MCC Does Yard Work to Win Fifth Straight

Arnold, MD - Through the first 14 games of the 2023 campaign, the bats of Monroe Community College Baseball failed to connect on a home run.

A trio of hitters changed that statistic Saturday afternoon.

Avery Bowens (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge), Lucas Brown (Toronto, ON/Humberside Collegiate Institute) and CJ Phelps (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) collected their first round-trippers of the season as Monroe defeated host Anne Arundel Community College, 12-4 in NJCAA action from Arnold, Maryland.

Bowens, Brown and Phelps combined for six RBI in a seven-run seventh as the Tribunes (8-7) pulled away for their fifth straight win.

Leading 5-3, Brown started the frame with a solo shot to right field. One out later, Patrick May (Baldwinsville, N.Y./ C.W. Baker) doubled and eventually moved to third on a Tobey Wright (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) base hit. Dylan Wanat (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville North) drove in a run with a single through, and Phelps followed with a blast to center field.

Joe Grzeskowiak (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) singled before Bowens put the game out of reach at 12-3 with a shot to center.

Zach Allen (Greece, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) struck out seven out over five innings to pick up the win. The 6-foot-4 right-hander allowed three runs on six hits and a walk. He registered his fourth win in as many starts.

Allen retired five of the first seven batters and worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third allowing just one run.

Patrick Sherron (Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta) fanned two over two innings of relief work.

Wanat paced a 16-hit attack going 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI. Phelps also doubled and walked as part of a 2-for-4 effort.

May was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Wright and Grzeskowiak had two hits and scored a run apiece.

Bowens and Brown both went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Brown walked twice.

Alex Simons (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) singled and scored twice. Connor Kiefer (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors) walked and had an RBI.

Monroe's slugging continued in Game 2 of the scheduled doubleheader when Bowens connected on a first-inning grand slam. Grzeskowiak, Wanat and Connor Sackett (Rochester, N.Y./Fairport High) scored on the play.

The game was suspended (and will not be completed) due to lightning during the second inning with MCC leading 5-2.

Photo attached: Avery Bowens connected on one of three seventh-inning home runs as Monroe CC defeated Anna Arundel, 12-4 on Saturday.