WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y., March 16, 2019 – Monroe Express baseball fell in its first two road games of the season to Dutchess Community College, 14-0 in a run-rule shortened five innings, and 13-12 in extra innings, on Saturday at Dutchess Stadium. Following the doubleheader, Monroe drops to 0-4 on the year, while the Falcons move to 2-1.
 
GAME 1: DUTCHESS 14, MONROE 0 (5)
The Falcons got off to a hot start in game one, tagging Express starter Andy Rodriguez for seven runs over the first two frames. Connor Light's RBI triple highlighted a three-run first, while Raymond Garcia's three-run shot capped off a four-run second to give Dutchess a 7-0 lead.
 
Dutchess added seven more in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to 14-0, while Sammy Vivace shut the Express down over four innings as the Falcons picked up the run-rule victory.
 
Vivace (1-0) earned the win for the Falcons, while Rodriguez (0-1) took the loss for the Express.
 
Harold Valdez recorded the Express' lone hit of the game, going 1-for-2, while Esteban Perez tallied a walk and two stolen bases.
 
GAME 2: DUTCHESS 13, MONROE 12 (8)
The Express struck first in game two, as Jesus Hilario brought Juan Jorge home from third with an RBI double in the top of the first inning.
 
Connor Light quickly tied things up though, in the bottom of the inning, singling to right before advancing to second and third on wild pitches and scoring on Michael Santoro's RBI single. Santoro stole second and took third on a wild pitch, before scoring on Calvin Paredes' sacrifice fly to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead after one.
 
In the top of the second, the Express responded with an eight-spot, all coming with two outs, to retake the lead. Miguel Reicino's walk and Andry Sanchez' single put two on and two out for Esteban Perez, who gave the Express a 3-2 lead with a two-run triple to center. Jorge brought Perez home with an RBI single, before Jesus Tejada launched a two-run homer to right, making it a 6-2 lead.
 
Hilario followed Tejada's homer with another double, and then Rafael Hidalgo walked before Bianyor Germosen launched a three-run blast to left, the second home run of the inning, to give the Express a 9-2 lead.
 
Bryan Diaz kept the Falcons' bats quiet over the second and third innings, before Dutchess cut into the Express lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Falcons loaded the bases on a single and a pair of walks, but Diaz got Jason Sitler to ground into a double play to put two outs on the board.
 
However, after Monroe made a pitching change, the Falcons stung together three-straight hits, capped off by Brandon Kearns' RBI triple, to cut the Express' lead to 9-6.
 
Perez allowed four runs on three hits over 3.2 innings pitched, striking out and walking three.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Express extended their lead back to four on Michael Ramos' RBI double, but the Falcons tied things up in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded, Thomas Jones and Marco Fratarcangeli brought home runs on hit-by-pitches before Kearns knotted the score at 10 with a two-run single.
 
And after a scoreless top of the sixth, Dutchess took their first lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Light led off the inning with a solo shot, giving the Falcons an 11-10 lead, Hafel Payano relieved Joan Cruz, but the Falcons scratched out another run on a wild pitch to take a 12-10 lead.
 
Hidalgo and Germosen led off the top of the seventh with a pair of walks, before a wild pitch put the game-tying run for the Express in scoring position. Emanuel Veras made it a one-run game with an RBI groundout, before Ramos doubled down the left-field line to tie the game at 12.
 
Dutchess put the game-winning run on third in the bottom of the seventh, but Payano got Santoro to fly out and send game two into extra innings.
 
The Express went in order in the top of the eighth before three-straight singles loaded the bases for the Falcons, who walked off on Sitler's sacrifice fly to earn the 13-12, extra-inning victory.
Payano (0-1) took the loss for the Express, while Matthew Denatale (1-0) picked up the win for Dutchess.
 
Jorge went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Ramos went 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBIs. Tejada and Germosen each hit home runs, while Hilario went 2-for-5 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI.
 
The Express will look to bounce back on Sunday, March 17 when they host Raritan Valley Community College in a doubleheader at Dick Caswell Field in New Rochelle, N.Y. beginning at 12 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has nine varsity and junior varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.

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).