WEST COLUMBIA, S.C., May 6, 2023 – An historic 2023 season for the Monroe College Mustangs softball team came to a close on Saturday, as the Mustangs produced the best finish in the program's history at the NJCAA Div. I level in this year's Region 10 Championship. The Mustangs defeated USC Union in an elimination game, 4-0, to start the day, but ultimately fell to top-seeded Gaston College, 2-0, in the tournament's championship, finishing as the Region 10 Runner-Up.
 
ELIMINATION GAME: #6 Monroe 4, #2 USC Union 0
The Mustangs got to the Bantams early in Saturday's opener. Genesis Duarte-Suarez drew a one-out walk, and then Thanysha Gil did the same with two down. Marissa Thalassinos made them pay with a triple into the right-center gap, plating both runs for a quick 2-0 lead after the first.
 
Monroe struck again with one big swing in the third. Cinthia Ramirez launched her team-leading eighth home run of the year clear over the fence in left-center to push Monroe's lead to 3-0.
 
The Mustangs added one more run in the top of the seventh. Jack hit a one-out single up the middle, and then swiped second. Duarte-Suarez reached on an error at third to put runners on the corners, and then an errant throw on her steal attempt of second allowed Jack to go home to make it a 4-0 score.
 
Sarah Wall continued to steal the show at the Region 10 Championship, throwing her third one-hitter in four starts during the tournament. She went all seven frames without allowing a run, striking out another 10 batters to earn her 19th win of the season. Brianna Compton took the loss for USC Union after yielding four runs (three earned) on seven hits across seven innings.
 
Thalassinos finished 1-for-3 with a two-RBI triple in the win. Ramirez went 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Gil doubled and scored a run in a 1-for-3 outing. Duarte-Suarez scored a run and stole a base after going 1-for-3, while Jack did the same in a 1-for-4 effort. Zoe Rivera and Ashleigh Stewart both hit 1-for-3 in the game.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: #1 Gaston 2, #6 Monroe 0
Much like the first matchup between Monroe and Gaston on Friday, Saturday's Championship Game came down to which team made the first mistake. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, that came in the bottom of the sixth. With a runner on second after a walk and a steal, a dropped pop up that was then thrown away allowed Gaston to bring in the first run of the game. Gaston's Logan Lilly then doubled to left to bring in one more for a 2-0 lead that proved to be the only runs of the game.
 
It was once again a battle of the aces in Saturday's tournament final. Brantleigh Parrott did not allow a run on two hits and seven strikeouts to improve to 22-0 for the Rhinos. Wall struck out 12 batters and did not give up an earned run on just two hits, shouldering another hard-luck loss.
 
Duarte-Suarez and Gil each hit 1-for-3 in Saturday's final game.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
The Mustangs landed five student-athletes on the Region 10 Championship All-Tournament Team:
Sarah Wall finished the weekend with a 0.23 ERA after 31 innings, allowing just one earned run and seven total hits while striking out 53 batters.
 
Paola Calderon was batting .500 before leaving Friday's game with an injury, totaling three RBIs, two runs, a triple and a double.
 
Genesis Duarte-Suarez batted .357 and produced an on-base percentage of .471 with two runs scored while making three starts behind the plate for the Mustangs.
 
Cinthia Ramirez hit a home run and a double, knocked in four runs and scored two times.
 
Thanysha Gil had three hits, including a double, an RBI and a run scored.
 
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