YAPHANK, N.Y., March 19, 2018 – The Monroe Express baseball team fell to the Tompkins Cortland Community College Panthers, 10-2, on Sunday evening at Baseball Heaven, dropping to 0-3 on the season.
 
Andy Rodriguez earned the start for the Express, and started strong, leaving three Panthers on base in the first, and not allowing a hit through the first two frames.
 
But the Panthers strung together four straight hits to open the bottom of the third, it total scoring four runs on four hits and two errors to take a 4-0 lead.
 
And after a scoreless fourth, the Mustangs got on the board in the top of the fifth against Christian Ballard, who relieved Charlie Hammel to start the frame.
 
Harold Valdez led off the inning with a single, and advanced to third on Edwin Santiago's double. Jesus Hilario reached on an error to bring Valdez home for the Express' first run of the game, and Santiago scored on Gorge Garcia's fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 4-2.
 
However, the Panthers answers right back with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to 8-2. After back-to-back walks to open the frame, Garret Hunter's RBI double made it 5-2. Three batters and an Express pitching change later, Tompkins Cortland added another on a walk, before Daniel Santiago's two-run single made it 8-2.
 
 Tompkins Cortland would add two more in the bottom of the eighth, while the Express would go scoreless the rest of the way, falling by the final score of 10-2.
 
Rodriguez (0-1) took the loss for the Express, allowing seven runs (five earned) on five hits, while walking three and striking out two. Ballard (1-0) picked up the win for the Panthers, who move to 2-2 on the season.
 
Offensively, Valdez went 3-for-5 with a run scored to lead the Express, while Devon Marrero drew a season-high three walks.
 
On the mound, Edwin Veras pitched a scoreless inning of relief for Monroe, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
 
The Express are back in action on Tuesday, March 20 when they take on Suffolk County Community College at 4 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).