SELDEN, N.Y., April 9, 2021 – Facing a challenging Region 15 foe on the road Friday afternoon, the Monroe College Express baseball team picked up a big victory, taking down Suffolk County Community College, 8-6. The Express improve to 3-4 on the year with the win, while Suffolk drops to 3-8-1.
 
With the game originally slated to be a home game for the Express, the Sharks batted first in Friday's contest. This allowed the Sharks to get a big jump on the Express with a big top of the first. The Sharks rallied for a quick four runs in their first at-bat for a sizeable advantage right off the bat.
 
The Express began their comeback with a run in the bottom of the first. Quinn Kilroy led off with a single, but then Demetrio Rodriguez hit into a fielder's choice. A single by Jose Holguin got two runners on, and then Alexander Aponte singled to right to bring in Rodriguez to make it a 4-1 game.
 
It took until the bottom of the fourth until the next runs in the game were scored, but it proved to be the biggest inning of the game for the Express. Anthony Gonzalez Jr. led off with a walk, then Kilroy doubled to get both runners in scoring position. Demetrio Rodriguez was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Holguin took advantage, ripped a bases-clearing double to left, tying the game at 4-4. With two on later in the frame, Jose Arrieta tripled to right, bringing in both runners to put the Express ahead, 6-4. Alex Rodriguez then grounded out to short, but it brought in Arrieta to leave the Express on top, 7-4.
 
The Sharks threatened in the top of the fifth after Alec Maag led off the inning with a triple. He was knocked in on a sacrifice fly two batters later to get the Sharks within two, and later in the frame, Nick LoMonaco came in on a passed ball to make it a one-run game.
 
The Express added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh to cap off the game's scoring. Kilroy hit a leadoff double, and then Demetrio Rodriguez sacrificed him over to third. Holguin came through again, singling in Kilroy to hit the eventual final score of 8-6.
 
Chris Dominguez was solid in the start, allowing three earned runs across six frames to earn his second win of the season. Alex Rodriguez Bello picked up a three-inning save, his first of the year, after giving up just one walk and no hits. Suffolk's Daniel Perez took the loss to fall to 0-2.
 
Holguin finished with four RBIS and a run scored after hitting 3-for-5 with a double in the win. Kilroy batted 3-for-5 with two runs and a pair of doubles. Arrieta knocked in two runs and scored another after hitting 1-for-3 with a triple. Aponte went 2-for-5 with a run.
 
The Express and Sharks go head-to-head two more times Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader out on Long Island. First pitch of Game 1 is set for 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).