DEWITT, N.Y., May 25, 2022 – Facing as tough of a challenge there could be at the 2022 NJCAA Div. III Softball Championship, the No. 8 seed Monroe College Express softball team fought hard against seven-time defending NJCAA Champion and No. 1 seed Rock Valley College, but ultimately fell by the score of 10-3 in Wednesday's first-round matchup at Carrier Park. The Golden Eagles will advance into the winner's bracket, while the Express will look to stave off elimination in the loser's bracket on Thursday.
 
A scoreless first frame for both teams was capped off with a brilliant diving catch by Zahra Medina down the line in left field to end the bottom of the first. Fittingly, Medina then led off the top of the second with a triple on a liner to right-center. With two outs later in the frame, Ashley Ulmschneider dropped down a bunt and beat the throw to first, bringing Medina home to put the Express on top, 1-0.
 
Things unraveled for the Express in the bottom of the second. The seven-time defending champions found a rhythm at the plate, bringing eight runs home in the Golden Eagles' second at-bat of the afternoon to take an 8-1 lead. Rock Valley later added another run in the bottom of the fourth to take a 9-1 advantage.
 
The Express played small ball to get back on the board in the fifth. Ashleigh Stewart and Nicole Peralta both beat out infield singles to get two runners on. With both runners in scoring position and one out, Genesis Duarte-Suarez grounded one in no-woman's land between the first and second basemen, allowing both runners to come home on a two-RBI single to make it a 9-3 ballgame.
 
Rock Valley managed to bring one more run home in the bottom of the sixth after a pair of errors to reach the eventual final score of 10-3.
 
Varela Cappas got the start for the Express, but took the loss in one-plus frames. She allowed three earned runs on just one hit. Madison Carlson picked up a complete-game victory for the Golden Eagles to improve to 16-7 overall.
 
A rare feat against the defending champs, the Express outhit the Golden Eagles, 10-7, in Wednesday's contest. Nicole Peralta picked up three of those hits, including a double, and scored a run in the game. Medina batted 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Duarte-Suarez finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in. Stewart hit 2-for-3 with a run scored. Ulmschneider batted 1-for-3 with an RBI.
 
Rock Valley is set to take on No. 5 Brookdale Community College later Wednesday in the first winner's bracket matchup of the tournament. Monroe will take on No. 4 Herkimer College on Thursday, May 26, at 10 a.m. after the Generals dropped a 1-0 decision to Brookdale in their first-round contest on Wednesday. The loser between Monroe and Herkimer will be eliminated from championship contention.

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).