MCC does yard work to win fifth straight

By PAUL GOTHAM

Through the first 14 games of the 2023 campaign, the bats of Monroe Community College Baseball failed to connect on a home run.

A trio of hitters changed that statistic Saturday afternoon.

Avery Bowens (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge), Lucas Brown (Toronto, ON/Humberside Collegiate Institute) and CJ Phelps (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) collected their first round-trippers of the season as Monroe defeated host Anne Arundel Community College, 12-4 in NJCAA action from Arnold, Maryland.

Bowens, Brown and Phelps combined for six RBI in a seven-run seventh as the Tribunes (8-7) pulled away for their fifth straight win.

Leading 5-3, Brown started the frame with a solo shot to right field. One out later, Patrick May (Baldwinsville, N.Y./ C.W. Baker) doubled and eventually moved to third on a Tobey Wright (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) base hit. Dylan Wanat (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville North) drove in a run with a single through, and Phelps followed with a blast to center field.

Joe Grzeskowiak (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) singled before Bowens put the game out of reach at 12-3 with a shot to center.

Zach Allen (Greece, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) struck out seven out over five innings to pick up the win. The 6-foot-4 right-hander allowed three runs on six hits and a walk. He registered his fourth win in as many starts.

Allen retired five of the first seven batters and worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third allowing just one run.

Patrick Sherron (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) fanned two over two innings of relief work.

Wanat paced a 16-hit attack going 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI. Phelps also doubled and walked as part of a 2-for-4 effort.

May was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Wright and Grzeskowiak had two hits and scored a run apiece.

Bowens and Brown both went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Brown walked twice.

Alex Simons (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) singled and scored twice. Connor Kiefer (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors) walked and had an RBI.

Monroe’s slugging continued in Game 2 of the scheduled doubleheader when Bowens connected on a first-inning grand slam. Grzeskowiak, Wanat and Connor Sackett (Rochester, N.Y./Fairport High) scored on the play.

The game was suspended (and will not be completed) due to lightning during the second inning with MCC leading 5-2.