By PAUL GOTHAM
HENRIETTA, N.Y. — After falling victim to a late-inning rally in Saturday’s opener, Monroe Community College turned the tables in the night cap.
The Tribune offense batted around in a six-run, sixth inning.
And Lucas Connors (Brampton, ON/Heart Lake) made sure the effort with the bats was enough for a win.
Connors (1-1) hurled three and a third hitless innings in relief for his first career win in black and gold as host MCC defeated Herkimer CC, 9-3 in Game 2 of an NJCAA doubleheader.
“My fastball was there, my curveball was there,” he said. “The fastball was carrying.”
The 6-foot-2 sophomore right-hander came out of the bullpen with a runner on third, two outs and Monroe trailing 3-2 in the fourth inning. He induced an infield pop up from the first batter he faced to retire the side.
“I wanted to throw strikes and let my defense do the work. I have faith in them and they came through like they always do.”
He set down 10 of the 11 batters he faced with a two-out walk in the sixth serving as his lone blemish on the day.
With the win, Monroe (7-5) snapped a four-game losing streak.
“He had late run on his fastball and was hitting with his breaking stuff,” said MCC head coach Dave Brust. “He had command. Ultimately with Lucas, he’s aggressive. He will go in there and challenge hitters.”
Joe Grzeskowiak (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) finished 2-for-3 in the game including a triple that sparked the six-run outburst.
With the game tied at three, pinch-hitter Lucas Brown (Toronto, ON/ Humberside Collegiate) worked a leadoff walk. Parker Zeiser (Victor, N.Y./Victor) followed with a ground-rule double, and Grzeskowiak gave the Tribs a lead they did not surrender with his second extra-base hit and first triple of the season.
Joe Grzeskowiak follows a Parker Zeiser ground-rule double with a two-run triple. No outs, bottom of the sixth: MCC 5-3 pic.twitter.com/4OVeXunqH6
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 30, 2024
Al Simons plates two with a single through the right side. No outs, bottom of the sixth: @MCCTribunes 8-3. pic.twitter.com/aC29AMBtcK
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 30, 2024
Lucas Connors comes out of the bullpen and retires the first batter he faces to leave a runner at third. Heading to the bottom of the fourth: Herkimer CC 3 @MCCTribunes 2 pic.twitter.com/kVjz61KfNl
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 30, 2024
“We talk about complementary baseball every day,” Brust said. “Your pitcher is throwing ahead, throwing strikes and getting weak outs. It keeps your defense playing and gives the offense a chance to get started. Then we’re not always playing from behind or playing when we’re tense. We had the opportunity with our offense and guys stepped up.”
“That’s a big piece of our instruction. It’s easier said than done. Any coach will tell you that. It’s a matter of giving the bats a chance.”
Joe Wintermute (Irondequoit, N.Y./Irondequoit) followed Grzeskowiak and put runners on the corners with a base on balls. Evan Brock (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases, and Al Simons (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) blew open the game with a single through the right side of the infield that brought home a pair of runs.
The Tribunes sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame.
“It’s amazing to watch our team hit, especially when they are getting barrels like that,” Connors said. “We were getting guys on base and moving them around.”
Simons walked in his previous appearance at the plate, had three RBI and a run scored. Wintermute singled and walked twice. Thomas Rebis (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Odyssey) drove in a run with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly. Julien Mendoza (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) walked and scored.
Jack Keagle (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) started and struck out three over 3.2 innings. The left-hander allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk.
Connor Sackett (Rochester, N.Y./Fairport) staked Monroe to 2-0 lead in the opener when the sophomore brought in Brock and Wintermute with a first-inning double.
Charles Sobaszek (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) limited Herkimer CC to an unearned run on four hits over 4.2 innings and left the game with a 2-1 lead.
Herkimer scored a combined seven runs in the sixth and seventh innings for an 8-3 win.
Sackett went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Wintermute was 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
Tobey Wright (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) went 1-for-3. Simons and Grzeskowiak had a single apiece in Game 1.
Herkimer’s Jaden Madrid (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena) singled and scored in the Generals’ win. The freshman second baseman singled and scored as well in Game 2.
MCC hosts Erie Community College for a doubleheader on Monday, April 1st. A 1 PM first pitch is scheduled at Tribune Field.
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