MIDDLETOWN, N.Y., April 12, 2022 – Taking on one of NJCAA Region 15's Division II teams in Orange County Community College on Tuesday, the Monroe College Express softball team dropped both games of a road doubleheader to the Colts. Monroe fell by a score of 10-2 in Game 1, before a tight Game 2 saw the Colts walk off with a 7-6 win. The Express fall to 14-9 on the season with the losses, while the Colts improve to 7-5.
 
GAME 1: Orange 10, Monroe 2 (5 INN)
Zahra Medina led off the game by reaching on an error. Nicole Peralta then made the Colts pay, slamming a two-run homer to center to immediately put the Express up, 2-0. Unfortunately, Orange was able to avenge those runs and then some. The home team went on to score 10 runs across the next five innings, walking off on Julianna Garvey's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth that forced a run-rule finish at 10-2.
 
Erin Feeney got the win for Orange, improving to 3-3 on the season. Layla Ramos shouldered the loss for Monroe to drop to 5-3.
 
Peralta finished 1-for-3 with her two-run homer in Game 1. Genesis Duarte-Suarez, Ramos, Ashley Ulmscheider and Ashleigh Stewart each hit 1-for-2 in the game.
 
GAME 2: Orange 7, Monroe 6
Cinthia Ramirez led off the top of the second with a single to center for Monroe. Paola Calderon then hit a line drive to center that was dropped by the center fielder, leaving runners on second and third for the Express. Ashley Diaz hit a grounder to short, but the shortstop held onto it to look the runners back, loading the bases with one out. Raileni Amarante then dropped a single into center, scoring Ramirez to put the Express in the lead, 1-0.
 
Monroe's lead grew in the top of the third. Peralta led off with an infield single, and then Duarte-Suarez drew a walk. With one out, Juliana Vasquez singled into left, scoring Duarte-Suarez to double the lead, but Ramirez was thrown out at third on the play for the second out of the inning. Calderon followed with an RBI single to bring in Vasquez and lead the Express up, 3-0.
 
Orange got on the board for the first time in Game 2 in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on second and third, Kayla McNamara hit a two-RBI single into right, cutting Monroe's lead to 3-2. Jessica Stewart followed with a two-run homer over the fence in right field, putting the home team on top, 4-3.
 
With two outs in the top of the sixth, Stewart kept the inning alive for Monroe by reaching on an error. Zahra Medina made Orange pay, tripling to left to bring in Stewart and tie the game at 4-4.
 
Orange took the lead right back in the home half of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Meghan Clune doubled to right, bringing in two runs to put the Colts back up, 6-4.
 
The Express did not go down without a fight in Tuesday's finale. Ramirez got things going for Monroe in the top of the seventh with a one-out single, and then an error on a grounder by Juliana Vasquez left runners on second and third. With two down, Arlenny Diaz singled to left, plating both runners to tie the game up at 6-6.
 
Erin Walker walked to lead off the home half of the seventh for Orange, and then Kayla Consolo singled to left. Garvey beat out a bunt to load the bases with nobody out, and then an error on a grounder by Chloe Jamieson allowed the winning run to come home, giving the Colts a walkoff 7-6 victory.
 
Stewart got the win in the circle in Game 2 for Orange to improve to 2-2. Toni Shawnee took the loss for the Express to drop to 6-4 on the year.
 
Diaz knocked in two runs late in a 2-for-4 effort in Tuesday's second game. Ramirez scored twice after hitting 2-for-4 herself. Vasquez scored twice and knocked in a run in a 1-for-4 outing. Medina hit 1-for-4 with an RBI triple. Amarante plated a run after hitting 1-for-3. Stewart went 1-for-3 with a run, while Calderon hit 1-for-4 with an RBI. Peralta batted 1-for-4 in Game 2.
 
The Express will look to bounce back on Saturday, April 16, when they visit Community College of Rhode Island up in Warwick, R.I., for the second meeting between the Express and Knights. The Express swept a doubleheader in New Rochelle back on March 20. Saturday's doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m.

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 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 and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 14 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).