NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., April 24, 2021 – On a day that the Monroe College Express softball team honored a pair of sophomore graduates between games, the Express dropped both games of a doubleheader to their inter-campus counterparts, the Monroe College Mustangs, Saturday afternoon at Flowers Park. The Express fall to 3-9 overall with the losses, while the Mustangs improve to 4-12.
 
GAME 1: Mustangs 12, Express 0 (5 INN)
The Mustangs jumped out to an immediately lead in Game 1, as Brenda Rodriguez hit a leadoff inside-the-park home run down the left-field line to put the visitors up, 1-0. Mya Jack reached on a bunt single, and then Brianna Nunez hit a line drive into left for another single. Rachel Barker reached on a fielder's choice, but Jack managed to score from second to make it a 2-0 game. Barker then stole second, and Katherine Garcia singled to put runners on the corners. Letty Chavez-Rendon then singled through the right side to score Barker, and Naidely Cabrera hit an RBI double two batters later to leave the Mustangs on top, 4-0.
 
Jack hit a single into right field with one out in the top of the second. After she stole second, Nunez hit a fly ball to left that was dropped, putting her on second and allowing Jack to score and push the lead to 5-0. With runners on first and third and two outs, Chavez-Rendon singled in Nunez to give the Mustangs a six-run advantage.
 
Jack reached on an error at second to lead off the top of the fourth for the Mustangs. She moved to second on a wild pitch, then to third on a fly out by Nunez. Barker then tripled her in for the Mustangs' seventh run, and then a single by Garcia brought in Barker to make it an 8-0 game.
 
The Mustangs built on the lead even more in the top of the fifth. Alfaro and Brenda Rodriguez opened the frame with back-to-back bunt singles. A wild pitch then brought in Alfaro to make it 9-0. Jack then doubled to center to bring in Rodriguez to push the Mustangs' lead to 10 runs. Jack then stole third, and the throw went into left field, allowing her to score and run the lead to 11. A wild pitch later brought in Nunez from third to make it a 12-run game.
 
Mia Colamarino took the loss in Game 1 to fall to 1-2 on the season. Naidely Cabrera had a strong outing for the Mustangs, going all five innings and allowing no runs on four hits for her third win.
 
Raileni Amarante hit 2-for-2 in Game 1. Paola Calderon and Genesis Duarte-Suarez each hit 1-for-2 in the game.
 
GAME 2: Mustangs 6, Express 1
Rodriguez led off Game 2 with a single into left, and an error allowed her to go right to second. Jack sacrificed her over to third, and then Nunez brought her in with a single up the middle for an early 1-0 advantage for the Mustangs.
 
The Mustangs doubled the lead in the top of the fourth. Barker led off with a walk, then Garcia was hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt by Chavez-Rendon managed to bring Barker in all the way from second, leaving the Mustangs ahead, 2-0.
 
The Mustangs had runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the fifth when Barker hit a grounder to third, but the throw went high, allowing two runs to score and give the Mustangs a 4-0 lead.
 
The Express got on the board for the first time on Saturday in the bottom of the sixth inning. Nicole Peralta beat out an infield single, and later stole second with one out. Duarte-Suarez was hit by a pitch, and then Arlenny Diaz reached on an error to load the bases. Amarante then hit a sacrifice fly to deep right, bringing in Peralta to make it a 4-1 score.
 
The Mustangs added to the lead in the top of the seventh. Rodriguez led off with a single into left, and then Jack beat out a bunt single down the third-base line that also allowed Rodriguez to move all the way to third. A double steal then brought in Rodriguez to once again make it a four-run game. After Jack stole third and Nunez walked, Barker hit a sacrifice fly to right, plating Jack to bring the score to 6-1.
 
Zahra Medina went all seven innings in Game 2, allowing four earned runs with three strikeouts, but took the loss to drop to 2-3 on the year. Cabrera had another strong start for the Mustangs, allowing just one unearned run on two hits across all seven frames to improve to 4-5.
 
Adalianys Guzman hit 1-for-2 in the game. Peralta finished 1-for-4 with a run. Amarante finished 0-for-2, but contributed the Express' only RBI of the day.
 
Sunday's scheduled doubleheader at SUNY Adirondack has been canceled due to expected inclement weather. The Express are set to play next on Tuesday, April 27, in a home doubleheader against Suffolk County Community College. Game 1 in New Rochelle is set to begin at 4 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).