By Paul Casey Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY — Despite a sterling performance by a trio of pitchers the Monroe Community College Tribunes dropped a home double-header to the Erie Community College Kats 10-0 and 4-0. Jon Klein (Cheektowaga), Cody Petre (Letchworth) and Jimmy Gutowski (Gates-Chili) combined for seven no-hit innings before the Kats struck four times in the eighth of the night cap to complete the sweep.
Klein struck out three, walked one and hit one over three shutout innings in the second game. The sophomore right-hander faced the minimum through the first two stanzas retiring the side in the second with a strike ’em out, throw ’em double play as Brian Dixon (St. Joseph’s) threw out Jesse Zellner (Tonawanda) at second.
Petre retired all nine batters he faced. The southpaw struck out four to keep the Tribunes close.
ECC did not get a ball to the outfield until the seventh – a routine fly ball for an out. Gutowski set down three in a row, but the Tribs’ failed to take advantage.
Gutowski induced a weak pop up to start the eighth, but the ball was mishandled giving the Kats a lead runner for the first time in the game. After a sacrifice bunt, ECC had a runner in scoring position, and the Tribs responded with an intentional walk to set up the infield force. Gutowski appeared to avert the threat when he got a weak pop-up in foul territory, but the ball was dropped.
ECC capitalized on the chance with a walk to load the bases, and then Travis Denman (Sweet Home) delivered with the Kats’ first hit of the game through a drawn infield scoring Zellner with the eventual game-winner.
Dylan Huch (Gowanda) followed with another single scoring two more. Joe Pantano (St. Francis) capped the rally with another RBI hit.
The Tribunes left seven on base through the first five innings. In the seventh, Zach Salvia (Pittsford Sutherland) led with a pinch-hit base on balls. Eliecer Carrera (Franklin) pinch ran, and Bobby Frantz (Webster Thomas) executed the sacrifice bunt giving MCC a chance to win, but the Tribs failed to convert.
In the opener, Erie put four on the board in the first on three hits and two walks and never looked back. The Kats added a four-spot in the third and single runs in the fifth and seventh.
MCC had five hits and left seven on base in the first game.
Brad Kaczka (Pittsford Sutherland) went 3-3 with a double in the opener.
Ralph Alloco (McQuaid) finished 3-4 in the night cap.
Danny Mendick (Pittsford Mendon) reached base six times in eight trips to the plate for the afternoon. The freshman infielder worked four base on balls along with reaching on an error and being hit by a pitch.
Carrera was 1-2 with a walk.
MCC falls to 2-4.
The Tribunes host the Intercounty Terriers for pair on Sunday the 11th. The first game is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start.
Alfred State comes to East Henrietta Road on Saturday the 17th for a double dip.
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