By Paul Casey Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY – For the second time in as many outings, Jon Klein (Cheektowaga, NY/ Cheektowaga) earned victory. Nate Harris (Pittsford, NY/McQuaid), on the other hand, shouldered a second straight tough-luck loss.
Klein worked six and a third as the Monroe Community College Tribunes defeated the Mercyhurst Saints 8-6 in the opener of a home regional doubleheader on East Henrietta Road.
Klein struck out four and held Mercyhurst scoreless through the first four frames.
Frank Poerio (Gibsonia, PA/ Hampton) capped a five-run first with a home run over the left center field fence.
Bobby Frantz (Webster, NY/ Webster Thomas) led with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Danny Mendick (Pittsford, NY/Mendon). A Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk) bloop single down the right field line put runners on the corner. Frantz scored on an errant throw at first.
Brad Kaczka (Pittsford, NY/Sutherland) worked a base on balls. Spencer Scorza (Penfield, NY/ Penfield) kept the inning alive with a two-out, two-strike RBI single up the middle scoring Ralph Alloco (Rochester, NY/McQuaid) on the play. Poerio followed with a three-run blast for the early lead.
Monroe added three in the fourth.
Brian Dixon (East Amherst, NY/St. Joseph’s), Frantz and Bomasuto walked the bases loaded. Dixon scored on a balk, and Alloco plated a pair with a two-out single up the middle.
Mercyhurst scored two in the fourth, the second on a double steal. The Saints added three in the fifth on three-run home run by Joe Lauria (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep).
Lauria doubled home another in the seventh off reliever Jimmy Gutowski (Rochester, NY/Gates-Chili). Cody Petre (Letchworth, NY/Letchworth) retired both batters he faced for the save.
Mercyhurst rallied for a 3-2 victory in the night cap.
After retiring nine straight and allowing three base runners through five, Harris made just one bad pitch. Unfortunately, that mistake went arm in arm with poor timing.
The Saints led the sixth with an opposite-field double that caught in the wind and tailed away from Bomasuto in left. A sacrifice bunt gave Lauria a chance at another RBI on the afternoon. But an intentional walk put runners on first and third for Shane Wagner (New Wilmington, PA/New Wilmington) who delivered with a three-run blast. It was the only pitch that Harris hung over the plate all day.
The Black and Gold rallied in the bottom of the stanza.
Jalen Dennis (Rochester, NY/Aquinas) rapped a two-out pinch hit single. Bomasuto followed and took a full-count pitch deep, and the Tribs were within one.
MCC looked poised for a walk-off sweep. Kaczka singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Poerio connected again with a shot to deep left center field. But Tim Denman (Beaver Falls, PA/ Beavercreek) was equal to the task with a spectacular grab off the fence. Monroe made one effort. Dixon singled with two outs moving Kaczka to third, but the Tribunes could not convert.
Klein went the distance as Monroe beat Genesee CC 1-0 last Thursday. Harris allowed two runs in the first before setting down nine of ten in a 2-1 loss.
MCC is 12-16. The Tribunes host Alfred State in the first annual H. David Chamberlain Invitational. First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 10 a.m.
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