By Paul Gotham
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Chevy Maira (Chili, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) came out of the bullpen and picked up his second win of the season as the Monroe Community College Tribunes (17-12/2-2) recovered for a doubleheader split (6-7/13-4) with the Alfred State Pioneers (3-17) at Tribune Field, Tuesday afternoon.
Maira struck out four and walked none over four-plus shutout innings.
“I was getting ahead and throwing strikes right out of the gate,” the 6-2 sophomore said. “First pitch strikes really help.”
From the fourth inning on the right-hander did not allow a runner past first base.
“I was keeping them off-balance,” Maira said of his first-pitch approach. “Mixing a fastball to one hitter and maybe a curve ball on my first to the next batter.”
Maira induced six ground ball outs including a double play to go with two infield pop ups.
“He’s a sophomore, and he pitched like it,” Monroe coach Dave Brust said. “He performed when called upon. That was really good to see.”
With Maira holding the Alfred bats in check, Ellington Hopkins (Lansing, N.Y./Lansing) and Rayshelon Carolina (Willemstad, Curacao/St. Jozef Secondary) sparked a six-run fourth as the Monroe put the game out of reach.
Angel Rosario (Bridgeport, CT./Bullard Havens) started the surge with when he took advantage of a misplay in right field and advanced to third. Hopkins followed with an inside-the-park home run into the right center gap chasing Alfred starter, Ryan Hierlwimmer (Livonia, N.Y./Livonia).
Connor Lewis (Brampton, Ontario/St. Marguerite d’Youville) walked. Tommy Lacongo (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) singled through the left side. After a double steal on a wild pitch brought home one, Jimmy Latona (Chili,N.Y./Churchville-Chili) reached on a hit by pitch, and Carolina went opposite field with a triple into the left center gap.
Ryan Prevost (Greece, N.Y./Greece Athena) capped the frame with an RBI base hit to center field. It was one of three hits on the day for the freshman who doubled and scored in the first game and connected on a solo shot to left center in the sixth inning of the night cap.
Monroe led 12-6 going into the fifth.
After starting the season 3-of-25, Prevost has five hits in his last ten at bats including four extra-base hits.
“He’s certainly been working on it,” Brust said of Prevost. “He’s been struggling. Ryan Prevost probably never hit .200 or below in his life. With our guys, the struggles are going to make them better in the long run.”
Latona paced the Tribunes to an early advantage with a two-out bases loaded triple in the home half of the first.
“I was just thinking that I got to put the ball in play,” Latona stated. “I’ve been struggling a little bit lately. So I was just trying to hit the ball hard, and it will find a gap. It was a change-up over the plate, so I came out and smashed it.”
Jordan Wheaton (Wayland,N.Y./Wayland-Cohocton) and Tom Banicky (Orson, N.Y./Hancock) plated runs in the seventh as the Pioneers came from behind to defeat the Tribunes in game one.
Trailing 6-5 going into their final at bat, Wheaton, who played with the Hornell Dodgers of the New York Collegiate Baseball League last summer, plated Stephen Golembiewski (East Otto, N.Y./Cattaraugus) with a double to left center, and Banicky delivered the game-winner with a one out base hit through the right side of the infield.
Wheaton and Cullen Franz (Cazenovia, N.Y./Cazenovia) drove in runs as the Pioneers jumped to a 5-0 lead after the second inning.
The Tribunes responded with single runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth before taking the lead in the sixth.
With Tim Segrue (Mendon, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) on first, Prevost and Carolina connected on back—to-back two baggers for a 6-5 Tribune edge.
The lead was short-lived.
Brady Sass (Caledonia, N.Y./Caledonia-Mumford) picked up the win in relief.
Rosario finished 3-8 on the day with four runs scored. Going back to Sunday’s doubleheader sweep of conference rival Genesee Community College, the sophomore outfielder connected on triples in three of four at bats.
“He’s found his stroke and re-built his confidence,” Brust noted. “When Angel wasn’t swinging the bat well, he stayed in the lineup because he was playing defense well.”
Hopkins drove in four with a pair of hits and added two stolen bases.
Jon Simmons (Victor, N.Y./Victor) doubled, walked and scored two runs in the opener.
Lewis walked twice and stole two bases.
Follow @pickinsplinters for in-game updates.
Paul Gotham is the founder, owner, editor and lead writer at Pickin’ Splinters. Paul is the Communications and Media Director of the New York Collegiate Baseball League. He is a contributor at USA Today and member of the USBWA. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PickinSplinters
Leave a Reply