By Paul Casey Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY — Another day and another doubleheader trade-off for the Monroe Community College Tribunes.
Luis Diaz (Geneva, NY/Geneva) sparked a two-run fifth-inning rally as the Tribunes trimmed Erie Community College 4-3 in the second game of an afternoon double dip at Monroe Community College.
Trailing by one with one out in the frame, Diaz reached base when he was hit by a pitch. The sophomore stole second and third before Cody Mombourquette (Ottawa, ONT/Colonel by St. Matthews) plated the run with a safety squeeze bunt. The Tribs struck with their fourth run as Adam Urschel (Clarence, NY/Clarence) came home on Joel Rowe’s (Clear Spring, MD/ Clear Spring) ground out to first base.
Ben Gielow (Webster, NY/Webster-Schroeder) hurled six and a third for the win. After surrendering two runs in the first, the left-hander limited ECC to one unearned on four hits. Gielow fanned three to improve to 2-2 on the campaign.
Kevin Johnson (Webster, NY/Webster-Thomas) retired the two batters he faced for his seventh save on the ledger.
MCC put a pair across the dish in the bottom of the first. Johnson worked a base on balls, stole second and third and advanced to home when the throw sailed down the left field line. Diaz followed with a single through the left side of the infield, stole second and moved to third on a wildpitch. When a swinging third strike got away from the catcher, Diaz came home.
A four-run fourth doomed the Tribs in the opener as ECC won 5-4.
A.J. Kehlenbeck (Oakfield, NY/Oakfield-Alabama) led the third with an opposite field double down the right field line. Bobby Frantz (Webster, NY/Webster-Thomas) followed with a sacrifice bunt before Johnson cashed the run with a sacrifice fly to left center.
The Black and Gold rallied for two in the sixth. Mombourquette scored on Renaud’s ground ball to the right side of the infield. Gielow and Wes Hoppner (Ottawa, ONT/Holy Trinity) slapped back-to-back singles before a pair of wild pitches brought Gielow home.
Monroe plated another in the seventh when Renaud’s single inside the bag at first delivered Diaz. But the rally came up short.
Diaz went 4-5 with two walks, five stolen bases and three runs scored on the afternoon. The sophomore went 7-10 over the weekend swiping six bags and scoring four runs.
Kehlenbeck, Mombourquette and Renaud rapped two hits apiece. Kehlenbeck threw out a pair of runners from behind the plate.
Nick Bunce had a RBI. Johnson scored a run and drove in one.
MCC is 17-7 for the season. The Tribs host Onondaga CC on Tuesday.
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