By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Paul Fiene (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem High) delivered a pair of key hits while Miguel Matos (Rochester, N.Y./East High) turned in his longest outing of the season, and Monroe Community College Baseball (13-9) swept a doubleheader (10-5/11-1) against Genesee CC (14-15) in National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA) action, Saturday from Tribune Field.
Fiene’s bases-clearing triple in the third inning of Game 1 erased a deficit and gave the Tribunes a lead they did not surrender. The sophomore outfielder/designated hitter followed with a three-run home run in the nightcap.
“Those were key RBI situations,” said MCC head coach Dave Brust. “It was good to see Paul do what he does best.”
Trailing 2-0 in Game 1, Braedon Reina (Rochester, N.Y/Churchville-Chili) reached base on a two-out error. Evan Brock (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) singled, and Matos walked to load the bases for Fiene.
In Game 2, Fiene connected on a three-run home run in the fourth inning to help secure a mercy-rule shortened win. The round-tripper was the third of the season for Feine who also has five doubles along with the three-bagger from the opening game.
“He’s an extra-base hit guy,” Brust said. “Nice to see him starting to turn the corner.”
Matos made good on the offensive production.
The first-year right-hander struck out eight and went the distance in the five-inning game while allowing one run on three hits and three walks
“The theme of our staff has been struggling to have command, especially fastball command,” Brust said. “It was good to see Miguel, who has been taking instruction and continues to work at it, have that work show up in the game.”
Matos set down the first five batters he faced before surrendering a two-out single in the second. He went on to retire nine of 10 batters from the end of the second into the fifth.
“Miguel refocused during the week after a lot of discussion and reps. He was able to get back to fastball command which every pitcher has to have.”
He improved to 3-1 on the season. His longest previous outing was 3.1 innings in a loss to Glendale Community College on March 6th.
“I’d liked to see the staff learn from what he did today, and hopefully Miguel continues on that path.”
Matos also went 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and a run scored in Game 2. Reina walked, scored a run and drove in another. Brock had an RBI and scored a run.
Tobey Wright (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) singled, walked twice, scored two runs and also drove in a run. Carter Higgins (Truro, Nova Scotia/Cobequid Educational Centre) finished 1-3 with a run scored. Parker Zeiser (Victor, N.Y/Victor HS) was 1-2 with a walk and a run scored. Jadon Wanat (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville North) singled and scored. Michael Sardou (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) walked twice and scored twice.
Brennan Hileman (Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier) struck out four and walked four over five innings of work to pick up the win in Game 1. The first-year right-hander allowed three runs (two earned) two hits and improved to 3-1 on the season.
Jack Keagle (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) registered his second save on the season striking out four over two innings.
Wright finished 2-3 with a double and two RBI in the win. Wanat was 2-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Sardou doubled, walked, drove in a run and scored twice. Brock was 1-2 with two walks and two runs scored. Higgins singled and drove in a run.
“The objective is to be aggressive early in the count,” Brust said. “We want to win the 0-0 count and the 1-1 counts. Those are the big counts for us. I thought we did a pretty good job with that.”
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