WEST WINDSOR, N.J., April 18, 2023 – The seventh and eighth games of the Monroe College Mustangs softball team's 10-game road stand were split between the Mustangs and Mercer County Community College on Tuesday. The Mustangs held on late for a 7-6 win in Game 1, but a late comeback fell just short for Monroe in a 7-5 loss in Game 2. The Mustangs move to 20-22 overall on the season, while the Vikings go to 26-6.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 7, Mercer County 6
The Mustangs fell behind in the bottom of the second when Mercer County's Bella Truelove led off the inning with a solo homer to left, putting the home team up, 1-0.
 
The Mustangs bounced right back in the third. Ashley Ulmschneider drew a one-out walk and then stole second base. Mya Jack beat out an infield single to put runners on the corners, and then took second herself. Genesis Duarte-Suarez laid down a sacrifice bunt that brought Ulmschneider home to tie the game. Paola Calderon followed with an RBI double to put the Mustangs in the lead. Thanysha Gil added one more with a single into left, bringing Calderon home to leave the Mustangs ahead, 3-1.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Vikings had Julia Hannawacker on second base with two outs. Cierra Acevedo brought her in on a single into center, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
 
The Mustangs had their biggest inning of the game in the top of the fourth. Angie Ordonez led off with a walk, and then Ashleigh Stewart singled into left. Ulmschneider sacrificed them both into scoring position, but then a bunt single by Jack was unable to move the runners up, loading the bases with one out. Duarte-Suarez plated Ordonez on a groundout to make it a 4-2 game. Calderon then singled to right, scoring both Stewart and Jack to put Monroe up by four. Gil then singled to right to bring in Calderon to put the Mustangs up, 7-2.
 
The Vikings slowly chipped away at the Mustangs' lead the rest of the way. In the bottom of the fifth, Acevedo hit a two-out double to bring Heather Kerlin home and make it a 7-3 game. Then in the sixth, Truelove hit her second homer of the game, a solo shot to left, to bring the Vikings within three.
 
Mercer County really threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Hailey Nardone and Kerlin hit back-to-back singles to open the frame. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position, and then a one-out RBI single by Hannawacker made it a two-run ballgame. Acevedo followed with a sacrifice fly to center to bring the Vikings within a run with two outs. An error put Maya Patel on base, and then a walk to Truelove loaded the bases. The Mustangs then go Abby Bell to pop up to first, escaping with a 7-6 win.
 
Sarah Wall earned the win in a complete-game effort to improve her record to 13-12 on the season. Shea Krebs took the loss for Mercer County to fall to 12-2.
 
Calderon provided three RBIs and two runs after hitting 2-for-3 with a double in the win. Gil batted 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Jack scored twice and stole two bases in a 2-for-3 effort. Stewart scored a run after going 1-for-4. Cinthia Ramirez went 1-for-3 in the game, while Marissa Thalassinos batted 1-for-4.
 
GAME 2: Mercer County 7, Monroe 5
The bottom of the second proved problematic for the Mustangs in Game 2. With two outs, the Mustangs kept the Vikings on offense by making four errors in the inning, giving up three runs on just two hits to fall behind early in the game.
 
Truelove did it again for the Vikings in the top of the fifth. She led off the inning with a solo homer to left, her third of the day, to make it a 4-0 lead for the home team. The Vikings were not done there in the fifth, as Nardone and Mia Land hit back-to-back doubles, with good defense holding Nardone at third on the second two-bagger. With two outs, Lillian Torres-Perez singled in both runners, leaving the home team up, 6-0.
 
The Mustangs finally broke through in the top of the sixth. Calderon led off with a double and then moved to third on a groundout. Thalassinos then brought her in on a sacrifice fly that was dropped in center, leaving Thalassinos on third while making it a 6-1 game. Rivera then plated Thalassinos on a sacrifice fly to center that was caught this time, bringing the score to 6-2.
 
Acevedo led off the home half of the sixth with an infield single that was thrown away, leaving her on second. She moved to third on a groundout, and then came home on another groundout by Truelove to make it a 7-2 ballgame.
 
The Mustangs did their best to try and come back in the top of the seventh. Ordonez and Jack hit back-to-back singles, and then a fielder's choice left runners on first and third. Calderon then singled in Ordonez to get within three. Ramirez followed with a two-RBI double to right to bring the score to 7-5, but that was unfortunately Monroe's last hit of the day.
 
Gianna DeMatteo picked up the win for Mercer County to improve to 9-1. Layla Ramos took the loss for the Mustangs.
 
Calderon finished 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI in Game 2. Ramirez doubled twice and knocked in two runs in a 2-for-4 effort. Rivera plated a run after going 1-for-3. Jack went 1-for-2, while Ordonez scored a run in a 1-for-2 outing of her own. Both Stewart and Juliana Vasquez hit 1-for-3.
 
The Mustangs are back on the road once more on Thursday, April 20, when they visit County College of Morris in Randolph, N.J. Game 1 on the afternoon is set for a 3 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