HAMPTON, Va. and NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Monroe College – Bronx baseball team opened the 2024 season with a pair of losses at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The Express dropped the first game to nationally ranked No. 6 Owens Community College, 9-4, and then lost to Virginia Peninsula Community College by a score of 13-6. The next day on Sunday, at Heritage High School, the Express dropped both ends of its doubleheader to Virginia Peninsula, 15-1 and 6-5.  
 
In the game against Owens on Saturday, the Monroe - Bronx (0-4) trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning. Freshman designated hitter Jayden Moya led the frame off with a single and then first-year third baseman Giovanny Flores drew a walk, setting Monroe up with runners on first and second with nobody out. After the next two hitters flied out, first-year center fielder Alfredo Jimenez Jr. stepped up to the plate and crushed a three-run home to right field to give Monroe a 3-2 advantage. 
 
The Bronx's sophomore starting pitcher Adrian Quezada retired the side in order in the top of the third. In the fourth, he gave up a pair of doubles, but thanks to a fly-ball double play and striking the opposing batter out looking, he escaped without giving up a run.
 
In the top of the fifth, however, Owens (2-2) scored four runs highlighted by a three-run dinger off the bat of sophomore infielder Kyle Mayberry to give his team a 6-3 benefit. After the Blue and Gold pulled to within two runs in the bottom frame, Owens tacked on three more runs in the sixth on its way to the 9-4 victory.
 
Leading the way for Monroe was Jimenez Jr. who scored two runs and drew a walk, in addition to his three-run blast. Sophomore infielder Camilo Rodriguez picked up a run batted in and drilled a single. Rookie second baseman Jeanpaul Alicea Albertorio reached base with a single and stole a base. Second-year catcher Hecxiel Perez reached base with a double and drew a walk. Flores notched a double and rookie infielder Yan Ortiz Torres stole a pair of bases.
 
On the mound, Adrian Quezada went 4.1 innings and struck out five batters but picked up the loss. 
 
In the contest versus Virginia Peninsula (3-6), an RBI single each from Flores and Albertorio put the Express in front, 2-1 in the top of the second. 
 
The Gators took over by scoring two runs in the bottom of the second, one run in the third, and five more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 9-2 benefit. Monroe answered with three runs in the top of the fifth, thanks to a bases-loaded walk by Torres, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Flores, and an RBI single by sophomore outfielder Bryant Quezada, to pull the Express to within three runs at 8-5.
 
Perez got Monroe closer in the top of the sixth with a sacrifice fly to right that scored Jimenez Jr. to shrink the Express' deficit to 8-6. 
 
In the home half of the sixth, Virginia Peninsula exploded for four runs to break the game open at 12-6 and that ended up being the final score.
 
For the Express, Albertorio went 2-for-3 with a walk, while Espinal drew three walks, stole a base, and scored a run. Rodriguez worked two walks and scored twice. Perez crossed home plate. In addition to his run-scoring single, Bryant Quezada drew two walks. 
 
On the mound, sophomore pitcher Liam Nugent earned the victory for the Gators as he struck out six batters and gave up just two hits in four innings pitched. For the Express, freshman pitcher Jeral Columna suffered the loss. He fanned four hitters in 3.1 innings of work. 
 
In the first game of the twin bill against the Gators on Sunday, Virginia Peninsula opened the scoring in the first, then added three in the second, and five in the third to take a commanding lead that was not surrendered. In the top of the seventh, the Express got on the board as Perez drilled an RBI single to left, scoring sophomore outfielder Frederick Hernandez from third. It was not enough for Monroe as Virginia Peninsula came away with the victory in the opening game.
 
Sophomore pitcher Brandon Drewry went 4.1 inning on the mound, striking out 10 batters in the process, to earn the win for the Gators.
 
For the Express, Espinal produced a single, stole a base, and earned a base on balls. Rodriguez drew two walks, while Moya and freshman catcher Edwin Minaya Jr. each earned a free pass of their own. Torres produced a single. 
 
In the second game of the afternoon against the Gators, and third of the weekend, the Express jumped out to a 2-0 benefit in the top of the second thanks to back-to-back RBI singles courtesy of rookie catcher Yadiel Santana and Albertorio. Virginian Peninsula scored a pair of runs in the home half of the third to tie the game.
 
In the top of the fourth, freshman right fielder Jeremy Columna scored on an error to allow the Blue and Gold to regain the lead at 3-2. The Gators countered with a run in the bottom frame to once again even up the game. 
 
The Express went back in front in the top of the fifth, thanks to an RBI single by Minaya Jr. to make it 4-3 in favor of Monroe. Minaya Jr. eventually came around to score thank to a run-scoring single off the bat of Santana to extend the Express' lead to 5-3. 
 
The Gators rallied by scoring a run in the fifth off an RBI double by freshman outfielder Israel Dozier, and then adding two runs in the sixth thanks to a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch, to take a 6-5 advantage. 
 
The Express went down in order in the top of the seventh, which allowed Virginia Peninsula to secure the sweep.
 
During the second contest, the Express outhit the Gators, 9-5. Jeremy Columna went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored, and an RBI. Minaya Jr. went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Jimenez Jr. drilled a double and scored a run. Santana had two singles in two at bats, driving in two runs in the process. Hernandez drew a walk and stole a base. Ortiz Torres also reached base via a walk.
 
On the mound, freshman pitcher Jacob Cotto pitched five innings for Monroe, gave up just four hits, three earned runs, and struck out two batters.
 
Monroe – Bronx will travel to Delaware on Saturday for a doubleheader against Delaware Technical & Community College - Terry on Saturday. First pitch at Delaware Tech. Baseball Field is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. 

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 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 seven 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/X (@MonroeExpress), Instagram (@MonroeExpress), and Threads (@MonroeExpress).