By Paul Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY – Lock up the jewels. Put away the precious family heirlooms. Women and young children? Take shelter. Nothing is safe getting in between the Monroe Community College baseball team and victory.
Pinch-runner Cameron Scalzo (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) scampered home and capped a dramatic last at-bat rally as the MCC Tribunes (27-11/7-3) swept (10-4, 5-4) the Genesee Community College Cougars (18-9/3-6) in WNYAC action on Tribunes field Thursday afternoon.
After scoring just one run in the first six innings, Scalzo crossed the plate with Monroe’s fourth run in the seventh as the Tribunes won for the fourth time this season in the last at bat.
“It’s fun to watch,” said Monroe head coach Mike Kelly. “They don’t give themselves up. They don’t take at bats lightly from start to finish.”
Brad Kaczka (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland), Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk) and Spencer Scorza (Penfield, NY/Penfield) open the frame with three straight hits to load the bases. Angel Diaz (Humacao, PR/Geneva) chased Genesee starter, Malik Mitchell (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands) with a full count walk scoring the first run of the stanza.
Diaz gave way to Scalzo on the base paths, and Jalen Dennis (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) earned a free pass from Eric Villalobos (Cailes, PR) before AJ Kehlenbeck (Oakfield, NY/Oakfield-Alabama) beat out a cue shot in front of the plate to knot the game at four. The tie didn’t last long as Scalzo came home on a passed ball.
With the sweep the Tribunes clinch the top spot in next week’s Regional tournament.
“That was our one and only goal going into today and probably this whole week,” stated Danny Mendick (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon). “We got that and it’s time to move on and look forward to what’s ahead.”
Cass Roberts (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) labored through much of the outing allowing 10 hits and one walk, but the right-hander gave his offense a chance to work.
“That was a tough game,” Roberts noted. “That was really tough. We’re a late-game team. You got to play a full seven innings to beat us, man.”
Roberts struck out three for his third win of the season.
Monroe’s defense kept the game close throughout. Dennis made a pair of back-handed stops over the bag at third trimming GCC in the fifth. Scorza and Kehlenbeck combined on 3-2-3 double play in the sixth, and Mendick went deep in the hole at short to take away a run in the second.
“Our infield knocks down so many balls,” Roberts commented. “They make so many plays.”
Monroe tacked a run on the board in the third when Scorza plated Kazcka on a single up the middle.
But the Cougars inched ahead scoring single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh setting up the last inning fireworks of the Black and Gold.
Jimmy Gutowski (Rochester, NY/Gates-Chili) went the distance for his team-leading fifth win of the season, and the Tribunes pounded out 10 runs on 13 hits to take the opener.
Kaczka and Scorza highlighted a six-run third with two RBI apiece as the Tribs erased a 4-2 deficit.
Kehlenbeck sparked the Tribs with a one-out single. Mendick walked. Brett Sanders (Greece, NY/Greece Olympia) loaded the bases when his sacrifice was mishandled. Rayshelon Carolina (Willemstad, Curacao/St. Jozef Secondary) brought home a run with a free pass. Kaczka singled and scored two. Bomasuto drove home Carolina with a base hit, and Scorza completed the six pack with a double.
Gutowski struck out two, walked four and scattered eight hits.
Scorza finished 4-of-8 on the afternoon with a double, two runs scored and four RBI.
Bomasuto had three hits in six trips with a double, two walks, three runs and two RBI.
Kehlenbeck knocked four hits in eight appearances at the plate scoring a run and driving in two.
Mendick went 3-6 with a run and a walk.
Kaczka scored four runs on two hits and three walks. The sophomore infielder also brought home a pair.
The same two teams meet Saturday at Genesee CC. A 1 p.m. first pitch is scheduled.
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