By Paul Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY – More than 1,300 miles separate the campus of Monroe Community College from David Allen Memorial Ballpark, the site of the NJCAA Division II World Series, in Enid, Oklahoma.
The distance got a little further Sunday afternoon for the MCC baseball team.
Matt Greene (New London, CT) and Matt Martinez (New Britain, CT) paced an opportunistic offense as the University of Connecticut Avery Point Pointers (38-8) clinched the NJCAA East District championship with a 12-7 victory over the Monroe Community College Tribunes (33-15).
Greene and Martinez both took advantage of a favorable wind as the Pointers advanced to NJCAA World Series.
Avery Point grabbed a commanding lead on Greene’s three-run home run in a four-run fourth. Martinez provided insurance with a two-run blast in the seventh.
Monroe played from behind almost the entire afternoon. By virtue of three free passes, the Tribunes loaded the bases in the first but could not convert the chance.
MCC received two more base on balls in the second only to go away empty-handed again.
Matt Harrison (Newton, CT) tripled home a pair of runs in the second to set Pointers in motion. Martinez and Christian Mayhew (Brooklyn, CT) plated two more with a pair of doubles in the third.
Monroe showed signs of life in the top-half of the fourth. Jalen Dennis (Rochester, NY/ Aquinas Institute) and Danny Mendick (Pittsford, NY/ Pittsford Mendon) chased Avery Point starter, Alex Roger (Southington, CT). Angel Rosario (Bridgeport, CT/ Bullard Havens) dropped a sacrifice bunt on the first pitch from Edgard Santiago (New London, CT). When the throw to first sailed into foul territory, Dennis scampered home, and the Tribunes had runners in scoring position without any outs.
Rayshelon Carolina (Willemstad, Curacao/St. Jozef Secndary) hit a cue shot off the end of his bat. The speedy runner caused an errant throw allowing Mendick to score, but Rosario was thrown out at the plate. Carolina moved 90 feet on a Brad Kaczka (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland) single and tied the game at four on a ground ball by Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk, NY/ Dunkirk).
The momentum was short-lived. Avery Point took the lead for good in the bottom half.
Avery Point stretched their advantage in the sixth. Nick DeLotto (Southbury, CT) delivered two runs with a bases loaded single.
Martinez made it a 12-4 game with his second home run in as many games.
Bomasuto connected on a three-run bomb in the eighth to narrow the gap. Carolina and Kaczka scored on the play.
Monroe plated a run in the third. Kaczka led with a walk, stole second, moved to third on a Bomasuto fly ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Spencer Scorza (Penfield, NY/ Penfield).
The Tribs appeared to have avoided trouble in the fourth on a ground ball to the right side. Scorza made the play and tossed to Zack Melino (Rochester, NY/Gates-Chili) who looked to have been on time, but the runner was called safe. It would have been the second out of the inning. The next batter, Martinez, scored a run on a sacrifice fly. Greene followed with the eventual difference in the game.
Kaczka had two hits in three trips with two walks and two runs scored.
Carolina crossed the plate twice.
Bomasuto drove in four. The round-tripper was his second of the season.
AJ Kehlenbeck (Oakfield, NY/ Oakfield-Alabama) collected two hits.
The loss ends Monroe’s season.
Avery Point moves on to the NJCAA World Series which takes place in Enid, Oklahoma May 25th to June 1st.
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