New Rochelle, NY - Howard Community College's softball team took care of business on Tuesday afternoon, sweeping the Monroe-Bronx Express for the second time this season.
The Dragons battered the Express in game one, scoring six runs in the fifth inning to ice the contest. In game two, the Dragons built a 10-0 lead after two innings, then sailed to a run-rule victory.
Howard's two wins give them a season sweep of the Express, an 11-11 record on the season, and double digit wins for the second straight year and third time in program history.
Game One: Dragons 13, Express 1
Howard kicked off their spring break series with a bang, as
Gianna Peluso (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) stole home to open the first inning. The Dragons added three runs in the top of the second, with
Taylor Pence (Mt. Airy, MD/Glenelg) and
Kaylee Brogan (Woodbine, MD/Glenelg) scoring on passed balls and
Katherine Wright (Dayton, MD/Mount de Sales Academy) scoring on an error. Taking full advantage of Monroe errors, the Dragon led 4-0 into the third.
A
Madison Falby (Laurel, MD/Reservoir) RBI single in the top of the third made it 5-0 Dragons, but Monroe was able to snag one run back. The Express showed signs of life when Rossel Hercules homered to left field in the bottom of the third. Neither team would score in the fourth, with Howard's
Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales Academy) shutting down Monroe's bats.
Howard got two aboard early in the top of the fifth, once again capitalizing on Monroe errors.
Gianna Peluso (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) then slammed a deep home run to right field to kick off an 8-0 Howard run to end the game.
Layla Walker (Laurel, MD/Hammond) got aboard next, before
Madison Hamolia (Odenton, MD/Arundel) smacked her first career home run.
Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales Academy) then hit another homer to make it 11-1 Dragons. The final runs came from an inside-the-park home run from
Taylor Pence (Mt. Airy, MD/Glenelg) that scored her and
Ashlyn Gutshall (Odenton, MD/Arundel), the fourth consecutive home run from the Dragons. Webb forced the final strikeouts to end the rout.
Game Two: Dragons 15, Express 1
Game two saw
Jensyn Koonce (Chesapeake, VA/Greatbridge) het her first career start, and the freshman had a debut to remember. Koonce struck out four batters and held the Express to just six total hits. While Monroe was able to score four runs, they all came after Howard had built a 15-0 lead four innings in.
The Dragons scored ten of their runs in the second inning. A
Taylor Pence (Mt. Airy, MD/Glenelg) RBI single opened the scoring for the Dragons, and Koonce responded by slamming a two-run home run at her next at-bat. After two more runners got aboard,
Gianna Peluso (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) hit her second home run of the day to make it 6-0 Dragons.
Marissa Webb (Hanover, MD/Mount de Sales Academy) hit a two-run home run later in the second, making it 8-0 Back-to-back errors from the Express allowed two more runs to score for the Dragons later in the inning.
RBI singles from Webb,
Madison Hamolia (Odenton, MD/Arundel), and Pence made it 13-0 Dragons after three innings, and Webb ended the game for good in the fourth with a two-run home run. After a brief Monroe rally in the fifth, Koonce drew a groundout to end the contest.
Up Next: The Dragons continue their spring break road trip with a showdown against the #3 Division III team in the country on Thursday, as they play the Rowan College of South Jersey - Gloucester Roadrunners at 12:00 PM!
Update: Due to inclement weather and poor field conditions, the doubleheader against Rowan College of South Jersey - Gloucester has been cancelled. The Dragons will next face Salem Community College on Friday, April 2 at 12:00 PM!
