BEL AIR, Md., May 4, 2024 – The Monroe College Mustangs baseball team battled with top-seeded Harford Community College on Saturday in Game 3 of the 2024 NJCAA Region 20 Championship tournament, the beginning of a best-of-three series between the Mustangs and Fighting Owls to determine the tournament champion. Fighting through the elements as well, the Mustangs made a late comeback to defeat the Fighting Owls, 7-6, to put the Mustangs one win away from the tournament title. Saturday's second game was later postponed due to rain, so the series will now be determined on Monday, May 6.
 
The Mustangs took advantage of the poor weather in the top of the third. Diego Urreta drew a one-out walk, and then both Eli Gries-Smith and Anthony Fernandez were hit by pitches to load the bases. A fielder's choice off the bat of Jose Fernandez resulted in every runner advancing, bringing in the first run and leaving the bases loaded again. With two down, Pedro Vasquez and Jeremy De La Mota were both hit by pitches as well, plating another two runs for the Mustangs to give them a 3-0 advantage.
 
The weather then helped the Fighting Owls chip away at the Mustangs' lead in the bottom of the third. Harford had the bases loaded with two outs when they drew two walks to bring in two runs and drop Monroe's lead to one. After the Mustangs got out of the inning, the game was delayed about an hour due to the rain before resuming in the fourth inning.
 
Harford managed to jump ahead in the home half of the fifth. The Fighting Owls had runners on first and second when Ehi Okojie singled into left to bring in a run and tie the game. Yariel Rodriguez followed with another RBI single in the next at-bat to put Harford up, 4-3.
 
The Fighting Owls put together a short two-out rally in the seventh to pad their lead. Tariq Talley drew a two-out walk, and then Joe Durso doubled him in to make it a 5-3 ballgame.
 
The Mustangs flipped the script in the top of the eighth. Keldrin Rodriguez and Vasquez both walked to open inning, and then both moved into scoring position on a De La Mota ground out. Gilbert Gomez followed with a walk to load the bases, and then Fraelyn Rosario Pena was hit by a pitch in a pinch-hit opportunity to bring in Rodriguez and make it a one-run game. Urreta then came through with a single up the gut, bringing in two more runs to put the Mustangs on top, 6-5.
 
Monroe's first two batters in the ninth did not reach base, but Vasquez then doubled off the wall in left-center to keep the frame going. De La Mota then roped a much-needed triple to right-center to plate Vasquez and extend the lead to 7-5.
 
Durso hit a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth for the Fighting Owls. He moved to second on a ground out, and then a two-out error put Joey Pagano on, leaving the Fighting Owls with runners on the corners. Alec Welshans then singled into left-center, bringing Durso home to make it a one-run game and put the tying run on third. Rueben Livingston then hit a fly ball to right that Gries-Smith camped under and caught to close out the game and give the Mustangs the one-run victory.
 
Samuel Herrera helped the Mustangs in a big way on the mound, going 4.2 innings in relief to close out the game, allowing just one earned run with four strikeouts to pick up the win and improve to 3-1. Chris Campanella picked up the loss in relief for the Fighting Owls.
 
Vasquez finished 2-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and a double in the win. Urreta knocked in two runs and scored once himself in a 1-for-4 outing. De La Mota plated two runs and hit a triple that proved to be the game-winner, finishing 1-for-4 in the game. Gries-Smith and Rodriguez each batted 1-for-4 with a run in the game.
 
Game 4 of the Region 20 Championship tournament and a potential Game 5 have both been rescheduled for Monday, May 6. The first game of the day is set to begin at 12 p.m. The Mustangs need to win just one of the two games to claim the tournament title and the right to host the proceeding East District Championship series against the winner of Region 10.
 
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