BRANCHBURG, N.J., April 27, 2023 – In what was now the final doubleheader of the regular season for the Monroe College Mustangs softball team, the Mustangs took care of business on Thursday, shutting out Raritan Valley Community College in back-to-back games. The Mustangs picked up a 16-0 win in Game 1 before claiming a 13-0 victory to close out the day. The Mustangs finish the regular season with a 26-22 overall record, while the Lions fall to 2-18.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 16, Raritan Valley 0 (5 INN)
The Mustangs did some quick damage to open Game 1 on Thursday. With runners on second and third, Paola Calderon reached on a dropped fly ball in right to bring in Mya Jack for the first run. Thanysha Gil followed with a two-RBI single to center to put the Mustangs up, 3-0.
 
Monroe got back to work in the third. With Genesis Duarte-Suarez on second after a one-out double, Calderon hit a triple to make it a 4-0 game. Gil then doubled her in, and later came home on an RBI single by Marissa Thalassinos. A double by Maria Perez put two runners in scoring position, who both came home when a grounder from Ashleigh Stewart was misplayed, leaving Monroe up, 8-0.
 
The Mustangs had their biggest inning in the fourth. Duarte-Suarez doubled in Jack after a leadoff single. Gil later hit a two-RBI double to make it an 11-0 game. With two on later in the frame, Thalassinos reached on an error that brought in another run. Perez then grounded out to second, but that brought in Cinthia Ramirez for a 13-run lead. A groundout by Stewart brought another run home. After an Ashley Ulmschneider triple, Jack singled her in to leave the Mustangs up, 15-0.
 
The Mustangs got one more run in the fifth. With runners on first and third, Thalassinos once again reached on an error that brought Ava Gillen home to make it a 16-0 ballgame.
 
Sarah Wall was nearly flawless in Game 1, allowing just two hits with 11 strikeouts across five frames to earn her 16th win of the season. Shannon Russo took the loss for Raritan Valley.
 
Gil finished 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, five RBIs and two runs scored in the win. Duarte-Suarez also doubled twice, scored three times and knocked in a run after hitting 3-for-4. Calderon batted 2-for-2 with a triple, three runs and two RBIs. Jack went 2-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and a stolen base. Thalassinos plated three runs and scored twice herself in a 1-for-4 outing. Perez went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and run. Ulmschneider and Ramirez both went 1-for-3 with a run scored, with Ulmschneider hitting a triple and Ramirez doubling for her lone hit.
 
GAME 2: Monroe 13, Raritan Valley 0 (5 INN)
The Mustangs got the scoring for Game 2 going in the top of the second. After a one-out single by Angie Ordonez, Zoe Rivera ripped a triple to bring in Monroe's first run. After a walk by Juliana Vasquez, a double steal saw Vasquez thrown out taking second, but brought Rivera home for a 2-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs got it going again in the third. After a single by Jack and a walk by Calderon, a double steal with runners on the corners this time saw both runners advance successfully, making it a 3-0 game. Thalassinos then singled in Calderon for a 4-0 advantage.
 
Gillen drew a two-out walk to keep the fourth inning alive for Monroe. Jack then doubled to left to put two runners in scoring position, and Ramirez then cleared the bases with a single through the left side to push the lead to 6-0. Calderon singled, and then Thalassinos walked to load the bases. Ordonez was then hit by a pitch to give Monroe a 7-0 lead. Rivera then hit a two-RBI single to right, making it a 9-0 score. Stewart hit a grounder to short that was then mishandled, allowing two more runs to score to leave the Mustangs ahead, 11-0.
 
After a leadoff single for Jack, a pinch-hitting Shania Thomas hit a one-out triple to left to make it a 12-0 Mustang lead in the fifth. Thalassinos followed with a triple of her own to plate Thomas for a 13-0 lead, resulting in back-to-back run-rule finishes.
 
Layla Ramos was terrific in the circle, allowing just four hits and no runs to go with nine strikeouts for her sixth win of the year. Olivia Mele took the loss in Game 2 for Raritan Valley.
 
Jack hit 3-for-4 with a double, another three runs scored and three stolen bases in the Game 2 victory. Rivera batted 2-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs and a triple. Thalassinos went a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and a run. Ramirez knocked in two runs and scored once herself in a 1-for-3 effort. Ordonez hit 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI. Thomas hit an RBI triple and later scored after a pinch-hit opportunity. Calderon finished 1-for-2 with a pair of runs.
 
With Monroe's scheduled doubleheaders at CCBC Catonsville and Harford Community College canceled due to expected weather, the Mustangs wrapped up the regular season on Thursday. They are set for next week's Region 10 Championship tournament beginning on Thursday, May 4, in Lexington, S.C. The Mustangs will open play in the Region 10 tournament with a first-round matchup on Thursday against Harford at 1:30 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