BRONX, N.Y., April 2, 2018 – The Monroe Express baseball team was swept in their home opening doubleheader against Kingsborough Community College, falling in game one 12-7, and dropping game two, 8-6, to fall to 0-7 (0-4 Region XV) on the season.
 
Game 1: Kingsborough 12, Monroe 7
Though the Wave got on the board first on a balk in the top of the first inning, the Express tagged Kingsborough starter Devry Ortega with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead.
 
Harold Valdez led off the bottom of the first with a double, and Devon Marrero followed with a single to put runners on first and third. Raymond Pichardo walked to load the bases for Jesus Hilario, who's two-run single gave the Express a 2-1 lead. Leandro Rodriguez grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Pichardo to make it 3-1, and the Express led by two heading to the second.
 
In the top of the second, Kingsborough put together five runs on five hits against Gilberto Rosario to take a 6-3 lead, but the Express again had an answer in the bottom of the frame.
 
Bryan Guzman led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on Valdez' single to right field, before Marrero brought them both home to cut Kingsborough's lead to just one. Marrero finished the game with four hits, going 4-for-4 with two stolen bases, a run scored and an RBI.
 
And after Rosario stranded two in the top of the third, Albert De Los Santos tied the game with a two-out, RBI double in the bottom of the third, scoring Hilario from first.
 
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth, before Kingsborough took the lead for good in the top of the fifth, tagging Rosario for four more runs on two singles, a double and an error.
The Wave would extend add to their lead in the top of the fifth and sixth with another pair of runs, taking a 12-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh. And although the Express got a run on Gorge Garcia's RBI single to cut the deficit to five in the seventh, Ortega got the next three outs to give Kingsborough a 12-7 victory.
 
Ortega (1-1) earned the win for Kingsborough, while Rosario (0-3) took the loss for the Express.
 
Valdez and Garcia, along with Marrero, tallied multiple hits for the Express, as Valdez went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, while Garcia went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and an RBI.
 
Game 2: Kingsborough 8, Monroe 6
After Kingsborough again took the lead with a run in the top off the first against Express starter Jacob Roman, the Express responded to take the lead in the bottom of the frame.
 
A leadoff single by Marrero put the leadoff runner aboard for Emanuel Veras, who's double put two runners in scoring position with nobody out. Harold Valdez loaded the bases with a hit-by-pitch, before a wild pitch scored Marrero from third to tie the game at one.
 
Jesus Hilario's walk reloaded the bases before Garcia picked up his second RBI of the day, scoring Veras from third to give Monroe a 2-1 lead.
 
Roman kept Kingsborough scoreless till the fourth, when a pair of errors, a dropped third strike and John Vento's RBI single made it 4-2 in favor of the Wave.
 
The Express cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the frame when Marrero scored from third on a wild pitch, but Kingsborough came right back to extend their lead in the top of the fifth.
 
With one out and a runner on second, Ortega launched a two-run homer to left to extend Kingsborough's lead to 6-3. However, once again, the Express had an answer as Rodriguez equaled Ortega with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 6-4 game.
 
Two outs and two batters later, Jose Santiago singled, and Marrero walked before Veras tied the game at six with a two-run double.
 
But after the Wave came back with two runs in the top of the sixth, the Express went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth, and left the tying run on first in the bottom of the seventh, as Kingsborough picked up an 8-6 victory.
 
Jason Espinal (1-0) picked up the win for Kingsborough, while Kelvin Paulino (0-1) took the loss for Monroe.
 
Veras led the Express at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double, run scored and an RBI, while Rodriguez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, run scored and an RBI. Marrero also contributed two hits, going 2-for-3 with two walks and three run scored.
 
For the day, Marrero tallied six hits, going 6-for-7 with two stolen bases, four runs scored and an RBI.
 
The Express are back in action on Tuesday, April 3 when they again head to the Bronx to take on Bronx Community College at Ohio Field at 2 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).