SELDEN, N.Y. – The Monroe College – Bronx baseball team dropped two games to nationally ranked No. 14 Suffolk County Community College, 4-3 and 13-2, at Suffolk County Community College Baseball Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Express drop to 8-4 in Region 15 play (10-17 overall), while the Sharks advance to 8-3 in the region (18-12 overall). 
 
The opening game was a heartbreaker as the Express had a 3-2 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Sharks scored two runs to earn the come-from-behind walk-off victory. 
 
Monroe – Bronx had the advantage in hits over Suffolk County in the opening game, 11-7.
 
Earlier in game one, Suffolk County scored first in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. The Express answered with a pair of runs in the top of the third. It all started with an RBI double to right off the bat of rookie second baseman Alfredo Jimenez Jr. which scored sophomore center fielder Bryant Quezada from first to tie the game at one. Three batters later, freshman third baseman Giovanny Flores lined a single to center field which scored Jimenez Jr. from third to give the Blue and Gold a 2-1 benefit. 
 
In the top of the fifth, Monroe padded its lead to 3-1 thanks to Flores, who tripled earlier in the inning, scoring from third on a fielding error.
 
The Sharks answered with a run in the bottom frame to pull to within one. 
 
The score remained 3-2 heading to the bottom of the seventh, as the Express were just three outs away from winning the contest. Monroe – Bronx was able to retire the first two batters of the inning. However, the Sharks drew two walks in a row to set up runners on first and second. Then, sophomore center fielder William Winter came up to the plate and drilled a single to right to drive in the game-tying and game-winning runs as Suffolk County earned the come-from-behind walk-off victory, 4-3.
 
For the Express at the plate, Bryant Quezada went 3-for-4 with a double. Flores also went 3-for-4, while Rodriguez and freshman shortstop Yan Ortiz Torres each reached base with a single. Jimenez Jr. had two hits in two at bats. Sophomore designated hitter Hecxiel Perez earned a base on balls.
 
On the mound for Suffolk County, sophomore pitcher Luke Buyes earned a complete-game victory as he struck out three batters in seven innings pitched.
 
In game two, Suffolk County scored five runs across the first two innings to take a commanding lead early. The Express got two runs back in the top of the fourth, thanks to an RBI groundout by sophomore right fielder Gregory Espinal and then sophomore second baseman Adrian Quezada scoring on a wild pitch, to pull the Blue and Gold to within three runs (5-2).

The Sharks countered in the bottom frame with eight runs to go up by eleven, on their way to the sweep of the doubleheader.
 
At the plate for Monroe – Bronx, freshmen left fielder Jeanpaul Alicea Albertorio went 2-for-2, stole a base, and scored a run. Bryant Quezada drilled a triple. Flores, Ortiz Torres, and Adrian Quezada each earned a base on balls.
 
On the mound for Suffolk County, freshman pitcher Jacob Galaz got the win as he struck out seven batters in four innings pitched. 
 
Monroe – Bronx will battle Kingsborough Community College in the first of a four-game series on Tuesday afternoon. It's a rematch of last season's Region 15 Championship game. First pitch at Kingsborough Community College Baseball Field is set for 4:00 p.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).