Monroe sweeps Corning, claims regional crown

BATAVIA, New York - The MCC softball team won the Region III-B championship by sweeping Corning Community College Friday to take the best-of-three series two games to none.

The Tribunes (23-10) won 7-4 and 4-0 and will now move on to the NJCAA Division III national tournament, which will be held next week in Rochester, Minn.

The two teams battled back and forth in the opener and were tied at four before MCC put up three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Cassidy Geise led off with a single and a pair of walks loaded the bases.

Vicky Adkins singled to plate the go-ahead run, and a wild pitch chased home another. Amber Terlaje added an RBI groundout to cap the inning.

Terlaje then set down the Red Barons in order in the seventh.

Terlaje and Adkins had three hits apiece for Monroe. Taylor House added two hits, including a two-run homer that tied the game at four in the bottom of the fifth.

Terlaje went the distance for the victory, scattering seven hits while allowing four unearned runs. 

MCC scored two runs each in the fourth and fifth innings, and Terlaje pitched a gem as the Tribunes took the nightcap.

Terlaje allowed four singles while walking none and striking out five.

Monroe took the lead in the fourth. Jennifer Teerlinck led off with a triple and scored on a Geise base hit. Jen Newell then put down a sac bunt that scored another run to make it 2-0.

Teerlinck was in the middle of the rally in the fifth as well, doubling in a run and scoring on a Corning error.