BEL AIR, Md., April 16, 2023 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team closed out a long, five-game weekend trip on Sunday with a doubleheader at Harford Community College. The Mustangs dropped both of Sunday's matchups, but still win the season series with Harford, 3-2. The Mustangs drop to 24-13 overall after seeing their six-game winning streak come to an end, while Harford improves to 25-14.
 
GAME 1: Harford 20, Monroe 2 (5 INN)
The Fighting Owls got the early jump on the Mustangs in Game 1 on Sunday. Joey Pagano led off the bottom of the first with a single into right. He then came home on a double by Brody Levin for a quick 1-0 lead. After a wild pitch moved Levin up to third, Cam Trego hit a grounder that was misplayed at first base, allowing Levin to come home and leave Harford up, 2-0.
 
The Fighting Owls tacked on another run in the home half of the second. Jake McCarter walked with one out, and then stole second. He came home on a single to center by Peter Maldonado, pushing the home team's lead to 3-0.
 
The Mustangs got right back in the game in the top of the third. Yeremay Moreno led off with a single up the middle, and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two down, Diego Urreta blasted a two-run homer to left-center, making it a one-run ballgame at 3-2.
 
The Fighting Owls put the first two runners on base in the third, and then Quinn Madden brought everyone home with a three-run homer to left-center, expanding Harford's lead to 6-2.
 
Harford broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. The Fighting Owls put 14 runs on the board, taking a 20-2 advantage on the Mustang, which proved to be the final score after five innings.
 
Quinn Holt picked up the five-inning victory on the hill for Harford in Game 1. Samuel Herrera took the loss for the Mustangs.
 
Urreta went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer in the game. Gilbert Gomez and Ronald Almanzar each doubled in matching 1-for-3 efforts. Moreno went 1-for-1 with a run scored. Pedro Crespo and Pedro Vasquez each finished 1-for-2.
 
GAME 2: Harford 7, Monroe 4
The Mustangs took an early lead on the Fighting Owls in Game 2. In the top of the second, Matthew Franco drew a one-out walk, and then two wild pitches advanced him to third. After Andres Castro also walked, a wild pitch brought Franco home. Vasquez then singled up the gut to bring Castro home to make it a 2-0 Mustang lead.
 
Harford battled back in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded, Dylan Wyandt singled into left to bring in a run. Pagano then reached on an error that brought in another run to tie the game. Levin added another with a sacrifice fly to center to put the Fighting Owls on top, 3-2.
 
Madden led off the fifth for Harford with a single, and then proceeded to steal both second and third. Robert Buckley then brought him home on a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-2 lead for Harford.
 
The Fighting Owls padded their lead in the sixth. With two runners on, Cam Trego hit a three-run homer to right-center, pushing Harford's lead to 7-2 heading to the seventh.
 
Castro drew a one-out walk in the seventh. With two outs, Yosmil Diaz blasted his second home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center, to keep the game going and cut the deficit to 7-4. Crespo kept it going with a walk, and then Gomez doubled to left to put two runners in scoring position, bringing the tying run to the plate. Urreta then drew a walk to load the bases, but the final batter struck out to end the comeback bid.
 
Jake Potts picked up the win for Harford after yielding two runs across six frames. Pedro Duran took the loss for Monroe.
 
Diaz went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in the game. Gomez batted 2-for-3 with a double. Vasquez went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Castro finished 0-for-1, but he scored two times after walking twice.
 
With the five-game weekend now behind them, the Mustangs take a day to rest before taking a short trip to Randolph, N.J. on Tuesday, April 18, to take on County College of Morris. Tuesday's nine-inning game is set for a 3:30 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). Read Full Article