By Paul Casey Gotham
BATAVIA, NY — The task was straightforward: win every inning.
Perhaps the MCC nine didn’t win every inning. They didn’t lose any either.
A quartet of pitchers hurled nothing but zeroes as the Monroe Community College Tribunes advanced to the championship round of the Region III Division II Tournament with an 8-0 victory over Mercyhurst NE and a 5-0 triumph of Genesee Community College.
Jon Klein (Cheektowaga, NY/Cheektowaga) went the distance in the opener for the win. The right-hander scattered six hits striking out five while walking just one.
Monroe got all the runs it needed in the first. Danny Mendick (Pittsford, NY/ Mendon) reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced on a wild pitch before Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk) brought him home with a sacrifice.
MCC added a run in the sixth. Pat Moore (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) singled and stole second. Mendick plated the run with a base hit.
Moore sparked a three-run seventh. The sophomore outfielder delivered with a two-out, two-RBI hit bringing around Brian Dixon (East Amherst, NY/St. Joseph’s) and Brad Kaczka (Pittsford, NY/ Sutherland).
The Tribs put the game out of reach in the eighth. Spencer Scorza (Penfield, NY/ Penfield) added an exclamation point with a two-out three-run home run. Ralph Alloco (Rochester, NY/ McQuaid) and Bomasuto scored on the blast.
The win was Klein’s sixth of the season and third shutout. He started the game with an ERA of 1.72. He has given up 17 runs in 53 innings of work on the campaign.
Nate Harris (Pittsford, NY/ McQuaid) hurled six and two-thirds of shutout ball for the win in the second. The sophomore struck out two, walked one and surrendered four hits. He retired 10 of 11 between the third and sixth frames.
The Tribs jumped to an early lead. Scorza’s one-out single plated Kaczka in the second for the advantage.
Monroe put another run on the board in the fourth. Kaczka reached on a one-out bunt single. Dixon put runners on the corners with a single through the right side of the infield. Moore loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch. One out later, Frank Poerio (Gibsonia, PA/ Hampton) brought home Kaczka with a single in the hole between third and short.
Monroe added insurance in its final at bat. Dixon led with a double off the fence in left field. Scorza followed with an infield single. Two infield hits later, and the Black and Gold had the final margin of victory.
Tyler Wilson (Pittsford, NY/ Mendon) came on in the seventh with runners on first and second. One pitch later, the right-hander ended the threat inducing a weak ground ball which Alloco easily fielded at short and flipped to Mendick covering the bag at second. Wilson retired the side in order in the eighth.
Cody Petre (Letchworth, NY/ Letchworth) kept the string alive in the ninth setting down all three batters he faced. The appearance was Petre’s 14th of the year.
Scorza went 3-7 with four RBI and two runs scored for the afternoon.
Alloco added three hits in six at bats crossing the dish twice.
Kaczka had three hits in seven trips with two stolen bases, three runs scored and a sacrifice.
Dixon went 4-8 with a run scored.
With the wins, Monroe moves within one victory of the school’s 23rd Region III Title. The two wins represent the first occasion since April 14th the Tribs have taken a pair on the same day.
Jimmy Gutowski (Rochester, NY/ Gates-Chili) gets the ball tomorrow. The freshman is 2-1 in six starts with an ERA of 3.78. A 4 p.m. first pitch is scheduled.
Mercyhurst and GCC play at 1 p.m. for a spot in the championship.
Tomorrow’s games will be played on the GCC campus.
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