Simon strong over seven innings but MCC falters in ninth

MANCHESTER – (March 24, 2009) Quinsigamond CC scored four runs in the ninth inning to beat MCC 6-4 Tuesday afternoon in Manchester. It was the first NJCAA Region XXI, Division III game for both teams.

MCC starter Steve Simon (Middlefield) struck out eight without issuing a walk and left with a 3-1 lead after seven innings. The right hander allowed just three hits and hit three batters in an 85 pitch effort in his second start of the season. Eric Famila hit a solo home run for Quinsigamond (4-8) in the eighth inning. Trailing 4-2 going into the ninth inning, the visitors rallied for four unearned runs off reliever Tyler Wenz (0-2).

“Simon did a great job, got us to the eighth inning and did what he was supposed to do today,” MCC Head Coach Chris Strahowski said. “But if you let a team like that stick around, bad things are going to happen.”

A.J. Lowers (Newington) had two hits and scored two runs for MCC (4-2) and Juan Bisono had MCC’s lone extra-base hit, a leadoff double in the fifth. Dave Alexander (Torrington) had a pair of singles and drove in the fourth MCC run in the eighth, giving the Cougars a short lived 4-2 lead.

The Cougars play their second of eight games over five days when they travel to Westerly, RI to play CC of Rhode Island. It will be the first road game of the season for MCC after playing the first six at home.

Quinsigamond CC 6 Manchester Community College 4

at Manchester, CT

Quinsigamond CC 000 001 014—– 6 6 4
Manchester CC 110 100 010 —– 4 10 2

Q: Eric Johnson, Cruz Rosano (8) and Mike Fusco M: Steve Simon, Tyler Wenz (8) and A.J. Lowers WP: Fusco LP: Wenz; HR: Eric Famila; Records: Q: 4-8, M:4-2.Time of game: 2:25