The Tompkins Cortland Community College baseball team closed out its Spring Break trip in fine fashion Tuesday, taking both ends of a doubleheader against Monroe College JV The Panthers topped the D-I school's JV team by scores of 7-2 and 12-10. The Panthers are now 5-3 while Monroe JV is 5-5-1.

Game 1: Tompkins Cortland 7, Monroe JV 2

The Panthers used the long ball to jump ahead in game one, with Alex Babcock (Cortland/Cortland H.S.) starting the scoring with a two-run shot in the third inning. An inning later Storm Grant (Homer/homer H.S.) blasted a solo shot to push the lead to 3-0. While starting pitcher Justin Barber (Brookfield/Brookfield H.S.) was cruising along, putting up five straight scoreless innings, the Panthers put the game away with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Monroe plated a pair of runs in the sixth, but Derek Beeching (Brookfield/Brookfield H.S.) came in to toss a perfect seventh to seal the win.

Babcock finished 2-for-3 with two RBI while Garret Hunter (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox H.S.) went 2-for-3.

Barber earned the win with five strong innings. The sophomore allowed no runs, scattering six hits while striking out seven.

 Game 2: Tompkins Cortland 12, Monroe JV 10

The nightcap was a wild slugfest, with the two teams combining for 25 hits, including 7 extra base hits.  Monroe scored twice in the first, but the Panthers responded with a four-run rally in the second inning. All the runs came with two outs, with Ryan Foody (Tully/Tully H.S.) starting the rally with a two-run double. Chris Micucci (Auburn/Auburn H.S.) also drove in a run and David Crow (Newark Valley/Newark Valley H.S.) capped the scoring with a run-scoring triple. After Monroe scored a run in the top of the third, the Panthers again plated four runs in the third, with the big hit this time coming in the form of two-run homer by Storm Grant, his second long ball of the day.

Leading 8-3 at the end of three innings, the lead would shrink to two runs three times, but Monroe couldn't get any closer as the Panthers closed out the win, 12-10.

Seven Panthers recorded at least one hit, with Foody going 3-for-4 with four RBI and Crow, Hunter, and Micucci each collecting two hits. Five Panthers saw time on the mound, with Ryan Farley (Cornwall/Cornwall H.S.) picking up the win and Evan Plante (Albany/Christian Brothers Academy) earning the save.  

The Panthers return home from Spring Break and hope to take on Mid-State Athletic Conference opponent Jefferson Community College March 28 at Cornell University.