By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Two days after leaving eight runners on base including six in scoring position over nine innings, the bats of Monroe Community College unloaded 25 hits in a doubleheader sweep (14-0/14-1) of Jefferson Community College in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) action from Tribune Field on Saturday.
Carter Higgins (Truro, Nova Scotia/Cobequid Educational Centre) and Tobey Wright (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta HS) combined for five RBI and three runs scored as the Tribunes pasted a 13-spot on the scoreboard in the first inning of Game 1. Wright plated Miguel Matos (Rochester, N.Y./East HS) with a one-out triple, and Higgins followed suit with a two-run double that scored Parker Zeiser (Victor, N.Y./Victor HS) and Evan Brock (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta HS).
MCC sent 17 to the plate in the inning.
“We had a chance to play free, pressure-less baseball,” said MCC head coach Dave Brust. “It’s nice to see them take advantage of that.”
Chuckie Sobaszek made the offensive outburst stand.
The sophomore left-hander struck out seven without issuing a walk and scattered three hits over five innings of the mercy-rule shortened affair.
Sobaszek picked off a runner at first in the second then gained the benefit of a double-play in the third. He faced one over the minimum and threw 36 of his 46 total pitches for strikes. He improved to 3-3 on the season.
“Chuckie pitched ahead,” Brust said. “That’s what we wanted to see from him. He had two innings where he threw nothing but strikes. He was ready to go.”
Wright finished 2-for-3 with a walk, three RBI and two runs scored in the win. Higgins later added a triple as part of his 2-3 effort. The sophomore outfielder also crossed home.
Brock was 2-2 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored. Michael Sardou (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili HS) reached base three times with a pair of singles, a walk, two RBI and a run scored.
On Thursday, the Tribunes fell to Niagara County Community College and MLB pitching prospect, Matt Barr, 5-2. That was one day after a one-run win over Erie CC.
Those two contests created an edge that showed itself in Saturday’s sweep.
“The Erie game was 7-6, a nail-biter,” Brust said. “Then you play Niagara and you’re facing a kid who’s potentially a third-round round draft pick. They competed very well. It was nice for them to have an opportunity to hit today. That is not a given. We’ve gone through this before where we’ve had situations where the pitching wasn’t strong and not done very well. Nice to see us cash in on the opportunity.”
Jadon Wanat (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville North) doubled and scored. Braedon Reina (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili HS) collected a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Matos walked twice and came around to score twice. Jack Duggan (Georgetown, ON./Georgetown District) singled and scored.
Matos fanned six over four innings in Game 2 and improved to 4-2. The freshman right-hander allowed one run on one hit and one walk.
Vincent Morabito (Groton, CT/Fitch HS) fanned one in a scoreless inning of relief.
“The pitching was really the difference,” Brust said of his staff which issued one walk over 10 innings and threw 67 percent of its pitches for strikes. “We threw strikes. We competed on the mound today.”
Reina and Wright drove in four runs apiece in the nightcap. Reina connected on a bases-clearing double to highlight an 11-run fourth.
Wright also doubled as part of a 2-4 performance with a run scored. Higgins went 2-3 with a double, home run and two runs scored. Duggan was 2-3 with a two-bagger, a walk, three runs scored and an RBI. Paul Fiene (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem HS North) doubled, walked and scored twice.
“It was nice to see them do what they were supposed to do,” Brust said. “They’re at home. They’re playing against pitching that’s not as strong as a kid who’s going to go in the draft. Here was a chance to play free, but you still got to be disciplined. You have to have good at-bats because when they’re gone, you can’t get ‘em back. You own them for the rest of your life. Get your money’s worth and have good at-bats. They handled it very well today.”
Sardou was 2-2 with a double, walk, two RBI and two runs scored. Brock went 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Monroe (23-15) closes the regular season on the road Wednesday with a nine-inning game against Cayuga Community College. First pitch at Falcon Park is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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