BRONX, N.Y., April 27, 2019 – Monroe Express baseball swept its Sophomore Day doubleheader against the Queensborough Community College Tigers on Saturday at Roberto Clemente State Park, earning its first doubleheader sweep in program history. The Express picked up two come-from-behind wins, winning game one, 11-9, and game two, 7-4. Following the doubleheader, the Express move to 7-22 (5-12 Region XV) on the year, while the Tigers fall to 6-22 (6-14 Region XV).
 
GAME 1: MONROE 11, QUEENSBOROUGH 9
The Tigers took advantage of two errors to take the lead in the top of the first. Josue Francisco reached second on a dropped fly ball, and took third on an errant throw. Nicholas DiLorenzo followed with an RBI single, giving Queensborough a 1-0 lead. After a fielder's choice, a walk and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Sean Lynch, who stroked a single to left, extending the Tigers' lead to 3-0. Brandon Fernandez drew another walk to lead the bases and then Brayan Salcedo drew another hit-by-pitch to give Queensborough a 4-0 lead.
 
Monroe cut the Tigers lead in half in the bottom of the frame. A.J. Torres led off with a single and stole second. After Juan Jorge grounded out, moving Torres to third, Emanuel Veras smacked a ground-rule double down the left field line, scoring Torres to cut the lead to 4-1. Veras took third on Nicanor Marte's groundout, and Devon Marrero made it a 4-2 ballgame with an RBI single through the left side.
 
Bryan Diaz settled down in the top of the second, working out two, two-out base runners, before the Express scratched out another run in the bottom of the inning. Gorge Garcia walked and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches. Then, Michael Ramos grounded out to second, plating Garcia to cut the Tigers' lead to 4-3.
 
Diaz again kept the Tigers off the scoreboard in the third, and Monroe took the lead in the bottom of the frame. Back-to-back singles from Marte and Marrero put two runners on with two outs. Garcia smashed a two-run single to left, plating both runners to give the Express a 5-4 lead.
 
However, the Tigers retook the lead in the top of the fourth. Francisco led off the inning with a single, and DiLorenzo followed with a double to left, putting runners at second and third. Samuel Gutierrez loaded the bases with a one-out walk, before Bryan Santos tied the game with an RBI single to left, forcing the Express to make a call to the bullpen.
 
Queensborough then took the lead on Lynch's fielder's choice and a throwing error, as DiLorenzo and Gutierrez scored to make it a 7-5 Tigers' lead.
 
The Tigers would add to their lead in the top of the fifth. With runners on second and third after a fielder's choice and a hit-by-pitch, Christian Caraballo double down the left field line, scoring both runners to extend Queensborough's lead to 9-5.
 
But in the bottom of the fifth, the Express bats again broke through, scoring six runs on five hits to take the lead. Veras led off with a double, his second of the day, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Marte then reached on an error, scoring Veras and taking second on the throwing error. Marrero followed with a single to put runners at the corners, and Julian Ovalles-Garcia walked to load the bases.
 
Garcia drew another walk, plating Marte to cut Queensborough's lead to 9-7, before Jesus Hilario doubled down the left field line, tying the game at nine. The Tigers made a pitching change, but the Express continued their charge. Back-to-back singles from Harold Valdez and Torres brought home another run, and Jorge reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Valdez to give the Express an 11-9 lead.
 
Brian Espaillat worked around a walk in the top of the sixth. And although Monroe wasn't able to add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, Espaillat left two on in the top of the seventh to finish off the save and give the Express the 11-9 victory.
 
Rafael Duran Perez (1-2) earned the win for Monroe, while Espaillat (1) earned the save, pitching two scoreless innings. Thomas Gorman (0-7) took the loss for Queensborough.
 
Marrero and Torres each tallied three hits, as Marrero went 3-for-3 with a walk, three stolen bases, two runs scored and an RBI, while Torres went 3-for-4 with a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI.
 
Garcia led the Express with three RBI, going 1-for-2 with two walks, a run scored and three RBI, while Veras tallied two doubles, going 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI.
 
GAME 2: MONROE 7, QUEENSBOROUGH 4
Once again, Queensborough struck first in the top of the first inning. Francisco led off with a double to right center, advanced to third on DiLorenzo's groundout and scored on Lynch's sacrifice fly to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
 
Torres led off the bottom of the first with a double for the Express as well, but the Tigers got Veras to hit into a double play to keep their 1-0 lead.
 
In the top of the second, Edward Mata struck out the side, working around a bases-loaded jam, before Monroe tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Bianyor Germosen led off the inning with a single, and reached second on a Tigers' fielding error. A batter later, Valdez brought home Germosen with an RBI single to left, knotting the score at 1-1.
 
Queensborough retook the lead in the top of the third. Lynch reached on a throwing error, and took third on a passed ball. Gutierrez grounded out to second to score Lynch, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
 
But the Express answered with a big inning in the bottom of the frame. Jorge moved himself into scoring position, drawing a hit-by-pitch, stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Veras drew a walk to put runners at the corners for Germosen, who stroked a single to right to tie the game at two. Germosen stole second, and Miguel Reicino walked to load the bases for Ovalles-Garcia, who gave Monroe the lead with a sacrifice fly to left.
 
De Los Santos followed with a two-run double, and Valdez an RBI single, extending the Express' lead to 6-2.
 
The Tigers cut into Monroe's lead in the top of the fifth. Francisco again reached on a throwing error, and DiLorenzo singled to left, cutting the Express' lead to 6-3. DiLorenzo would take second on the throw, and come around to score on another error, making it a 6-4 lead. But Mata worked around two more base runners in the inning, striking out Kevin Morocho to leave two runners in scoring position.
 
The Express added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth. With runners at second and third, Valdez grounded out to third, scoring Reicino to extend the lead to 7-4.
 
Yony De Leon pitched a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, and Hafel Payano pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to nail down his second save of the week and give the Express the 7-4 victory, and the sweep.
 
Mata (3-2) earned the win for the Express, allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits, walking two and striking out seven. Payano (2) earned the save, while Paul DiBella (0-2) took the loss for the Tigers.
 
De Los Santos, Germosen and Valdez led the Express at the plate. De Los Santos went 1-for-3 with a double, run scored and two RBI, Germosen went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, two runs scored and an RBI, and Valdez went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and three RBI.
 
The Express finished off their first sweep of a Region XV opponent in program history, sweeping the four-game season series against Queensborough.
 
The Express will look to make it three-straight victories when they take on the Borough of Manhattan Community College Panthers on Tuesday, April 30 at 4 p.m. at Roberto Clemente State Park.
 
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).