WEST WINDSOR, N.J., April 8, 2023 – Both games in Saturday's doubleheader between the Monroe College Mustangs baseball team and Mercer County Community College saw the Mustangs rally late to win in a doubleheader sweep of the Vikings. The Mustangs came back to win in the seventh for a 7-5 victory in Game 1, followed by a tie-breaking rally in the sixth to win Game 2, 10-7. The Mustangs improve to 20-11 overall with the wins, while the Vikings drop to 17-12.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 7, Mercer County 5
The Vikings got the early jump on the Mustangs in Game 1 when they put three runs on the board on three hits in the bottom of the second.
 
The Mustangs bounced right back in the third, beginning with Ivan Santos' one-out bunt single. He later scored on a single by Diego Urreta to cut the deficit to two. A double by Gilbert Gomez had runners on second on third for Ronald Almanzar, who stroke a triple to left to plate both runners and tie the game at 3-3.
 
The Vikings had runners on first and second with two outs in the fifth. Joe Gmitter came through with a double to center, clearing the bases to put the home team ahead, 5-3.
 
The Mustangs then rallied in the top of the seventh. Pedro Crespo hit a leadoff pinch-hit single to right, and then Santos doubled to left to put both runners in scoring position. Gomez walked with one away to load the bases, and then a pinch-hitting Pedro Vasquez drew another walk to bring in Crespo and get Monroe within one. Jeremy De La Mota then delivered a big blow with a two-RBI single to left, bringing Santos and Gomez home to put the Mustangs ahead by a run. A pinch-hitting Matthew Franco then singled into left, bringing in Vasquez to leave the Mustangs up, 7-5.
 
The Vikings managed to load the bases with two outs in the seventh. Jeffery Pena then came on to try and hold them off and did just that by getting Jacob Ramirez to line out to second to hang on for the win.
 
Brailin Duran earned the win in relief in Game 1, tossing 2.1 scoreless frames to improve to 1-0 on the season. Pena faced one batter in the seventh to pick up his third save. Andrew Luczak took the loss for Mercer County after yielding Monroe's four runs in the seventh.
 
Almanzar hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the win. Urreta went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Santos went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and a double. De La Mota batted 1-for-4 with the game-winning two-RBI single in the seventh. Gomez doubled and scored twice in a 1-for-3 outing.
 
GAME 2: Monroe 10, Mercer County 7
Game 2 saw the Mustangs build an early lead. After Urreta hit a one-out single in the first, De La Mota popped a two-run homer over the left-field fence for a quick 2-0 advantage.
 
The Mustangs struck again in the fourth. Yosmil Diaz walked with one away, and then Santos singled to get two runners on. Both came home on a two-RBI single by Crespo to make it a 4-0 game. Urreta followed with a double to right to bring in Crespo to go up by five.
 
The Mustangs tacked on two more in the fifth. After a single by Almanzar and a walk by Gomez, Diaz stroked a two-RBI double to left, pushing Monroe's lead to 7-0.
 
Unfortunately, that seven-run advantage proved not to be safe. The Vikings put together a huge rally in the home half of the fifth, bringing seven runs across to tie the game. With two outs in the inning, Brayden Meskill delivered the big hit the Vikings needed, a bases-loaded double to left that cleared the bases to knot things up at 7-7.
 
The Mustangs pushed right back in the sixth. Urreta and Franco both walked early in the frame, and then a Pedro Vasquez single loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored Urreta to put the Mustangs ahead. Almanzar then singled into left to bring Franco home to make it a two-run game. Gomez then singled in Vasquez, leaving the Mustangs up, 10-7.
 
Sammuel Urena picked up his first win in relief in Game 2 after 1.1 scoreless innings. Pedro Duran notched his first save after a perfect seventh. Justin McKnight took the loss in relief for Mercer County to drop to 3-1.
 
Urreta batted 4-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI in Game 2. Diaz hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run and a double. De La Mota went 1-for-5 with a two-run homer, his team-leading fourth of the season. Almanzar finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Vasquez scored once in a 2-for-4 effort. Crespo knocked in two runs and scored once after going 1-for-4. Gomez scored once and plated a run in a 1-for-3 outing. Santos went 1-for-4 with a run scored.
 
The Mustangs after back on the road on Tuesday, April 11, when they visit Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa. for a doubleheader with the Falcons. Game 1 is scheduled to begin at 1 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