By PAUL GOTHAM
BRIGHTON, N.Y. — On a Sunday afternoon when tracking the weather could have proven to be a distraction, eight different players combined for 11 extra-base hits as Monroe Community College Baseball (23-6) swept a doubleheader (9-5/11-3) from Utica College JV.
Miguel Matos (Rochester, N.Y./East High) finished a double shy of the cycle in Game 1. The sophomore first baseman slugged a two-run shot in the first inning when the Tribunes sent nine to the plate and scored five times to take a lead they did not surrender.
“We have worked awfully hard at being mechanically sound and hitting strikes,” said head coach Dave Brust. “We take a lot of pride in putting the ball in play.”
Matos, who went 3-for-3, tripled and scored on an Andrew Macre (Lancaster, N.Y./St. Joseph’s Collegiate) base hit in the third.
Michael Sardou (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) and Braedon Reina (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) connected on back-to-back three-baggers in the fourth as the Tribs built a commanding 8-2 advantage.
“Ultimately, being good line drive hitters, who run the bases well, is going to lead to runs on the board,” Brust said.
Parker Holden (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) started and struck out 11 over four innings to pick up the win in the opener. Cameron Bentley (Toronto, ON/Humberside) hurled a scoreless inning and a third of relief, retiring two on strikes.
Aidan Gallagher (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay East Fishkill HS) singled, walked, drove in a run and scored twice in Game 1. Thomas Woodridge (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) was 2-4 with a double and a run scored.
Aaron Reina (Rochester, NY/Churchville-Chili) tripled, drove in a pair and also crossed home once. Tanner Holmes (Allenford, ON/Owen Sound District) was 1-2.
Sunday’s first game was played under mostly sunny skies albeit with the temperature in the mid-40s. Those conditions would have been acceptable for the remainder of the afternoon even considering that 24 hours earlier felt like a true spring day with breezes somewhere in the 70s.
The first weather front came prior to the start of Game 2. Clouds brought rain. A sprinkle at first became a little more persistent. Before the rain had a chance to impact play, though, the skies opened and the sun returned.
Those conditions lasted for less than two innings.
At first there was sleet. The more common term has become “wintry mix” (not a preferable usage in the month April, but there was no denying it).
In the top of the fifth, snow began to fall.
The mercy-rule shortened game ended in the bottom half of that frame, again, under sunny skies.
“You could see little blobs on the radar,” Brust said of the monitoring between games. “The mound was in great shape. That’s always the deciding factor, so it was a good decision to get the game started. Once the sun came out, it was like it warmed up 10 degrees. And then the clouds came back. The concern with the little sleet shower we got was just more lighting and visibility. We did the right thing to just play through it.”
Bronx Buchholz (Batavia, NY/Batavia HS) started and worked four innings to pick up his first career win at the collegiate level.
“I’m very happy for Bronx,” Brust said. “He’s a hard-working player. You could tell by the way the rest of the guys were so happy for him that he is a great teammate.”
The freshman right-hander who had pitched a total of 3.2 innings in three previous appearances, struck out four and walked one.
“He’s a competitor,” Brust said. “Once he got comfortable, it was just a matter of letting him go. I was very happy with his outing. He deserves the success.”
After surrendering three runs on four hits in the second inning, Buchholz settled in and retired seven straight to finish off his outing.
“It was a matter of getting ahead and not falling behind in the count,” Buchholz said. “I started landing my breaking ball and change up. Once that happened, I just started rolling.”
In the fourth, he induced three ground balls to set down the side.
“It’s nice getting the opportunity and then coming through for my team and just getting the win,” he said.
Gallagher went 2-3 in the nightcap. The sophomore outfielder’s two-run double highlighted a third inning when MCC scored seven to take a 9-3 lead. Gallagher also tripled and scored in the first.
Tyler Cannon (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) went 3-4 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in Game 2.
Braedon Reina was 2-4 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored.
Zane Barron (Ormond Beach,FL/Seabreeze) doubled, drove in a run and scored.
Sardou also doubled and scored.
Jack Duggan (Georgetown, ON/Georgetown District) singled, walked twice, drove in a run and crossed home three times. Josh Skuce (Toronto, ON/Michael Power St. Joseph’s) singled and drove in a pair of runs.
Jaden Sherwood (Batavia, NY/Notre Dame-Batavia) faced three batters in a scoreless inning of relief work.
The win was the ninth straight, and the Tribunes have topped double-figure run totals in seven of those games.
“The guys are really blossoming at the right time with being good situational hitters,” Brust said. “We’re doing a good job of putting the ball in play with runners in scoring position.”
Monroe travels to Lackawanna College (PA) on Tuesday for a doubleheader before heading to Finger Lakes CC on Sunday for a twinbill.
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