Newport News, Virginia, March 5, 2022 – The Monroe Express Baseball team dropped a pair of competitive matchups to Thomas Nelson Community College on Saturday at Peninsula Catholic High School Field. The Express fell in Game 1, 5-4, and dropped Game 2 8-4. As a result, the Express fall to 1-2 on the season.
 
GAME 1: Thomas Nelson Community College 5, Monroe Express 4
The Express got on the scoreboard first in the top of the third when Juan Jorge (Bronx, N.Y.) singled on a bunt to score Randy Diaz then stretched their lead to 2-0 in the top of the fifth Jose Arrieta (New Bedford, MA) drilled a line drive to left field scoring Diaz. Joseph Rosario (New York, N.Y.) connected on a solo home run to right field in the top of the 6th to extend the lead to 3-0, and then Arrieta scored on a passed ball in the top of the seventh to give the Express a 4-0 cushion. The Gators put together a furious rally in the bottom of the seventh. Jacob Debevic unloaded a leadoff double to right field and then cut the lead to 4-1. Then a hard hit ball by Will Michalowicz that Jorge struggled to handle made it a one-run game, 4-3. Chris Grizzard completed the comeback with a walk-off homer to left field to help the Gators steal the first game of the doubleheader 5-4.
 
Jose Arrieta (New Bedford, MA) led the way for the Express, going 2-for-4 with two hits, a double, and RBI while stealing a base. Joseph Rosario (New York, N.Y.) homered while Randy Diaz and Alex Rodriguez (North Syracuse, N.Y) also recorded hit. Diaz stole a team-high four bases while Arrieta and Anthony Gonzalez Jr. (Bronx, N.Y.) both had one steal each.
 
The Express's ace Chris Dominguez (Bronx, N.Y.) had a solid opening start throwing five scoreless innings, striking out two while allowing three hits for a no-decision. took the loss.
 
Frank Ballar (Bronx, N.Y.) and Emmanuel Aviles entered the game from the bullpen, throwing one inning and two-thirds of an inning, respectively. Aviles took the loss in the game.
 
GAME 2: Thomas Nelson Community College 8, Monroe Express 4
In the second game, the Express got right back to it as Juan Jorge (Bronx, N.Y.) led off with a single to left field and scored on a Joseph Rosario (New York, N.Y.) groundout to second to make it 1-0. Jorge had a lead-off single in the top of third, stole second, and came across the plate on an error to increase the margin to 2-0. Thomas Nelson Community College got two runs in the bottom of the third on a Tyler Butler solo homer to center field and Zach Haywood RBI double to tie it up. After a Jorge RBI single gave the Express the lead back 3-2, the Gators took over from there, putting up four runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings. First, they tied it up at three on a Will Michalowicz RBI single and took the lead for good 4-3, when Michael Adams scored on an error in the bottom of the fifth. Adams scored again in the bottom of the sixth to stretch the lead to 5-3, and Tyler Butler recorded an RBI on a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3. to extend their lead to 6-3. The Gators held the Express to one run in the top of the seventh to take the Saturday doubleheader 8-4.
 
The Express connected on 10 hits in game two and left 22 men on base. Juan Jorge (Bronx, N.Y.) and Randy Diaz both recorded multi-hit games, with Jorge going 3-for-4 with three hits while Diaz smacked two. Joseph Rosario (New York, N.Y.) also had a double in the contest, and Jose Arrieta (New Bedford, MA), Jabez King, Alex Rodriguez (North Syracuse, N.Y), and Jose Ramirez all had one hit.
 
Moises Figueroa (Brooklyn, N.Y) took the loss for the Express falling to 0-1 allowed four hits and two runs while striking out three in three innings of work.
 
For Thomas Nelson Community College, Michael Butler led the way with three hits for the Gators while Will Michalowicz and Tyler Butler registered a team-high two RBIs apiece.
 
Chase Mandic tossed three strikeouts and allowed six hits and two runs over three innings of work for a no-decision, while Pablo Veras picked up the save for Thomas Nelson Community College.
 
The Express will look to get back to .500 tomorrow in another doubleheader with Thomas Nelson College, with Game 1 beginning at 10 a.m. and Game 2 at 1 p.m. For more information, please visit the Monroe Express Baseball 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).