ALVIN, Texas, February 18, 2024 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team capped off its week in Texas in grand fashion on Sunday, defeating Alvin Community College by the score of 13-1 to earn the Mustangs' first win of the 2024 campaign. The Mustangs avenged their 13-3 loss at Alvin from this past Tuesday with a big 12-run victory on Sunday.
 
Pedro Vasquez got Monroe off to a hot start in Sunday's contest. With the bases loaded after an error, a walk and a hit-by-pitch, Vasquez made Monroe's first hit of the game a big one with a two-RBI single into right, plating Diego Urreta and Jeremy De La Mota to take an early 2-0 advantage.
 
Both teams went quiet until the Mustangs rallied again in the fifth. Urreta singled with two outs to keep the frame alive, and then De La Mota beat out a grounder to third. Keldrin Rodriguez followed with a single to center that ended up plating both runners to double the lead. Vasquez then came through again, blasting a two-run homer to right to extend Monroe's lead to 6-0.
 
De La Mota was hit by a pitch in the seventh, and then Rodriguez singled to put runners on the corners. Vasquez picked up another RBI on a fielder's choice that brought De La Mota home to push the lead to 7-0. Alvin then scored on a Kolbie Sowell solo homer in the bottom of the seventh for its only run of the day.
 
Already carrying a big lead into the ninth frame, the Mustangs blew the game open in their final at-bat of the day. The bases were loaded for Rodriguez, who drew a walk to bring Monroe's eighth run in. With one out, Anthony Fernandez drew another walk to make it a 9-1 game. Eli Gries-Smith then delivered the game's biggest blow, launching a grand slam over the left-field fence to make it a huge 13-1 advantage for Monroe.
 
Daniel DiEdwards was brilliant on the hill for the Mustangs on Sunday, tossing all nine innings and yielding just one run on six hits with four strikeouts to earn his first victory in the royal blue and gold. Adam Wade took the loss for Alvin after allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits in 5.1 frames.
 
Vasquez finished 2-for-5 with five RBIs, a run and his first home run of the season in the win. Gries-Smith brought in four runs with a double and his first homer in a 2-for-5 outing. Rodriguez went a flawless 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. De La Mota finished just 1-for-1 after drawing two walks and being hit by a pitch twice, resulting in four runs scored for the sophomore. Urreta scored three times on the day in a 1-for-4 effort. Gilbert Gomez hit 1-for-5 with a run, while Omar Antonio Burgos went 1-for-4.
 
With Monroe's trip down south now complete, the Mustangs do not get much time at home before going back on the road next weekend with a trip to Florence, S.C. The Mustangs will play five games this coming weekend, opening the trip on Friday, Feb. 23, with a matchup against East District foe, and No. 15-ranked Florence-Darlington Technical College at CarolinaBank Field. Friday's first pitch is set for 5 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 20 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven 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 (@MonroeMustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs). Read Full Article