By Paul Casey Gotham
BATAVIA, NY — Jon Klein (Cheektowaga, NY/Cheektowaga) hurled a complete-game shutout as the Monroe Community College Tribunes rallied for a doubleheader split in Western New York Athletic Conference action at Genesee Community College.
Klein scattered five hits, striking out five while walking none for the 3-0 victory.
“He didn’t let them score,” Monroe coach Mike Kelly said of Klein’s effort. “The way our offense is going, that’s what we need.”
An opportunistic Monroe offense made good on the outing. The Tribunes put a run on the board during the first in the most unlikely of manners. Despite striking out four times and flying out once, the Tribunes pushed a run across the plate. Both Danny Mendick (Pittsford, NY/Mendon) and Ralph Alloco (Rochester, NY/McQuaid) reached on dropped third strikes. When the throw attempting to get Alloco sailed down the right field line, Mendick alertly scampered around the base paths for the run.
The Tribs added a run in the fourth again without the virtue of a base hit. Spencer Scorza (Penfield, NY/Penfield) and Frank Poerio (Gibsonis, PA/Hampton) each reached base being hit by a pitch. Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk) walked and Jalen Dennis (Rochester, NY/Aquinas) plated the run with his own bases loaded free pass.
Mendick and Scorza combined in the seventh for another run. Mendick reached on an error. After a stolen base, the second baseman came around on Scorza’s infield hit.
Klein never allowed the leadoff man on base en route to his team-leading fifth win of the season.
MCC dropped an 8-3 decision in the opener.
After falling behind 3-0, the Black and Gold rallied to tie the game in the sixth. Alloco led the stanza with a base hit. Brad Kaczka (Pittsford, NY/Sutherland) earned a free pass. Scorza plated Alloco with a single. Brian Dixon (East Amherst, NY/St. Joseph’s) brought home Kaczka and Scorza with a single.
Brandon Collins (Toronto, ON) capped a five-run sixth with a bases loaded triple. The hit completed a cycle for the infielder. Collins pushed GCC to a 1-0 lead in the third with a solo home run. Collins doubled in the first and singled in the fifth.
“They gave us a game. We gave them a game,” Kelly added. “Neither team earned a victory today.”
MCC stands at 16-18 on the season.
The two teams meet on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. on the MCC Campus.
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