MCC Athletics and Sports Information

Aug. 18 , 2006

Baseball team sets school record for wins

The 2006 squad reaches the district finals

The 2006 season will go down as one of the most successful campaigns in the illustrious history of the MCC baseball team.  The Tribunes compiled an overall record of 40-18 as they reached the finals of the Northeast District Tournament.  The 40 wins set a school record and included the 400th of head coach Skip Bailey’s career.

MCC was led by an offense that could generate runs in a hurry.  The team had a collective .333 batting average with eight players eclipsing the .300 mark.  Monroe scored in double digits 19 times out of 58 games and scored eight or nine runs 10 other times, providing the pitching staff with ample run support.

The Tribunes were an up-and-down team early in the season, returning from a tough spring trip to Florida with an overall record of 9-9.  But MCC relished the return north, reeling off 26 wins in its next 32 games to enter the regional tournament as the top seed.

Monroe hosted regionals and opened the tourney by coming from behind to topple Mercyhurst North East 18-14.  MCC then dropped a game to No. 2 Alfred State before rebounding to win two in a row from the Pioneers for the school’s 17th regional title.  Ryan Sullivan (Hilton, NY/Hilton High School) was named the tournament MVP while Marco Rivera (Rochester, NY/Northstar Christian) was the Pitcher of the Tournament.

The Tribunes then advanced to the Northeast District playoffs to face Lenoir Community College and host Allegany College of Maryland in a round robin, double-elimination tournament.  MCC opened play by falling to Lenoir 12-2 before coming back immediately after to beat Allegany 10-4.

Monroe then took on Lenoir again the following morning in an elimination game.  After falling behind late in the game and down to their final out, the Tribunes rallied with four runs to tie the game in the top of the ninth.  MCC later won the game in the 11th, sending the No. 2 team in the nation home in the process.

The Tribunes then had to focus their attention on Allegany as the championship game was played shortly following the MCC-Lenoir thriller.  The home team scored early and often, bringing an end to another successful season for the MCC Tribunes.