By Paul Gotham
ERIE, PA – Tommy LaCongo (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) delivered a pair of two-out RBI hits, but the Monroe Community College Tribunes (24-25/3-9) fell twice in Region III Division II play at Jerry Uht Park, Friday.
Genesee Community College opened the tournament with a decisive 9-0 victory over Monroe. Mercyhurst NE Saints defeated MCC 5-4 and eliminated the Tribunes from post-season play.
LaCongo doubled home Rayshelon Carolina (Willemstad, Curacao/St. Jozef Secondary) in the first inning of the second game pacing the Tribs to an early 1-0.
The freshman catcher plated Connor Lewis (Brampton, Ontario/St. Marguerite d’Youville) in the third inning with a single through the left side of the infield. The Black and Gold led 2-0.
Mercyhurst pushed a run across in the bottom of the frame, tied the score in the sixth and grabbed the lead in the seventh.
The Saints took advantage of a Monroe error for their first run. Tyler Ocker (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) started the home half of the third with a single to center. AJ Thompson (Saegertown, PA/Linesville) reached when his sacrifice bunt attempt was mishandled. After Cameron Balego (Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic) reached on a hit by pitch, Austin Alonge (Westfield, N.Y./Westfield) drew a bases loaded walk.
Thompson singled home Sabatino DiNardo (Pittsburgh, PA/Central Catholic) with two outs in the sixth knotting the score at two.
Monroe generosity contributed to a two-run Mercyhurst eighth. Alonge reached on a hit by pitch to start the stanza. One-out later Keyshown D’Orso (Pittsburgh, PA/Alderice) singled to left. Alonge came around to score on a wild pitch and subsequent throwing error. Max Schrantz (Dunkirk, N.Y./Dunkirk) brought home D’Orso with a base hit to left.
Balego scored Ocker with one out in the eighth for what turned out to be the game-winner.
MCC briefly regained the lead in the seventh when Angel Rosario (Bridgeport, CT/Bullard Havens) doubled home Brett Sanders (Greece, N.Y./Greece Olympia).
Jimmy Latona (Churchville, N.Y./Churchville) started the ninth with a walk and moved to third with some heads up baserunning. The freshman infielder went with the pitch and advanced to third on the throw to get Hunter Merrill (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford-Sutherland). Latona scored on a Sanders sacrifice fly.
Tyler Slepski (Butler, PA/Butler) allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits over seven innings for the win. The left-hander struck out three and walked one.
GCC scored nine runs on 12 hits for the win in the tournament opener.
Adam Pratt (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia) struck out six and walked two over seven for the win. The sophomore retired seven straight from the third to the fifth. Monroe managed just three hits in game one and had multiple baserunners in just one inning.
Genesee scored four runs on five hits in the second and never looked back. The Cougars added a run in the fourth and took advantage of three Tribune errors to score two more in the fifth.
Mercyhurst and Genesee will meet to determine the regional champion.
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