SCRANTON, Pa., April 15, 2023 –
Sarah Wall was a ray of sunshine on a stormy afternoon at Scranton High School on Saturday, tossing a one-hitter in Game 1 to help the Monroe College Mustangs softball team to a doubleheader split against Lackawanna College. The Mustangs picked up an 8-0 run-rule victory in Game 1 before their comeback bid was halted due to a rain stoppage in the sixth inning in Game 2, seeing the Falcons pick up a 9-8 win for the split. The Mustangs move to 18-20 overall, while the Falcons go to 18-13.
GAME 1: Monroe 8, Lackawanna 0 (5 INN)
Mya Jack had an all-too-familiar start to Game 1. She beat out a grounder to short for a leadoff single, and then stole second base.
Genesis Duarte-Suarez's groundout moved Jack up to third, and then
Paola Calderon singled her in for an early 1-0 advantage.
The Mustangs had a déjà vu inning in the third. Jack singled with one out, and then once again stole second. She moved up to third on a groundout by Duarte-Suarez, and then came home on another RBI single by Calderon to push the lead to 2-0.
Monroe broke the game open in the top of the fourth.
Marissa Thalassinos led off with a single to right, and then proceeded to steal both second and third.
Angie Ordonez followed with a walk and then stole second as well.
Ashleigh Stewart then brought Thalassinos home on an RBI single for a 3-0 lead. After she stole second,
Ashley Ulmschneider's groundout to short plated Ordonez to go up, 4-0. Jack then grounded out, bringing in Stewart for a five-run lead. After singles by Duarte-Suarez and Calderon, another by
Thanysha Gil brought Duarte-Suarez home to go up by six.
Cinthia Ramirez stroked a bases-clearing triple to bring in two more runs and cap off a six-run frame to leave the Mustangs up, 8-0. The Mustangs then shut down the Falcons for their next two at-bats to claim an 8-0 run-rule victory.
Sarah Wall was terrific in Game 1, going all five innings with nine strikeouts while allowing no runs on just one hit to improve to 11-11 on the season. Tess Ruschman took the loss for the Falcons to drop to 3-2.
Calderon stayed hot with a 3-for-3 effort, knocking in two runs while scoring once in the win. Ramirez hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a triple. Gil also went 2-for-3, scoring once and knocking in another run. Jack batted 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and two stolen bases. Thalassinos stole three bases and scored a run in a 2-for-3 outing. Stewart totaled an RBI and a run in a 1-for-3 game. Duarte-Suarez batted 1-for-4 with a run scored.
GAME 2: Lackawanna 9, Monroe 8 (6 INN; Rain)
The Mustangs got off to another quick start in Game 2, once again ignited by a leadoff single by Jack, followed by a stolen base. Jack later advanced to third on a passed ball, and then a groundout by Duarte-Suarez down the first-base line brought her home for a 1-0 lead. Calderon then hit a hard line drive down the right-field line for a triple, and an errant relay throw in right made it easy for her to head home on the play to put the Mustangs up by two.
Things unraveled for the Mustangs in the bottom of the third. The Falcons had runners on the corners for Catarena Sommers, who hit a two-RBI double to center to tie the game up at 2-2. With the bases loaded two batters later, Gwen Balavage singled in two runs to put the Falcons up, 4-2. Emilee Dickinson hit into a fielder's choice, but it was enough to bring in another run for a 5-2 lead. With runners on first and second and two outs, Madison Maloney reached on an error that allowed Balavage to score and make it a 6-2 game. With the bases loaded for Sommers later in the frame, she came through again with another double, this time clearing the bases to leave the Falcons up, 9-2, after three.
Gil led off the fourth with a single to right, and then
Ava Gillen pinch ran for her. Gillen took second and third on consecutive wild pitches, and then a groundout by Ramirez brought Gillen home to make it a 9-3 score.
After a lightning delay paused the game for some time, the Mustangs got back to work in the top of the fifth.
Juliana Vasquez hit a one-out single, and then an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Jack left two runners on for Monroe. A Duarte-Suarez groundout moved both runners into scoring position, and then a wild pitch brought in Jack to make it a 9-4 game. Calderon followed with a walk and then swiped second. Gil then singled to center to plate both runners and get Monroe within three at 9-6.
Thalassinos got things going again in the sixth with a leadoff triple to left-center.
Zoe Rivera then lined out to short, but the throw to third trying to double up Thalassinos went off the third baseman and out of play, sending her home to make it a two-run game. With the bases empty, Stewart drew a walk, and then moved to second on a groundout by Vasquez. Jack walked, and then Duarte-Suarez beat out an infield single to load the bases. A wild pitch then brought Stewart home to make it a 9-8 ballgame.
Unfortunately for the Mustangs, the pouring rain continued throughout the sixth inning, resulting in the umpires deciding to call the game during the bottom of the sixth, ending Monroe's comeback attempt with a 9-8 defeat.
Allyson Lemerise picked up the win for the Falcons in relief in Game 2 to improve to 6-4.
Layla Ramos took the loss for Monroe.
Gil hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs in Game 2. Jack scored twice and stole a base in a 1-for-2 effort. Calderon scored twice and also stole a base after hitting 1-for-3 with a triple. Ramirez finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base. Thalassinos went 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Vasquez also scored a run in a 1-for-3 game. Duarte-Suarez finished 1-for-4 with an RBI.
The Mustangs will hope the weather holds up tomorrow, as they are set to visit NJCAA Div. III No. 2 Brookdale Community College on Sunday in Lincroft, N.J. Game 1 of the doubleheader is set for a 1 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).
