Tribunes move within one game of clinching World Series spot

VALHALLA, N.Y. – Monroe Community College Baseball traveled more than 300 miles to compete in this weekend's National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II East District championship.

For Aidan Gallagher, a native of Hopewell Junction, the trek brought him within an hour of his family.

And the sophomore centerfielder is making himself right at home on the Westchester Community College campus.

One day after connecting for three hits and reaching base five times in a quick dispatch of the hosts, Gallagher added two more knocks on Saturday.

He provided the go-ahead run in the third inning with a shot that cleared the fence in right center, and MCC (36-8) went on to defeat Mercer County Community College (Region 19), 13-3 in a mercy-rule shortened affair.

"I'm at my best when I'm swinging early (in the count)," said Gallagher. "I wanted a fastball, got it first pitch and put a barrel on it."

Tanner Holmes (Allenford, ON/Owen Sound District) scored on the play as Monroe took a 3-2 lead in the third.

The home run was the first of the year for Gallagher.

"It was relieving," he said. "I get a lot of stuff in the dugout about hitting the fence pretty often, so it was really nice to see one get over it." 

The Tribunes scored twice more in the frame to take a 5-2 lead.

Zane Barron (Ormond Beach, FL/Seabreeze) connected on the clincher with one out in the sixth inning.

With Braedon Reina (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) at third representing the winning run, Barron delivered a single to center field.

"I went up there trying to keep things as simple as I can," he said. "I was just trying to hit a fly ball and got a fastball over the plate. I knew if I put a barrel on it that good things would happen."

Barron used his arm to silence a Mercer rally in the fourth. With runners on the corners and one run in, the sophomore catcher threw out would-be base stealer, Jordan Raba at second to end the inning.

"I salivate a little when somebody starts running," said Barron, who has thrown out 12 runners this season. "Not really a whole lot of thought. I just let that rip."

One inning later, Monroe sent 12 to the plate and exploded for seven runs.

Josh Skuce (Toronto, ON/Michael Power St. Joseph's) led the fifth with a triple to left field. Michael Sardou (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) started the scoring with a double inside the third-base bag.

Reina walked, and Tyler Cannon (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) reached on a hit by pitch to load the bases.

Miguel Matos (Rochester, N.Y./East High) followed with an RBI single. Barron brought in two with a base hit. Holmes drew a base on balls, and Gallagher's single to left added another run.

Sardou capped the inning with a base hit to left that drove in two more.

MCC led 12-3.

"Guys were battling at the plate," said MCC head coach Dave Brust. "When you put together productive at-bats you get rewarded." 

Connor Osier (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena) started and struck out seven over five innings of work and improved to 9-1 on the season. The sophomore right-hander allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and five walks. 

Cameron Bentley (Toronto, ON/Humberside) struck out the side in a scoreless inning of relief.

Mercer (34-14-1) entered action hitting .354 as a team and scoring better than 10 runs per game. The Vikings had won eight straight head-to-head meetings between the two programs.

With Saturday's decision, the Tribs move within one win of clinching a fourth NJCAA Division II World Series appearance under Brust and first since 2019.

"It's exciting, you know, but I'm not surprised that we're doing it," said Gallagher who was 2-4 in the win and has gone 5-7 in the first two games with two walks and three runs scored. "We get more and more confidence with every win. It's just fun every day, being around this team." 

Barron went 2-4 with three RBI and a run scored in Saturday's win.

Cannon finished 3-3 with a pair of doubles and reached base four times, scoring twice. The first-year designated hitter is 5-7 with three doubles, three RBI and three runs scored so far this weekend.

Sardou was 2-3 with a sacrifice fly, two doubles, three RBI and a run scored. Skuce had two hits and crossed home twice. Aaron Reina (Rochester, N.Y/Churchville-Chili) singled, drove in a run and scored. 

The double-elimination tournament continues on Sunday with MCC needing one more win. The Tribunes will face Mercer, who defeated Ulster County Community, 7-6 later in the day on Saturday. 

That tilt is scheduled for an 11 AM first pitch. A second game, if necessary, will follow after that.