BEL AIR, Md., April 15, 2024 – Both games in Monday's doubleheader in Maryland were as close as they come, but the Monroe College Mustangs softball team got the last laugh in each of them, picking up a pair of one-run victories at Harford Community College. Monroe came back to defeat the Fighting Owls in Game 1, 10-9, before a late home run put Monroe ahead for good in a 3-2 win in the finale. The Mustangs improve to 14-22 overall with the wins, while the Fighting Owls drop to 18-8.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 10, Harford 9
A trio of errors by the Fighting Owls helped the Mustangs get an early jump on their hosts in the top of the first. Gabrielle Gonzalez and Angie Ordonez reached on back-to-back errors to open the game, and then both advanced on a double steal. Marissa Thalassinos then reached on a dropped fly ball that brought in Gonzalez for a 1-0 lead. With one out, Veronika Anderson ripped a two-RBI single into right-center, leaving the Mustangs up, 3-0.
 
The lead for short-lived for the Mustangs as the Fighting Owls put together a big first inning of their own. Tonya Marks hit a one-out double, and then Anna Sexton singled her in to make it a 3-1 game. After another single, Brooke Hasegawa doubled in a run to make it a one-run game. With two down, Cassidy Vance hit a two-RBI single, putting the Fighting Owls ahead, 4-3.
 
The hole was dug deeper for the Mustangs in the bottom of the second. With the bases loaded, Alayna LeVee singled in a run to put the Fighting Owls up by two. With two down and the bases still loaded, Alexis Trzeciak singled in two more runs, leaving the home team up, 7-3.
 
The Mustangs did not stay down for long. Marissa Thalassinos led off the third with a walk, and then Amber Miltenberg singled to left to get two on. With two outs and both runners in scoring position, Nathalie Mongrain hit an RBI single to bring Thalassinos home and make it a 7-4 game. Maricela Colon then delivered the big blow of the inning, launching a three-run homer to center to tie the game at 7-7.
 
The back-and-forth play continued in the home half of the third. With two outs, Caroline Hilyard kept the inning alive with a single. Marks then hit a triple to right-center to bring her home and put the Fighting Owls back up, 8-7.
 
Ordonez was hit by a pitch to start the fourth for Monroe. Thalassinos then quickly brought her home with a double to center, tying the game once again at 8-8.
 
The Mustangs finally overtook the Fighting Owls in the top of the sixth. After Gonzalez led off with a single, a sacrifice bunt attempt by Ordonez was thrown away, allowing Gonzalez to score and give Monroe a 9-8 lead. With Ordonez on third, Miltenberg hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing her home to make it a 10-8 ballgame.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Fighting Owls had the bases loaded with one out. Vance then grounded out to short, allowing Hasegawa to come home and get the home team within a run, but Gabriella Diaz was able to limit the damage there to keep the Mustangs in the lead. She did so again in the bottom of the seventh, shutting the Fighting Owls down, 1-2-3, to end the game.
 
Diaz went all seven innings to earn her sixth win of the season. Sexton took the loss in relief for the Fighting Owls to fall to 7-3.
 
Colon finished Game 1 3-for-4 with a three-run homer, tying her for the team lead with four on the season. Thalassinos batted 1-for-2 with two RBIs, two runs and a double in the win. Anderson hit 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Mongrain knocked in a run and scored once herself after going 1-for-4. Miltenberg did the same in a 1-for-3 effort. Gonzalez scored twice in a 1-for-5 outing. Georgia Burr and Kayla Suleski each hit 1-for-4. Ordonez did not register a hit, but still managed to score three times in Game 1.
 
GAME 2: Monroe 3, Harford 2
The Mustangs got off to another quick start in Game 2, beginning with a leadoff single by Gonzalez. After she stole second, Ordonez singled her in to give Monroe a swift 1-0 lead.
 
One swing doubled Monroe's lead in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Aisling Wilson blasted a solo shot to left-center, giving Monroe a 2-0 lead and giving her the team lead for the season once again with her fifth home run of the year.
 
The Fighting Owls had runners on first and third with two outs in the fifth. Marks then singled into right, plating a run to cut the deficit in half. Sexton then beat out a single to short, bringing another run home to tie the game at 2-2.
 
The Mustangs immediately took the lead back with the first swing of the sixth inning. Gonzalez launched her first home run of the season over the wall in left-center to lead off the inning, pushing the Mustangs ahead, 3-2.
 
The Fighting Owls had their chance to tie in the seventh after the leadoff hitter drew a walk. The next batter attempted to sacrifice bunt, but the ball popped into the air and was caught by Anderson at third for the first out. Sarah Wall then struck out Marks before getting Sexton to line out to right to close out the one-run victory.
 
Wall was terrific in Game 2, striking out 14 batters to match her season high while allowing just two runs on four hits, improving her record to 7-10. Sexton took another loss for the Fighting Owls after tossing all seven innings in Game 2.
 
Gonzalez finished 3-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and her first home run of the season in the win. Wilson hit her fifth long ball of the year in a 2-for-3 game. Ordonez knocked in a run after hitting 1-for-3. Each of Thalassinos, Burr and Mongrain went 1-for-3 as well in Game 2.
 
The Mustangs are back at it tomorrow, April 16, for their first home game since March 10. Monroe will take on Lackawanna College on Tuesday in a 3 p.m. doubleheader at the Flowers Park Softball Field. The Mustangs will also celebrate Sophomore Day ahead of Tuesday's first pitch, honoring the teams three graduating sophomores.
 
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