NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 15, 2018 – The Monroe Express baseball team fell to the Monroe Mustangs JV baseball team on Thursday at Dick Caswell Field, 15-7, in a run-rule shortened eight innings.
 
Emanuel Veras' fielder's choice, coupled with a Mustangs' throwing error, helped knock in two runs for the Express in the top of the first, scoring Leandro Rodriguez and Bryan Guzman to give the Express an early 2-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs responded with one in the bottom of the frame on Diego Arcelay's sacrifice fly, but Express starter Gilberto Rosario stranded Jordan Matthews at third to keep it a one-run game.
 
However, after the Express went in order in the top of the second, the Mustangs got right back to it at the plate, scoring four runs in the bottom of the second, and four more in the bottom of the third to take a commanding 9-2 lead.
 
Erick Guzman reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the second, stole second and moved up to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Elianel Mejia's double to tie the game at 2. Wilver Mercedes followed with a walk to load the bases, before a hit-by-pitch, walk and wild pitch gave the Mustangs a 5-2 advantage.
 
And after the Express couldn't answer in the top of the third, Mercedes and Arcelay's RBI singles, and Jose Gil's two-run double made it 9-2.
 
Raymond Pichardo cut the deficit to six with his sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth, and Rosario worked around two Mustang base runners in the bottom of the frame to put a zero on the scoreboard and keep it a 9-3 ballgame.
 
Both teams went scoreless in the fifth, before the Express tallied three in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit down to just three. Pichardo and Alvin Vasquez drew back-to-back walks to start the frame, before Albert De Los Santos knocked in Jose Santiago, who pinch-ran for Pichardo, with an RBI double.
 
After Guzman followed with a walk, the Mustangs made a pitching change, but a balk and bases loaded walk cut the Mustangs' lead to 9-6.
 
The Mustangs answered with a run on Kalvian Figueroa's single in the bottom of the sixth, but the Express came right back with a run on De Los Santos' sacrifice fly to once again make it a three-run game.
 
However, after the Mustangs extended their lead to five with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, and the Express couldn't respond, leaving two runners on base in the top of the eighth, the Mustangs scored three in the bottom of the inning to pick up a run-rule, eight-inning victory.
 
Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Mariano Poll Jr. and Jacknell Guzman, whose back-to-back singles, brought home all three runs and gave the Mustangs a 15-7 victory.
 
Jason Paulino (1-0) picks up the win for the Mustangs, who move to 2-2-1 on the year, while Rosario (0-1) takes the loss for the Express, who drop to 0-2.
 
The Express are back in action when they head to Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, N.Y. on Sunday, March 18 to take on Tompkins Cortland Community College at 6 p.m.

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's rugby, and the newly added club women's rugby team, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of Monroe's Bronx campus has six teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level beginning with their inaugural seasons in the fall of 2017.
 
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress) and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).