SUMTER, S.C., May 2, 2024 – The Monroe College Mustangs softball team will have to work its way up from the loser's bracket for the rest of its time in the Region 10 Championship tournament, as the No. 3-seeded Mustangs dropped their opening matchup of the weekend to No. 5 USC Union, 6-4, Thursday afternoon at Patriot Park. The loss ended Day 1 for the Mustangs, putting them in an elimination game Friday morning to keep themselves alive in the tournament.
A pitcher's duel to start the game saw the Mustangs break a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third with some scrappy play.
Maricela Colon beat out an infield single to short, and then
Gabrielle Gonzalez moved her to second on a sacrifice bunt. A fly out to right by
Aisling Wilson allowed Colon to tag up to third, and then an error on a grounder by
Angie Ordonez brought Colon home to give the Mustangs a 1-0 edge over the Bantams.
The Bantams needed three batters in the top of the fifth to jump ahead. Bailey Stewart singled through the left side to lead off the inning, and then an error on a bunt attempt by Jayda Davis put two runners on. Starting pitcher Brianna Compton then helped herself out with a two-RBI double into the gap in right-center to give USC Union a 2-1 lead. With runners later on second and third, a wild pitch brought Compton home for a 3-1 Bantams lead. Peyton Morris then singled to left to bring in another run, leaving the Bantams up, 4-1.
The Mustangs chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Burr reached on an error by the first baseman to keep the inning alive.
Nathalie Mongrain then took advantage of the situation, sending a double to the fence in left-center to bring Burr home and bring the score to 4-2 heading to the seventh.
The Mustangs were unable to keep the Bantams off the board in the top of the final frame. Gracie Stearns led off with a single and then stole second to get into scoring position. Matigan Nettles then singled up the middle to bring her home for a 5-2 score, with an error in center then moving Nettles all the way to third. She then came home on an infield single by Morris to leave the Bantams on top, 6-2.
Monroe did not quit despite the four-run deficit. Gonzalez drew another walk to open the inning. Wilson then flew out to right, but Gonzalez made a smart decision on the basepaths and tagged up to second. Ordonez then singled through the hole on the left side to bring Gonzalez home and bring the score to 6-3. With two outs,
Veronika Anderson kept the Mustangs alive with a single into right that put runners on first and third.
Amber Miltenberg then singled just out of the reach of the shortstop to bring Ordonez home and put runners on the corners once again. That was unfortunately the final hit of the day for the Mustangs, as they fell by the score of 6-4.
Compton picked up the complete-game victory for the Bantams, giving up four runs (two earned) on nine hits over seven frames to improve to 12-7 on the year.
Sarah Wall gave up just three hits with three strikeouts and no runs allowed in the first four innings, but did not factor into the decision.
Gabriella Diaz came on in the fifth was shouldered the loss to even her record at 10-10.
Mongrain finished 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, and also picked off a runner at first in the game. Burr batted 2-for-4 with a run scored. Colon went 1-for-3 with a run as well. Ordonez scored a run and plated another after hitting 1-for-4. Anderson doubled in a 2-for-4 outing. Miltenberg knocked in a run after going 1-for 4. Gonzalez finished 0-for-1 but drew two walks, scored a run and stole a base.
The Mustangs will take on No. 4 Spartanburg Methodist College an elimination game at 11 a.m. Friday morning after the Pioneers lost their second-round matchup against No. 2 Florence-Darlington Technical College, 4-3, in eight innings. The loser of that game will be eliminated from the Region 10 Championship, while the winner advances to another elimination game against the winner of No. 5 USC Union and No. 6 USC Sumter at 1:30 p.m. The winner of that will need to win one more elimination game on Friday at 4 p.m. against the loser of No. 1 Gaston College vs. No. 2 Florence-Darlington to advance to Saturday's championship.
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).
