BAYSIDE, N.Y., April 25, 2019 – Monroe Express baseball scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning en route to a 12-9, comeback victory over the Queensborough Community College Tigers on Thursday.
 
With Andy Rodriguez getting the start for Monroe, Queensborough took an early lead in the bottom of the first. Samuel Fernandez drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Rodriguez got Nicholas DiLorenzo to fly out to center, but Christian Caraballo stroked an RBI single to right, scoring Fernandez to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
 
The Express came right back to tie the game and take the lead in the top of the second. Gorge Garcia reached on a fielding error, and Albert De Los Santos singled to right to put runners on first and second. A batter later, Jesus Hilario walked to load the bases for A.J. Torres, who hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Garcia to tie the game at one. Juan Jorge followed with an RBI single, giving Monroe a 2-1 lead.
 
Monroe extended their lead in the top of the third. Nicanor Marte singled to left and Miguel Reicino walked to put another two runners on base. Next, Garcia slapped an RBI single to left, scoring Marte and extending the lead to 3-1. Reicino and Garcia moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, and De Los Santos made it a 4-1 lead with another RBI single through the left side.
 
Torres led off the top of the fourth with a solo homer to right, his second of the year, to increase the Express' lead to 5-1.
 
Queensborough answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. Samuel Gutierrez singled and stole second and third. Sean Lynch followed with a single to right, cutting Monroe's lead to 5-2.
 
The Tigers added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Express' lead down to one. A walk and a pair of hit-by-pitches loaded the bases for DiLorenzo, who reached on a fielder's choice to score a run. After DiLorenzo stole second, Caraballo hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Josue Francisco from third to cut the lead to 5-4.
 
Queensborough tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Francisco led off with a walk and advanced to third on a throwing error. Fernandez then singled to center, knotting the score at 5-5.
 
The Express retook the lead in the top of the eighth on Emanuel Veras' two-run triple, but the Tigers scored four in the bottom of the inning to take a 9-7 lead. With two outs and a runner on second, Francisco doubled to center, cutting Monroe's lead to 7-6. The Express made a pitching change, but Kaden Mejia tied the game with another RBI single.
 
Then DiLorenzo socked a two-run homer to left, giving Queensborough a 9-7 lead, their first lead of the game.
 
However, the Express rallied in the top of the ninth. Reicino drew a hit-by-pitch to lead off the inning and stole second. With two outs, Michael Ramos reached on a dropped third strike, advancing Reicino to third. Bryan Diaz, who pinch ran for Ramos, took second on a wild pitch, before Hilario walked to load the bases.
 
Torres, Jorge and Veras then drew three-straight bases loaded walks to give the Express a 10-9. Marte added a couple insurance runs on a two-run single to center, extending Monroe's lead to 12-9, heading to the bottom of the ninth.
 
The first two batters of the inning reached for the Tigers against Edward Mata, but Mata got John Bondanza to ground into a fielder's choice, and then Brandon Fernandez to ground into a double play to end the threat and give the Express the 12-9 victory.
 
Mata (2-2) picked up the win for the Express, while Angel Diaz (0-2) took the loss for the Tigers. With the win, the Express move to 5-22 (3-12 Region XV) on the year, while the Tigers drop to 6-20 (6-12 Region XV).
 
Marte led the Express at the plate, going 5-for-6 with a run scored and two RBI. Jorge, Veras and De Los Santos each added two hits, with Jorge going 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBI, Veras going 2-for-5 with a triple, walk and three RBI and De Los Santos going 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
 
The Express will look to finish off a sweep of the Tigers when they host Queensborough in a Sophomore Day doubleheader at Roberto Clemente State Park in the Bronx, N.Y. on Saturday, April 27, beginning at 2 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 30 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 11 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).