GEORGETOWN, Del., March 16, 2024 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team ran its winning streak to 10 games on Saturday after sweeping a doubleheader at Delaware Technical Community College. The Mustangs picked up an 11-0 shutout in Game 1 before having to come back and hold on late for a 10-9 win in Game 2. Monroe improves to 12-10 overall with the wins, while Delaware Tech drops to 8-12.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 11, Delaware Tech 0
The Mustangs got the scoring started in Game 1 in the top of the second. Jose Fernandez led off with a walk, and then Jeremy De La Mota hit a one-out double to put both runners in scoring position. After a fielder's choice resulted in Fernandez being thrown out at home, a balk later ended up bringing De La Mota home for a 1-0 lead.
 
Monroe padded its lead in the fourth. Jose Fernandez reached on an error, and then Anthony Fernandez singled to right. De La Mota doubled to bring Jose Fernandez home to double the lead. Eli Gries-Smith then sacrifice bunted to bring Anthony Fernandez home and leave the Mustangs up, 3-0.
 
The Mustangs really broke it open in the top of the sixth. Keldrin Rodriguez singled, and then Jose Fernandez was hit by a pitch. With one out, De La Mota singled to right to bring Rodriguez home to make it a 4-0 game. Gries-Smith then smashed a triple to right, bringing both runners home for a 6-0 lead. Fraelyn Rosario Pena then hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring Gries-Smith home and leave the Mustangs on top, 7-0.
 
Gilbert Gomez walked to lead off the top of the seventh and get one final rally going for the Mustangs. Rodriguez followed with a single to right that moved Gomez up to third. Anthony Fernandez walked to load the bases, and then a fielder's choice toward second by De La Mota resulted in two runs coming home for a 9-0 advantage. Pena singled through the left side to bring in De La Mota for a 10-0 lead. Vianney Goris beat out an infield single to load the bases again, and then Diego Urreta drew a walk, reaching the eventual final score of 11-0.
 
Brailyn Cruz had another strong outing on Saturday, tossing six shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out 11 batters to improve to 3-1 on the season. Marcos Santiago did not allow a hit and struck out one in the seventh inning. Jorge Javier took the loss for Delaware Tech to fall to 2-3 on the season.
 
De La Mota finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, four RBIs and three runs scored in the win. Gries-Smith hit 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs, two runs and a stolen base. Rodriguez batted 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Anthony Fernandez scored a run in a 1-for-3 outing. Pena knocked in two runs after hitting 1-for-3. Goris batted 1-for-2 with a stolen base.
 
GAME 2: Monroe 10, Delaware Tech 9
Jose Fernandez got things going in the second for the Mustangs, slamming a solo home run to left for an early 1-0 lead. In the top of the third, Urreta hit a leadoff triple, and then Gilbert Gomez launched a two-run homer to left, leaving the Mustangs up, 3-0.
 
Delaware Tech got on the board for the first time Saturday in the home half of the third. Back-to-back walks had two runners on for the home team, and then an RBI single by Tristin McCray made it a 3-1 ballgame. With two outs and two on, Chrystopher Roscoe hit a three-run home run for Delaware Tech, leaving the Mustangs in a 4-3 hole after three.
 
That hole was dug deeper in the bottom of the fourth. Delaware Tech had runners on second and third when Chase Killen brought them both home with a single, giving the home team a 6-3 advantage.
 
Gomez got things going for Monroe in the fifth with a single to left. Gries-Smith hit a one-out single into left to put runners on the corners. Anthony Fernandez then hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing in Gomez to get the Mustangs back within two runs.
 
Monroe got the big inning it needed in the sixth. After the first two batters failed to reach base, a pair of errors put two runners on and kept the inning going for the Mustangs. Rodriguez drew a walk to load the bases, and then Gries-Smith knocked in two with a single to right, tying the game at 6-6. Anthony Fernandez walked to load the bases again, and then De La Mota brought in two more runs with a single to left, putting the Mustangs up by two. A passed ball then brought Anthony Fernandez home for a 9-6 lead, and then one more error allowed De La Mota to come home, leaving the Mustangs ahead, 10-6.
 
Delaware Tech nearly completed a comeback in the bottom of the seventh. The first two batters were hit by a pitch, and then Elijah Clements singled to load the bases. Roscoe followed with a two-RBI double, getting the home team back within two. A ground out by Justin Marsh brought another run in and moved the tying run over to third. Samuel Herrera then got the next batter to pop out, and then the last one to ground out back to him, helping the Mustangs hang on for the 10-9 victory.
 
Frangel Rodriguez earned the win in relief in Game 2 after taking over in the fifth and not allowing a hit or a run, improving his record to 3-1. Herrera got the final three outs of the game to earn his first save. Noah Quinn shouldered his fourth loss of the season for Delaware Tech.
 
Gomez shined in Game 2, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, three runs and his first home run of the year in the win. Jose Fernandez hit 2-for-4 with a solo homer, also his first of the season. De La Mota had another strong game, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run. Gries-Smith plated two and scored once himself in a 2-for-5 effort. Urreta went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a triple.  Anthony Fernandez went 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run and a double.
 
The Mustangs are back at home in New Rochelle this Tuesday, March 19, for a doubleheader against Lackawanna College at Dick Caswell Field. Game 1 is set to begin at 3:30 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