By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Evan Brock (Rochester, N.Y. /Rush-Henrietta HS) connected on a bases-clearing double that proved to be the game winner as host Monroe Community College (25-15) defeated UConn-Avery Point, 5-1 in Game 1 of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II East Sub-District series, Friday from Tribune Field.
Brock sent a 2-2 pitch into right field that touched just inside the foul line.
“I was watching it go down the line AND I was like ‘Stay fair, stay fair,’ ” the sophomore second baseman said. “When it dropped, I probably could have gotten to third, but I couldn’t keep from getting excited. I was going crazy at second base.”
The runs gave MCC a 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
“It’s a great feeling,” Brock said. “I love this team. I come out and play for the team on my chest every day. For me to be in that position at that moment, it’s picture perfect. I had to put the ball in play. I had two strikes on me, so I got big like Coach Brust always says. I let the ball travel and I hit it to right field.”
Evan Brock takes a 2-2 pitch oppo and clears the bases with a double. No outs in the sixth: @TribuneBaseball 3 UCAP 1 pic.twitter.com/ALq7m0tMwj
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 9, 2025
Miguel Matos (Rochester, N.Y./East HS) led the inning with a walk and stole second. When the throw to the bag was mishandled, Matos alertly scampered to third.
“His instincts are so good that he makes things happen on the bases,” said MCC head coach Dave Brust.
Tobey Wright (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta HS) and Parker Zeiser (Victor, N.Y./Victor HS) drew back-to-back walks to load the bases.
Brock got caught looking at a third strike in his previous at-bat. This time he barreled up a fastball on the outside part of the plate.
“The kid had velo on him, that’s for sure,” Brock said of UCAP starter, Daniel Lang. “His curve ball had snap. I couldn’t miss the fastball, but I also had to adjust to the curveball. I was on time for it.”
Brennan Hileman (Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier) went seven innings and improved to 6-1 on the season.
“That was awesome,” said Hileman who recently committed to the University of Maine. “To do it for my teammates, that was a great moment.”
The freshman right-hander struck out nine. He allowed one run on three hits and two walks. He left four on base over the first two innings and then had 1 LOB over the next four.
“I think I came out a little too amped up,” he said. “I just had to settle in there and calm down a little bit.”
His lone mistake of the day – he left a pitch out over the zone, and AJ Montejano was aboard with a one-out triple. An RBI ground out from John Bureau gave the Pointers (27-6) a 1-0 lead in the fifth.
Hileman was at his best in the seventh after a pair of hit batsmen and an error loaded the bases, he struck out UCAP’s three-hole hitter, Tim Cap. He thought he had retired the two pitches earlier on an offering that was called a ball. He left no doubt with a breaking that buckled Cap at the knees.
Brennan Hileman leaves the bases loaded with his ninth strike out of the day. Heading to the bottom of the seventh: @TribuneBaseball 3 UCAP 1 pic.twitter.com/GcBykUDeZV
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 9, 2025
“I probably did miss it just by a hair,” he said of the earlier pitch. “You got to reset, take a breath and go right at him next pitch. I threw a curve ball two pitches later and it was perfect. Got out of it.”
The Tribunes took advantage of four walks and two wild pitches to score two more runs in the eighth.
Matos hurled a pair of scoreless frames to register a save.
With the win, Monroe takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three-series. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday at Tribune Field. A 1 PM first pitch is scheduled.
Miguel Matos finishes it off. FINAL Game 1: @TribuneBaseball 5 UCAP 1 Same two teams tomorrow. 1 pm. pic.twitter.com/xoSclN9ps9
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 9, 2025
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