Monroe season ends with loss in regional final

By Paul Casey Gotham

BATAVIA, NY — A weekend which started with so much promise for the Monroe Community College Tribunes ended in defeat.

The Mercyhurst NE Saints pounded out 12 hits and took advantage of some untimely Tribune defensive miscues to capture the Region III Division II title 8-4 on Sunday.

The Saints pushed three runs across in the first and fourth innings to fight off a resilient MCC nine.

Tim Denman (Beaver Falls, PA/Blackhawk) plated a pair in the first with a single up the middle.  Tyler Fisher (Erie, PA/ Villa Maria) came around to score. An outfield error allowed Shane Wagner (New Wilmington, PA/Wilmington) to score from first.

Mercyhurst added a run in the third on a single, stolen base, sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.

Down 4-1 in the fourth, the Tribunes battled back. Ralph Alloco (Rochester, NY/McQuaid) went opposite field with the first pitch of the stanza. He advanced to third on a hit-and-run single by Brad Kaczka (Pittsford, NY/ Sutherland).  Alloco scored on fly ball to center field by Brian Dixon (East Amherst, NY/St. Joseph’s). Kaczka moved to second on the play and eventually to third on an errant pick-off attempt at second. Spencer Scorza (Penfield, NY/Penfield) made it a 4-3 game with a RBI sacrifice fly.

But Mercyhurst responded.

Fisher and Joe Lauria (Erie, PA/ Cathedral Prep) knocked back-to-back one-out singles. The Tribunes appeared to be out of the inning on a  Denman ground ball, but a controversial play at second resulted in an error, and two runs scored on the play. It appeared that runner interference occurred, but none was called.  Denman came around to score on a single, and the Saints led 7-3.

Monroe threatened in the sixth. Dixon singled with two outs. Scorza reached on an error, and the pair advanced on the throw. But the Black and Gold could not take advantage.

Kaczka worked a one-out walk in the eight and moved to second on a ground ball by Dixon. Scorza plated the run with a bloop single that landed just inside the right field line. That would be Monroe’s final run of the season.

Scorza went 2-4 with two RBI.

Dixon went 1-3 on the day and 9-16 for the weekend.

Kaczka had a hit, a walk and two runs scored.

Monroe finishes the season 20-24.

Monroe’s Jon Klein (Cheektowaga, NY/ Cheektowaga) gave up one run in 10 innings of work to earn Most Valuable Pitcher.

Mercyhurst’s Denman earned Most Valuable Position Player.