BRONX, N.Y., April 6, 2018 – Gorge Garcia knocked in four runs, and four Express players recorded multiple hits, but Monroe Express baseball fell twice to Bronx Community College, 17-9 in game one of the doubleheader, and 16-4 in game two to fall to 0-10 (0-7 Region XV) on the year.
 
Game One: Bronx 17, Monroe 9
After Harold Valdez led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch, the Express struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Devon Marrero's RBI single.
 
But the Express' lead wouldn't last long, as the Broncos responded with seven runs on three hits in the bottom of the first, knocking Monroe starter Andy Rodriguez out of the game, and taking a 7-1 lead.
 
Neither team scored in the second, before the Express added a run in the top of the third, as Edwin Veras doubled and came around to score on a throwing error, cutting the deficit to five.
 
Again though, Bronx Community College answered, this time with five in the bottom of the third, coming on RBI doubles by Justin Nunez and Emmanuel Frias, and an RBI single by Derek Galvez.
 
In the top of the fourth though, the Express put together a rally, knocking Alexander Pimental out of the game and cutting the deficit to four. Julian Ovalles-Garcia led off with a single, and after Bryan Guzman was hit by a pitch and Jose Santiago grounded into a fielder's choice, the top of the order came to the plate with two on and just one out.
 
Valdez signed the first run of the inning home, before Marrero followed with another RBI single, scoring Santiago and making it a 12-4 ballgame. The Broncos brought in Derek Galvez to relieve Pimental, but the run scoring continued, as Valdez scored on an error, and Jesus Hilario walked to load the bases for Garcia.
 
Garcia blasted a three-run double to left, scoring Marrero, Veras and Hilario, and cutting the deficit to just four. But with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the bottom of the fifth, three of which came on home runs by Ariel Irving Lora, to extend the lead back to eight.
 
Garcia hit another double in the top of the sixth to score Marrero and cut the deficit to seven, but Bronx came right back with a run on Frias' single in the bottom of the frame to pick up a 17-9, six-inning, run-rule victory.
 
Pimental (2-0) earned the win for the Broncos, while Andy Rodriguez (0-3) took the loss for the Express, who drop to 0-9 (0-6 Region XV) with the loss.
 
Garcia led the Express at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI, while Marrero added three hits, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Ovalles-Garcia and Valdez also tallied multiple hits for the Express, with Ovalles-Garcia going 2-for-4 with a run scored and Valdez going 2-for-3 with a double, walk, two runs scored and an RBI.
 
Game Two: Bronx 16, Monroe 4
Both teams went scoreless in the first inning of game two, before the Broncos jumped ahead in the bottom of the second against Jeffrey Cristo. Bronx Community College scored nine runs on three hits in the bottom of the second to take a 9-0 lead.
 
The Express answered with a run on Emanuel Veras's RBI single in the top of the third, but the Broncos got it right back with a run in the bottom of the frame.
 
In the top of the fourth, Monroe scored three runs on Kelvin Paulino's RBI single, and Alvin Vazquez's two-run double, but with six runs in the bottom of the frame, Bronx Community College jumped out to a 12-run lead and held the Express off in the top of the fifth to claim a 16-4, five-inning, run-rule victory.
 
Cristo (0-1) took the loss for the Express, while Arron Bonilla earned the win for Bronx CC.
 
Paulino led the Express at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a double, run scored and RBI, while Marrero added two hits in three at-bats, as well as a stolen base to pace Monroe.
 
The Express are back in action against the Broncos on Saturday, April 7 when they again take on Bronx Community College in a doubleheader at Roberto Clemente State Park beginning at 12 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).