ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 10, 2021 – In a challenging pair of matchups after a long road trip, the Monroe College Express softball team played hard and challenged their hosts, Monroe Community College, but ultimately lost both contests of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon. The Express fell, 15-7, in the opener, before pushing the Tribunes to their limit in a 12-11 defeat in Game 2. The Express fall to 1-5 overall on the season, while the Tribunes improve to 6-2.
 
GAME 1: Tribunes 15, Express 7
The Express got off to a big start in Game 1. Paola Calderon singled with one out, then Genesis Duarte-Suarez hit a single of her own. Yashira Centeno walked to load the bases, and then with two outs, Arlenny Diaz hit a two-RBI single to make it a 2-0 game. Reileni Amarante then tripled in two more runs, leaving the Express up , 4-0.
 
The Tribunes fought right back, tying the game at 4-4 after the first inning. They rallied again in the bottom of the second, bringing in another five runs to take a 9-4 advantage.
 
The Express got one back in the top of the third when Brianna Sydney launched a solo homer to get back within four, but the Tribunes responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning to make it a 10-5 game. The home team added another two runs in the fourth, but the Express got two back in the fifth. The Tribunes put two more runs back on the board in the bottom of the fifth, forcing a run-rule finish at 15-7.
 
Centeno suffered the loss for the Express to fall to 0-2 on the season. McKenzie O'Keefe got the win for the Tribunes.
 
Sydney finished 2-for-3 with a solo homer, two runs and an RBI in Game 1. Amarante hit 1-for-2 with three RBIs and a triple. Diaz went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run.
 
GAME 2: Tribunes 12, Express 11
Game 2 got off to an even better start for the Express than the game prior. A sacrifice fly by Centeno brought in a run in the top of the first, and then Duarte-Suarez scored on a wild pitch to give the Express a 2-0 edge. Ashleigh Stewart added a two-run homer in the top of the second to make it 4-0, and then Calderon hit an RBI single with two on to push the lead to five. Later in the frame, a wild pitch allowed Zahra Medina to score and leave the Express on top, 6-0.
 
The Express continued to add to their lead in the top of the third. Sydney led off with a triple, and then Diaz reached on an error on a grounder to short, bringing in Sydney to make it a seven-run game.
 
The Tribunes began to come back, scoring three runs in the bottom of the third, but the Express responded with another three in the top of the fourth. A four-run fourth for the home team left the Express leading, 10-7. A Centeno sacrifice fly brought in the Express' 11th run of the game in the top of the fifth.
 
The Express held the lead all the way until the bottom of the sixth, but the Tribunes came all the way back with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take their first lead of the game at 12-11. The Express were unable to tie the game, ultimately falling by that same 12-11 score.
 
Centeno ultimately took the loss in relief in Game 2, while O'Keefe got the win for the second time on Saturday for the Tribunes.
 
Stewart went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, a run and a home run in the game. Medina hit 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a double. Centeno hit 1-for-2 with a run and two RBIs.
 
The Express will look to capitalize on their offensive success on Sunday, April 11, when they complete their Upstate New York trip against Niagara County Community College. The doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m.

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 36 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports program, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 17 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).