WARWICK, R.I., April 7, 2019 – Monroe Express softball earned its first win in program history on Saturday, splitting two contests against the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and Central Maine Community College. The Express opened the day with a 13-0, run-rule loss to the Knights, before defeating the Mustangs, 12-10, to pick up their first-ever victory.
GAME 1: CCRI 13, MONROE 0 (5)
After the Express left a pair of base runners on in the top of the first, CCRI struck first in the bottom of the frame. Hannah Northup groundout out with runners at second and third to score a run, before Victoria Passaretti scored on a passed ball to give the Knights a 2-0 lead.
The Knights went scoreless in the second, before tacking on eight more runs in the bottom of the third. Alexis LaBelle's two-run double highlighted the inning, which featured eight runs on eight hits, capped off by Raevyn Watson scoring on a wild pitch to extend CCRI's lead to 10-0.
CCRI added three more in the bottom of the fourth on singles by LeBelle, Mackenzie Doyle and Hannah Caliri before Carliri struck out the side in the top of the fifth to finish off the 13-0, five inning, run-rule shortened victory for the Knights.
Baez (0-7) took the loss for the Express, who dropped to 0-9, while Caliri (2-2) earned the win for CCRI, who moved to 6-3 with the win.
Zahra Medina and Jesuiska Cabral each tallied hits for the Express, both going 1-for-2.
GAME 2: MONROE 12, CENTRAL MAINE 10
Central Maine took an early lead in the top of the first inning. Alex Bessey led off with a single, and Tabie Tlumac reached on an error to put runners at the corners. Tlumac stole second, and Bessey scored on a wild pitch, giving the Mustangs a 1-0 lead. A batter later, Megan Theriault knocked in Tlumac, extending Central Maine's lead to 2-0.
The Express responded in the bottom of the first to take the lead.
Yejeiri Frias reached on a throwing error and took third on a passed ball. Medina singled to center to score Frias, before Cabral's double put runners at second and third. Baez followed with her second home run of the year, a three-run blast to right, giving Monroe a 4-2 lead.
Up next,
Raileni Amarante singled and came around to score on a wild pitch, extending the Express' lead to 5-2.
Samantha Belardo led off the top of the second with a hit-by-pitch, as the Mustangs battled back to square things up at 5-5. Belardo took second on a wild pitch, moved to third on Bessey's groundout and scored on a wild pitch to cut Monroe's lead to 5-3. Back-to-back walks put two on for Theriault, whose two-run single tied the game at five.
On Cabral's single to center in the bottom of the second, Frias scored, and the Express again took the lead.
Monroe extended their one-run lead in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Frias singled to center and took second on a passed ball. Medina walked, and Cabral reached on an error, scoring Frias to give the Express a 7-5 lead. Baez hit into a fielder's choice, scoring another run in Medina, extending the lead to 8-5.
But once again, Central Maine tied things up and this time, took the lead, in the top of the fifth. After Ali Sult led off with a triple, back-to-back singles off the bats of Stephanie Jones and Cagney O'Brien cut Monroe's lead down to two runs. Keara Hunter struck out, but a throwing error allowed Marah Hall and brought home another run, cutting the Mustangs' deficit to just one run.
Bessey followed with a double, scoring Skyler Henry to tie the game at eight-all, before Tlumac doubled home Bessey, giving Central Maine their first lead since the top of the first.
Monroe retook the lead in the bottom of the frame on Amarante's RBI double and
Jasmeilyn Garcia's RBI single, but once again, the Mustangs answered to tie the score.
In the top of the sixth, O'Brien's one-out single scored Sult and tied the game at 10. The Mustangs proceed to load the bases, but Baez got Hall to line into a double play, keeping the score even at 10-10.
And in the bottom of the sixth, the Express took the lead for good with another two-out rally. Frias smacked a single to center, and Medina walked to put runners on first and second with two outs. A passed ball moved the duo into scoring position, and Cabral brought home the go-ahead run with a two-run single through the left side, giving the Express a 12-10 lead.
Central Maine threatened in the top of the seventh with a two-out single, but Baez got Theriault to fly out to right, ending the scoring threat and giving the Express their first victory in program history.
Baez (1-7) earned the win for the Express, who move to 1-9 with the victory. Theriault (0-4) took the loss for Central Maine, who drops to 0-5.
Four Express players tallied multiple hits, including Cabral, who went 3-for-4 with a double, walk, two runs scored and three RBI. Amarante went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and RBI, while Frias added four runs, going 2-for-5 with four runs scored and a stolen base.
Garcia also tallied three hits for the Express, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Baez hit her second home run in as many days, going 1-for-5 with a home run, run scored and three RBI.
On the mound, Baez pitched a complete game, allowing 10 runs (seven earned) on 12 hits, walking six and striking out seven.
The Express will be back in action on Tuesday, April 9 when they travel to Middletown, N.Y. to take on Orange County Community College in a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 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 seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at
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