MIDDLETOWN, N.Y., April 25, 2021 – The Monroe College Express baseball team narrowly got the job done in both games on Sunday, sweeping a doubleheader at Orange County Community College with a pair of one-run victories. The Express picked up a 3-2 win in Game 1 before taking an 8-7 decision to close out the day. The Express improve to 5-9 overall with the wins, while the Colts drop to 3-9. The Express batted as the home team in both games on Sunday.
 
Game 1: Monroe 3, Orange 2
The Colts took the first lead of the game in the top of the second. With runners on second and third, Luigi Fratto grounded out to second, bringing in Gregory Bandura to make it a 1-0 game.
 
Orange doubled its lead in the top of the fourth. Fratto came through again with an RBI single with two outs to make it a 2-0 game.
 
Jose Holguin led off the bottom of the fourth with a single into left, and then Alexander Aponte followed with a single to center. Malvin Gutierrez grounded into a double play, but that left Holguin on third. Holguin then scored on a wild pitch, cutting the deficit in half at 2-1.
 
The Express caught a couple breaks to take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. Joseph Rosario walked, and then moved to second on a failed attempt to pick him off at first. Kevin Castillo then reached on an error by the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt, leaving runners on first and third. Castillo then stole second, and two batters later, Jose Arrieta reached on another error by the Colts, bringing in Rosario to tie the game. Demetrio Rodriguez then flew out to center, and though Arrieta was later thrown out trying to tag up, Castillo scored before the final out was made, giving the Express the 3-2 lead.
 
Christopher Dominguez went the complete game for the Express, allowing just two runs across seven frames to improve to 3-0 on the season. Sal Mecca Jr. took the loss for Orange to drop to 0-3.
 
Holguin hit 2-for-2 with a run in the win. Aponte batted 1-for-3. Castillo went 0-for-1 but scored a run and stole a base. Rosario did not register an at-bat after drawing two walks, also scoring a run.
 
Game 2: Monroe 8, Orange 7
Orange once again got the early jump on the Express, picking up a run on a John Lopez Jr. sacrifice fly in the top of the first. Lopez came through again two innings later for the Colts with a two-RBI single, pushing Orange's lead to 3-0.
 
Aponte got a rally started with a one-out walk in the bottom of the fourth for the Express. Anthony Burgos, Castillo and Rosario hit three straight singles, resulting in two runs coming in to make it a one-run game. The bases were loaded with two outs when Arrieta drew a walk to tie the game at 3-3.
 
Orange got one run back in the top of the fifth to go up, 4-3. Aponte and Burgos hit a pair of one-out singles, and then Castillo drew a walk to load the bases. Rosario then hit a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Aponte, and an error during the play by the first baseman allowed Burgos to score as well and put the Express ahead, 5-4. Anthony Reda then beat out an infield single to bring in Castillo and leave the Express up, 6-4.
 
Chris Rahm led off the top of the sixth with a triple to center. Two batters later, Tom Mazany grounded out to short, scoring Rahm from third to bring the Colts within one.
 
Arrieta led off the sixth for Monroe with a walk, and then Rodriguez beat out a single to third. Both runners executed a double steal to both get into scoring position, and then Aponte hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it a 7-5 game. Rodriguez then scored on a wild pitch to put the Express up, 8-5.
 
The Colts had the bases loaded with nobody out in the top of the seventh. Elijah Bontrager then drew a walk to score a run and get the Colts within a run. Kylan White then grounded into a double play, bringing in a run to make it a one-run game. Alex Rodriguez Bello then got the final batter to ground out to second to hang on for the one-run win.
 
Kenny Sanchez got the win in relief for the Express to improve to 1-2 on the season. Rodriguez Bello came on with two runners on in the seventh and helped secure the win, earning his second save. Nelson Saurez took the loss in relief for the Colts.
 
Burgos hit 2-for-3 with two runs and a stolen base in the win. Rodriguez batted 2-for-4 with a run and a stolen base. Reda went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Aponte scored twice and knocked in another run after hitting 1-for-2. Castillo matched Aponte with a 1-for-2 effort, two runs and an RBI. Rosario plated two runs in a 1-for-3 outing.
 
The Express are back at it on Tuesday, April 27, with a road doubleheader at Union County College in Cranford, N.J. Game 1 is set to begin at 12 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).