By Paul Gotham
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Change can be a good thing. A pair of Tribunes proved that fact Wednesday afternoon. One made good on a new spot in the lineup while the other displayed an adjustment to his delivery.
Rayshelon Carolina (Willemstad, Curacao/St. Jozef Secondary) paced the offense as the Monroe Community College baseball team (13-8) swept (16-4/7-0) the Erie Community College Kats (6-12) in NJCAA action on Tribune Field.
Carolina responded to a new spot in the batting order by busting out of a mini slump with four hits and three RBI on the afternoon.
Usually Monroe’s leadoff man, the sophomore center fielder sparked a six-run second inning as Monroe broke open the first game.
“Í was kinda struggling for a couple of games,” Carolina said. “Just changed my batting stance a little bit and trying to get more comfortable at the plate.”
Batting out of the nine hole, Carolina took the first pitch he saw, slammed a single into center field and plated Angel Rosario (Bridgeport, CT/Bullard Havens) and Ryan Prevost (Greece, N.Y./Greece Athena).
“It was getting the bat closer to my body and letting the bat rest on my shoulder,” Carolina explained. “Just kinda keeping it close and putting the ball in play more.”
The 5-8 Carolina came into the game with just two hits in his last 13 at bats.
“Getting him started is going to help our offense,” coach Dave Brust said. “I have a lot of confidence in him.”
Carolina stole second and eventually scored on an error.
“He brings aggressiveness to the field for us,” Brust added. “That’s good for our younger players to see. He’s going to compete no matter what.”
Ellington Hopkins (Lansing, N.Y./Lansing) singled and eventually scored on a Tommy LaCongo (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) ground out as MCC took a 7-1 lead.
The Tribunes added five more in the third.
Rosario led with a single, stole second and scored when Prevost’s sacrifice bunt was mishandled. Hopkins delivered two runs with a base hit to right center, and LaCongo added another with a single up the middle.
Sjaghbar Martis (Willemstad, Curacao/Trinity Christian Academy) tripled home two more runs in a four-run fourth as the Tribs put the game out of a reach at 16-3.
“He’s solidified his role as a four-hitter,” Brust stated. “He’s not afraid to go up there and swing and miss.”
The freshman first baseman drove in a run in the first with a sacrifice fly and another run in the night cap with a ground-rule double.
“His true role is an RBI guy,” Brust continued. “He’s swinging the bat well. Get out of the way.”
Chevy Maira (Chili, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) came on with bases loaded and no outs in the fifth. The right-hander induced a ground ball for a double play and retired the next batter.
Cameron Scalzo (Webster,N.Y./Webster Thomas) hurled four shutout innings in the night cap for the win. Working out of a new arm slot, the sophomore right-hander struck out six and allowed three hits.
“I am throwing at three quarters,” Scalzo explained. “I was going over the top. I’ve been working on it for a week and a half, two weeks now, and it feels great. My two-seam has some movement on it with me dropping down my arm. It’s working pretty good.”
“We’ve done something with his mechanics,” Brust stated. “We had to get him more comfortable. There’s a little bit more movement out of his pitches now.”
David Lawrence (Brighton, N.Y./Brighton) came out of the bullpen and tossed two shutout innings.
“He’s got good stuff,” Brust said of his freshman hurler. “He’s tough to hit.”
Ryan Quackenbush (Honeoye Falls,N.Y./ Honeoye Falls-Lima) pitched a scoreless seventh.
Carolina singled home a run in the second. MCC added four in the third. LaCongo and Rosario each brought home runs, and Jon Simmons (Victor, N.Y./Victor) capped the inning with a sacrifice fly scoring LaCongo.
Carolina tripled to start the fourth and scored on a Hunter Merrill (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland) base hit through the right side of a drawn infield.
Monroe has won nine straight.
“It feels pretty good right now,” Carolina commented. “We’re winning a lot of games lately. Right now we’re hitting the ball more. We’re just clicking right now.”
Monroe opens WNYAC play when the Mercyhurst NE Saints come to town Thursday afternoon. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 pm.
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