New Rochelle, N.Y., March 15, 2022 – After being held scoreless for the first seven innings, The Monroe Express Baseball offense came to life and scored six straight runs rallying for a 6-5 home-opening victory against Union County College on Friday morning at Dick Caswell Field. The win ends the Express's two-game skid improving their record to 3-5, while the Owls fall to 0-4.
Bryan Padilla got things started for Union County College offensively, belting a solo shot to give them a 1-0 lead.
Then, after two consecutive singles and a walk, Javier Alfonso belted a two-run double to left field to stretch the advantage to 3-0 before Bryan Padilla came in to score on a throwing error by
Alex Rodriguez (North Syracuse, N.Y) to make it 4-0.
The Owls would add another run in the top of the eighth to make it 5-0 before the Express surged back with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie it at five.
Joseph Rosario (New York, N.Y.) got the inning started with a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch, then
Ramsel Jerez followed with a walk, and
Rosario advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Rodriguez battled at the plate and was rewarded when he cranked a missile into left field for an RBI single to make it 1-0.
Malvin Gutierrez (New York, N.Y.) and Ernie Farrell both stepped up to the plate and drilled RBI singles past the shortstop and into the left-field
to get the Express within five runs 5-3.
Quinn Kilroy stepped up to the plate and, after
Farrell and
Gutierrez advanced on wild pitches, unloading a sacrifice fly RBI to right field, scoring
Gutierrez to make it 5-4 going into the ninth inning.
Anderson Cuello (Manchester, N.H.) retired the Owls in order in the top of the ninth, and then the Express got to work in the bottom of the ninth.
Juan Jorge (Bronx, N.Y.) led off with a single and stole second, and then
Rosario got on base when a pitch hit him before
Ramsel Jerez walked to load up the bases.
Rodriguez drilled an RBI single past the shortstop to tie it up at five.
Gutierrez stepped up to the plate and got clipped by a pitch to allow
Rosario to come across home plate for the winning run lifting the Express to a 6-5 win.
Cuello picked up his victory, going five innings allowing four hits and a run while striking out two and walking one. Moises Figueroa (Brooklyn, New York) got the start allowing six hits, four runs, four walks, and a strikeout.
Chris Rios took the loss for the Owls allowing three hits, three runs, and a strikeout in an inning of work.
The Express will look to make it back-to-back victories this Sunday, March 20th, on the road against Middlesex County College in a doubleheader in Edison, New Jersey, at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. For more information, visit the Monroe Express Baseball Schedule Page.
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).
