MCC Wins Slugfest 14-12 against CC Rhode Island

MANCHESTER – (April 8, 2009) MCC scored seven runs in the first inning and seven more in the fourth and held off CC Rhode Island in a 14-12 slugfest at MCC Thursday afternoon.

Tyler Wenz (Ogdensburg, NJ) picked up his second save in less than 24 hours and his fourth on the season when he struck out Dean Beshansky on five pitches with runners at first and second in the top of the ninth.

Juan Bisono (New Britain) had two doubles and scored two runs for the Cougars (11-8-1) who have won three straight and five of six. Dave Alexander (Torrington) was 3 for 4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored.

Andrew Kravontka (Manchester) had an RBI double in the first inning, scored two runs and made the defensive play of the game at third base on a hot grounder to his left in the top of the third inning.

Steve Simon (Middlefield), the fourth of five MCC pitchers over the course of the three hour and thirteen minute game, was credited with the victory. Wenz was the only MCC pitcher who did not give up a run, but had to work out of jams in both of his two scoreless innings, stranding two runners and striking out the potential go-ahead run in both the eighth and ninth innings.

CCRI (14-5) came into the game with an 11-game winning streak, including a 10-2 thumping of the Cougars on March 24th in West Warwick, RI. In Wednesday’s rematch, CCRI jumped out to a 2-0 lead in their half of a first inning in a game that saw just one, 1-2-3 inning – the bottom of the second. MCC answered back with seven runs on six hits and three walks in the bottom of the first frame and led the rest of the way, bending, but not breaking.

“Who wanted it least, is how you can sum it up,” MCC Head Coach Chris Strahowski said about the lengthy game played under cold conditions. “It tested us a little bit to see what we can do. We faced a good hitting team and we were able to swing it with them, so that was encouraging.”

All nine hitters in the MCC lineup reached base twice and scored at least one run. The previously run-starved Cougars have scored 22 runs in the past two days and will host NJCAA Division II UConn-Avery Point in Good Friday double-header starting at 1 PM. “I hope it’s turning a corner,” Strahowski said of the MCC offense. “I’m cautiously optimistic. We’re going to face some good pitching on Friday so we’ll see if we can carry the hitting shoes into the double-header.”

Manchester Community College 14 CCRI 12

at MCC

CCRI 201 260 100 —– 12 17 0

Manchester CC 700 700 00x —– 14 13 3

C: Cole Andrade, Billy Laurie (2), Colin McMaster (4) Matt Thadeio (8) and Lou Tarantino M: Nick Melino, Kevin Wodatch (4), John White (5) Steve Simon (6), Tyler Wenz (8) and A.J. Lowers WP: Simon LP: Andrade; Records: C: 14-5, M: 11-8-1