Bounce-back effort: MCC Nine Sweep Onondaga

BRIGHTON, N.Y. -- One pitcher logged his second complete game of the season. Another was making his first appearance of the campaign. A third continued to make a shift into the position.

The trio of arms combined to allow two runs over 11 innings, and host Monroe Community College (5-7) swept a pair of games (11-1/11-1) from Onondaga Community College in NJCAA action, Friday at Tribune Field.

Zach Allen (Greece, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) allowed one run on seven hits over six innings of work in Game 1 and improved his record to 3 wins without a loss on the young season.

With runners on second and third and one out in the third inning, the 6-foot-4 right-hander fanned the next two batters to escape the jam. He did not allow a runner past second for the remainder of the outing.

"We knew all along he had tons of ability," MCC head coach Dave Brust said. "We're getting a chance to see what he can really do."

Allen fanned six and issued two base on balls. In 18 innings of work this season, he has 11 strike outs and three walks.

"He has command of three pitches," Brust said of Allen's fastball-changeup-slider mix. "Everything is around the strike zone. If he misses, it's by a smidgen. We get a guy with that kind of command every couple of years. It's tough to teach what he has."

Ian McNabb (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) started and hurled two scoreless innings in Game 2. McNabb struck out four of the seven batters faced. Last season, he made 14 appearances, including three starts, and tossed 23.1 innings.

Arm soreness has kept the 6-foot-3 left-hander off the mound this year.

"I thought he looked really good," Brust said. "We know what he can do. Last year, he had a great start against Niagara, some good outings in relief where we saw how dynamic he can be. His velo is up. We're working to get him more command. I think we saw that today. He would be one of our top three arms. It's good to get him back on track."

Lucas Connors (Brampton, ON/Heart Lake) hurled three innings in relief. The right-hander, who came to MCC as a catcher/infielder, made his fourth appearance on the mound this season in the Game 2 victory. He struck out five and allowed an unearned run on three hits and two walks.

"Lucas did what he's been doing all along," Brust said. "He's another guy that we're able to depend on."

Leadoff man Connor Kiefer (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors) helped pace an offense that collected 20 hits on the afternoon with three base raps including two of the extra-base nature, four RBI and three runs scored in the twin bill. This after struggling earlier in the week with a 0-for-7 performance against Niagara County Community College.

"The previous doubleheader, he took it pretty hard," Brust said. "He faced really good arms and had some tough at-bats. I thought he bounced back like the ball club bounced back. I'm glad to see that."

Kiefer capped the afternoon with a bases-clearing double in the mercy-rule shortened second game.

Leading 6-1, Dylan Wanat (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville North) worked a one-out walk and stole second. Connor Sackett (Rochester, N.Y./Fairport) followed with an RBI double to start the game-clinching surge.

Joe Grzeskowiak (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) put runners on the corners with a base hit. Ryan Stewart (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn High) loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch.

Kiefer followed with his fourth double and fifth extra-base hit of the season.

"He certainly always leads the way on defense," Brust said of Kiefer, a sophomore second baseman. "His attitude and his leadership are always a plus. He bounced back, and I would expect that from him. It's great to see that."

Grzeskowiak went 2-for-3 with an RBI to go with the run scored in Game 2. The freshman left fielder was 3-for-6 on the day with three RBI and two runs scored.

Wanat had a sacrifice fly and two RBI in Game 2. The sophomore outfielder collected four RBI and three runs scored for the afternoon. He went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in Game 1.

Tobey Wright (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) was 4-for-6 on the day with a double and a walk, five runs scored and three RBI. Patrick May (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Post) tripled, walked and scored four runs.

Avery Bowens (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) cleared the bases with a triple in Game 1.

Lucas Brown (Toronto, ON/Humberside Collegiate Institute) finished 4-for-5 with a walk and three runs scored in the DH.

Julien Mendoza (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport High) had an RBI. CJ Phelps (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) scored a run.

Monroe fell to Niagara County Community College by scores of 11-0 and 7-4 earlier in the week. 

MCC hosts Ithaca JV on Tuesday, March 28th. A 1 p.m. first pitch is scheduled for Game 1.