Tribunes sweep SUNY Adirondack

HENRIETTA, N.Y. -- Nearly three weeks ago, the Monroe Community College Baseball team posted a record of 9 wins and 10 losses. The Tribunes were coming off a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Niagara County Community College and had lost three straight and five of six games. 

Five doubleheaders later, MCC has taken a sub-.500 season and is currently playing at a .621 clip.

Sophomore catcher/first baseman Connor Sackett (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport High) points to a straightforward mindset in the MCC dugout.

"Like coach says, playing complimentary baseball, everybody has each other's back. If we're lacking in one facet today, like maybe if our pitching is not as good one day, then we got to pick it up on the offense, piece it all together."

The Black and Gold didn't lack for much on Saturday afternoon. The offense pounded out 28 hits. A trio of pitchers made that effort stick, and the defense, while committing three errors, continued its steady play with the gloves.

"Keeping the train on the tracks like coach says," Sackett commented after MCC's doubleheader sweep (8-3/13-3) of SUNY Adirondack in NJCAA action at Tribune Field.

Chuckie Sobaszek (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) struck out two without issuing a walk and allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits over seven innings for his fourth win of the season.

Parker Zeiser (Victor, N.Y./Victor High) doubled and Lucas Brown (Toronto, ON/Humberside Collegiate) beat out a bunt single while the Tribunes took advantage of three walks to score twice and take a 2-1 lead they did not surrender in Game 1.

Monroe added four more runs in the third inning.

In Game 2 , MCC scored three runs in the second and third innings then tacked on five more in the fourth.

The win was the seventh straight - a season-high streak that is more than a year in the making.

"We try to stay pretty even-keeled," Sackett said. "We try to not get too high, get too low. Whether things are going our way or there's a little bit of adversity, we try to keep a level head. That's been a part of our success."

A 16-27 team a season ago, no one player represents the turnaround more than Sackett, whose RBI double in the fifth inning of Game 2 was his 15th extra-base hit of the season. His slugging percentage of .821 leads the Tribune lineup. A year ago, the former All-County performer finished with a batting average of .273 (18-for-66) and two extra-base hits.

"Definitely picked up the intensity in the weight room," he said. "That's been a big part of it. It was taking a moment and looking in the mirror and figuring out what do I need to get better at. Honing in on those things and it started coming together. It's an ongoing process, game to game, pitch to pitch. What do I need to do to be better right now? It feels good."

Sackett finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored in the opener. Brown went 2-for-4. Joe Wintermute (Rochester, N.Y./Irondequoit) went 2-for-3 with a walk, three RBI and a run scored. Evan Brock (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) and Thomas Rebis (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Odyssey) both singled, walked and drove in a run. Rebis scored. Brock came home once.

Jackson Hubbard (Sayre, PA/Sayre HS) struck out six over five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks to pick up the Game 2 win. Will Russotti (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) hurled a scoreless frame in relief.

"Having all three facets working at once, you got a chance to win every game," said MCC head coach Dave Brust. "It starts with the pitching that was very good today. The defense, their job was made easier because of the pitching. They're throwing strikes and keeping guys off the bases, but the defense also made plays.

"Offensively, we're scoring enough runs to allow a little bit of a cushion. The defense can relax and make plays. That complimentary baseball, you just got to keep preaching it and expecting it to happen every day."

Brown went 4-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in the nightcap. Sackett had two doubles, three RBI and a run scored. Wintermute and Zeiser collected two hits apiece. Wintermute drove in two runs.

Tobey Wright (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) went 2-for-2 with a double, two walks and three runs scored. The redshirt freshman shortstop has hit safely in 10 straight games. Zeiser and Paul Fiene (Ronkonkoma, N.Y. Sachem HS North) both were 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Fiene had a double. Kaleb Juliano (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) had two hits including a double, a walk, an RBI and a run scored. Al Simons (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) singled, walked, scored a run and drove in another. CJ Phelps (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) accounted for an RBI.