ROCKVILLE, MD – Monroe Express baseball took to Rockville, MD Thursday morning for a non-conference doubleheader against the Montgomery College-Rockville Raptors, with final scores of 3-2 and 8-5, dropping both contests in seven innings. The Express fall to 1-5 with the losses.

Montgomery Raptors 3, Monroe Express 2
Leading for most of the game, the Express lost their lead late against the Raptors leading to the 3-2 loss.The game was tied at two with Montgomery College batting in the bottom of the fifth when an error scored one run for the Raptors.

The pitching was strong on both sides with Montgomery's pitchers striking out six, while Monroe also sat down six.

The Raptors fired up the offense in the first inning, when an error scored one run for the home team. The Express knotted the game up at two in the top of the fourth inning. Jose Zabala Rodriguez grounded out, scoring one run.

Sommers Turner was the winning pitcher for Montgomery College ,lasting five innings, allowing six hits and two runs while striking out four and walking zero. Eriel Regalado threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Luis Lopez took the loss for the Express. The hurler went two innings, allowing one run on one hit, striking out one and walking one. Adrian Quezada started the game for Monroe going three innings, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out five and walking one.

Monroe tallied eight hits during the first of the day's doubleheader. Camilo Rodriguez and Randy Diaz each collected multiple hits. Diaz and Rodriguez all had two hits to lead the Express.

Montgomery College-Rockville didn't commit a single error in the field. Bryant Espiritusanto had the most chances in the field with six.

Montgomery Raptors 8, Monroe Express 5
The Express watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in an 8-5 loss to Montgomery. The Raptors opened up scoring in the second inning, and eventually took the lead on a groundout in the same stretch on a Logan Raftus ground out, scoring one run.

Monroe tallied five runs in the seventh inning off Ian Faulkner, Ramsel Jerez, and Ernie Farrell RBIs.

Montgomery College-Rockville scored five runs in the fifth inning. Elias Rosario, Tyris Benniefield, and Kevin Knoess all contributed in the big inning with RBIs.
Ryan Mariani pitched Montgomery College to victory. The pitcher went five and a third innings, allowing zero runs on one hit and striking out seven.  Henry Smith, John Mclntyre, and Jordan Peguese all put in work in relief out of the bullpen, steering their team towards the victory.

Samuel Tejada took the loss for the Express. The bulldog allowed three hits and three runs over four innings, striking out two and walking zero.

Montgomery College socked four home runs on the day. Rosario had a four bagger in the fifth inning, Jon Mcmath had a long ball in the fourth inning and  Raftus had a homer in the fourth inning. Tyris Benniefield went yard in the fifth inning.

For the Express, Ramsel Jerez led Monroe with two hits in three at bats.

The Express return to the diamond Thursday (Mar. 2) to take on the Westchester Community College Vikings at Vikings Field in Valhalla, NY at 2:30 PM.

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).