By Paul Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY — David Lawrence (Brighton, N.Y./Brighton) hurled a complete game in the opener, and timely hitting sealed the sweep as the Monroe Community College Tribunes (11-8) took a pair (9-1/2-1) from the Finger Lakes Community College Lakers (6-8) in NJCAA action at Tribune Field Thursday.
Lawrence struck out two, walked one and allowed one earned run on five hits.
“I was just trusting my stuff and throwing strikes,” Lawrence said. “I just tried to get ground balls. I knew I had a great defense behind me.”
The right-hander retired the first eight batters he faced and did not allow a base hit until a one-out bloop single in the fourth.
“I was trying to get all twenty-one,” the 6-2, 180 pound freshman said. “That’s my mindset.”
Lawrence got 15 ground ball outs.
“He’s got number one (in the rotation) stuff,” Monroe coach Dave Brust commented. “This is all new for him. He’s doing what he’s supposed to.”
Monroe scored in each of the first three innings. Sjaghbar Martis (Willemstad, Curacao/Trinity Christian Academy) collected two hits and two RBI including a sacrifice fly in the third as the Tribunes blew the game open.
“Hard work every day in the PAC (Field House), those late nights pay off,” Martis said. “Just stick to the plan, keep working and it pays off.”
Martis plated Jimmy Latona (Chili, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) with a fly ball. The first of three runs in the third.
“‘Shock’ has matured,” Brust noted. “He’s taking care of being a first baseman. He’s taking control.”
Latona led the frame with a walk. After a stolen base, he moved to third when Ellington Hopkins (Lansing, N.Y./Lansing) beat out a bunt inside the third-base line. Connor Lewis (Brampton, Ontario/St. Marguerite d’Youville) delivered Hopkins with a single up the middle and eventually scored on a passed ball.
Monroe led 5-0.
Brett Sanders (Greece, N.Y./Greece Olympia) and Ryan Prevost (Greece, N.Y./Greece Athena) both drove in runs with base hits in a three-run fifth.
Martis tripled into left center to start the sixth and scored on a Lewis base hit.
Latona reached in the first on a one-out infield base hit and scored on a two-out rap by Martis.
Sanders reached in the third on a one-out bunt single and moved to third on a passed ball. Prevost pushed the run across the dish with an RBI ground out.
Lawrence is 2-1 on the season.
In the nightcap, a Mike DiStefano (Greece, N.Y./Greece Athena) one-out single in the fourth proved the winner. Lewis doubled into left field to start the stanza, one of three hits on the afternoon for the freshman shortstop.
“Connor Lewis can swing the bat,” Brust commented. “He’s got gap power. The quality of his at bats have improved.”
Lewis moved 90 feet on an Angel Rosario (Bridgeport, CT/Bullard Havens) ground ball to the right side of the infield and easily scored on DiStefano’s hit.
Tommy LaCongo (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) singled and advanced to second on an error to start the third. Hunter Merrill (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford-Sutherland) moved the runner with a sacrifice bunt. LaCongo scored on a Hopkins RBI ground ball.
Blaine Farrell (Marysville, Ontario/St. Theresa Catholic) started and went four innings for the win. The southpaw struck out four and walked none.
Austin Speaker (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Starpoint) worked a pair of scoreless innings in relief. The right-hander set down the last four he faced.
Tom Mastrodonato (Penfield, N.Y./Aquinas) retired all three batters he faced for his first save of the season.
Matt Weinberg (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville South) doubled inside the third-base bag to score Max Franzone (Nanuet), N.Y./Trinity Pawling) as FLCC tied the score in the fourth.
Derick Fera (Lyons, N.Y./Lyons) took the loss. The sophomore struck out three and walked one over six full.
Monroe has won seven straight. The Tribunes host four doubleheaders next week including the WNYAC opener on Tuesday against Genesee Community College.
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