QUINCY, Mass., May 1, 2022 – The Monroe College Express baseball team split a doubleheader at Quincy College, a first-time opponent for the Express, on the road Sunday afternoon. The Express won the opener, 8-3, but lost a close 4-2 matchup in Game 2. The Express finish the regular season with a 20-20 overall record, Monroe's first-ever .500-or-better season and first 20-win season.
 
GAME 1: Monroe 8, Quincy 3
Juan Jorge led off the day with a triple to right, and then Joseph Rosario hit a double to left to bring him in for an immediate lead for the Express. After a single by Salomon Lluveres, Ernie Farrell singled into right, scoring Rosario for a 2-0 edge. Jose Arrieta then grounded into a double play, but still brought Lluveres home to leave Monroe up, 3-0.
 
The Granite got a run back in the bottom of the second when James Keefe reached on an error with two runners on, cutting Monroe's lead to 3-1. The Express neutralized the run in the top of the third. Singles by Farrell and Arrieta set up Malvin Gutierrez for an RBI single to right, plating Farrell for a 4-1 lead.
 
Lluveres hit a one-out single in the fifth, and then ended up on third after stealing second with an error by the catcher. Arrieta brought him in with a single, pushing the lead to 5-1. Quincy got one back in the bottom of the fifth on another error to get back within three.
 
The Express had one more rally in the top of the seventh. With Lluveres on second after another hit and a steal, Farrell doubled him in, and then Arrieta tripled in Farrell, and then Gutierrez scored Arrieta with a sacrifice fly, adding three total runs for an 8-2 advantage three outs away from victory. The Granite ended up scoring one more run in the home half of the seventh, but not enough to tie the game.
 
Chris Dominguez earned the win for the Express to improve to 3-5. He went four frames without allowing an earned run. Tyler Cadena picked up a save after going the final three innings, yielding just one earned run. Anthony Dunlavey took the loss for the Granite.
 
Farrell, Arrieta and Lluveres all hit 3-for-4 in Game 1. Farrell doubled, knocked in two runs and scored twice himself. Arrieta tripled with two RBIs and a run scored. Lluveres scored three times and stole two bases. Jorge tripled and scored once in a 1-for-4 outing. Rosario hit a double, scored once and plated a run in a 1-for-4 effort. Gutierrez brought in two runs after hitting 1-for-3. Jose Ramirez batted 1-for-2.
 
GAME 2: Quincy 4, Monroe 2
Game three went at a much slower pace than Game 2. The Express broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third after Jorge, Rosario and Lluveres hit three straight singles, resulting in Jorge scoring to give Monroe a 1-0 lead.
 
Quincy had its biggest inning of the day in the bottom of the fourth. The Granite scored four runs, taking a 4-1 advantage over the Express.
 
Monroe got a run back with a quick pair of hits in the top of the sixth. Lluveres hit a leadoff triple, and then Farrell singled him in, bringing the score to 4-2. Unfortunately, that was the last run scored in the game.
 
Sam Marlatt earned the complete-game victory for Quincy in Game 2. Frank Ballar took the loss for Monroe in relief.
 
Lluveres batted 2-for-3 with a triple, a run and an RBI in Game 2. Ruben Ogando hit 2-for-3 as well. Jorge went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Farrell knocked in a run in a 1-for-3 effort, while Rosario finished 1-for-4.
 
The No. 4-seeded Express open up play in the Region 15 Championship tournament on Thursday, May 5, at top-seeded Suffolk County Community College in Selden, N.Y. The double-elimination tournament will then continue on Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, at Suffolk.

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).