NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 5, 2018 – The Monroe Express baseball team fell in their season opener against the Monroe Mustangs JV team, 17-11, on Monday at Dick Caswell Baseball Field.
 
The Express struck first with a run in the top of the first, scoring when Harold Valdez came home on Edwin Veras' sacrifice fly, but the Mustangs answered right back in the bottom of the frame.
 
Jorge Rivera led off the inning with a single, and after David Calderon was hit by a pitch with two outs, the Mustangs took the lead when both came around to score on an error.
 
After the Express went in order in the top of the second, the Mustangs added two more in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-1 lead.
 
Emanuel Aguirre singled to lead off the frame, moved to third on an error and scored on Mariano Poll Jr.'s single. Rivera's sacrifice fly brought another run in, and the Mustangs held a 4-1 lead heading to the third.
 
In the top of the third, Devon Marrero cut the Mustangs' lead to two, scoring Valdez from third after his leadoff triple, but the Mustangs came right back with five runs in the bottom of the inning.
 
Aguirre's two-run single made it 6-2 in the bottom of the third, Jacknell Guzman's single on batter later made it 7-2 and Rivera's double, his second hit of the game, scored Guzman to make it 8-2.
 
After an Express pitching change, Rivera scored on a wild pitch, and the Mustangs took a 9-2 lead into the top half of the fourth.
 
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth before the Express tallied nine runs on seven walks, two hit-by-pitches, a hit and an error to take an 11-9 lead in the top of the fifth.
 
Hafel Payano pitched a scoreless bottom of the fifth, but after the Express went 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth, the Mustangs got back on the board and took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning.
 
Helped by three Express' errors, the Mustangs took a 13-11 lead, tying the game on a passed ball and scoring the go-ahead runs on Poll Jr.'s two-run single.
 
The Express would go scoreless the rest of the way, while the Mustangs added three runs in the bottom of the seventh, two coming on Erick Guzman's double, and one more in the bottom of the eighth to pick up a 17-11 victory.
 
Payano (0-1) takes the loss for the Express, who drop to 0-1 on the season, while Paul Delgado, who pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, earns the win for the Mustangs who move to 1-2 on the season.
 
Marrero led the way for the Express going 1-for-3 with a run scored, two walks and three RBI. Valdez also added a hit, three runs scored and an RBI for the Express, recording the first triple in Monroe Express baseball program history.
 
On the mound, Jacob Roman pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Express, working out of a bases loaded jam to strand all three runners and strike out the side.
 
The Express are back in action once again against the Monroe Mustangs JV team on Wednesday, March 7 at 4:00 p.m. at Dick Caswell Field in New Rochelle, N.Y.

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).