batted 3-for-4 with three doubles, two runs and an RBI. Batista doubled twice in a 2-for-5 effort, scoring three times while knocking in a run. Almanzar hit 3-for-6 with three runs and an RBI. Franco knocked in two runs in a 2-for-4 outing. Moreno hit 1-for-3 with a run scored. Gomez finished 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
The Mustangs have a big weekend ahead of them, playing six games across three days. The tip begins in Keyser, W.V., when they Mustangs visit WVU Potomac State College for a doubleheader on Friday, April 14. Game 1 is set for a 2 p.m. first pitch.
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).
