NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 4, 2024 – Everything was on point for the Monroe College Mustangs baseball team Monday evening, as the Mustangs shut out Rockland Community College, 8-0, at Dick Caswell Field. The Mustangs improve to 5-10 with their third win in two days, while Rockland drops to 1-6.
 
Monday's contest went scoreless into the fourth before the Mustangs jumped into the lead. Fraelyn Rosario Pena led off with a walk and then advanced on a wild pitch. Jeremy De La Mota then brought him home with a single through the left side for a 1-0 lead. After another walk, Pedro Vasquez hit a ground-rule double just short of the fence in left-center, bringing De La Mota home to double the lead. Eli Gries-Smith followed with a single into left that brought in Anthony Fernandez for the third run of the inning. After Gries-Smith stole second, Omar Antonio Burgos singled him in to leave the Mustangs up, 4-0, after four.
 
The fifth started much like the fourth with Pena drawing a leadoff walk. An errant throw on a pickoff attempt allowed him to move all the way up to third, and then Keldrin Rodriguez ripped a double down the right-field line to bring him home for a 5-0 lead. A balk put Rodriguez on third, and then a high fly ball into shallow center dropped in for a single for Fernandez, bringing Rodriguez home to make it a 6-0 game.
 
Gilbert Gomez reached on a base-on-balls to start the sixth for Monroe. Diego Urreta then singled into right, advancing to second on the throw to third to put two runners in scoring position. Pena was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rodriguez came through again, singling through the hole between first and second to bring two runs home, reaching a score of 8-0.
 
Daniel DiEdwards was brilliant on the hill for Monroe, going seven frames without allowing a run on just three hits while striking out eight batters to improve to 2-1 on the season. Fernandez left the DH spot to toss the last two innings for the Mustangs, striking out four batters without allowing a hit to close it out. Drew Dillon took the loss in relief for Rockland after allowing four runs in two-thirds of an inning.
 
Rodriguez batted 2-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and a run in the win. Gries-Smith finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, a run and a pair of stolen bases. Urreta also went 2-for-4 with a run and a double. Fernandez hit 1-for-2 with two walks, a run and an RBI. Gomez doubled in a 1-for-2 outing, scoring a run and drawing two walks as well. De La Mota knocked in a run and scored another himself in a 1-for-4 game. Vasquez hit a ground-rule double and brought in a run after hitting 1-for-4. Burgos batted 1-for-4 with an RBI.
 
The Mustangs play again at home this Saturday, March 9, when they host Mercer County Community College for a doubleheader at Dick Caswell Field to begin a home-and-home weekend series. Saturday's doubleheader will begin with Game 1 at 12 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