AUGUSTA, N.J. – The Monroe University – Bronx baseball team had its 17-game winning streak snapped on Thursday afternoon, thanks to a high-scoring 19-15 loss to NJCAA Division II Sussex County Community College. The game took place at Skylands Stadium.
Monroe (21-8) got off to a strong start in the top of the first as a two-run double off the bat of
Juan Carlos Salcedo, and then a run-scoring single courtesy of
Elijah Andino, gave the Blue and Gold a 3-0 advantage,
Sussex County (27-14) got one run back in the bottom frame. In the top of the second, an RBI ground out by
Adrian Nunez, and then an RBI base hit off the bat of
Anthony Sanchez, extended the Express' benefit to 5-1.
The Skylanders' bats broke out in the bottom of the second with seven runs to jump out to an 8-5 lead in the blink of an eye.
Monroe countered in the top of the third with a four-run inning to retake the advantage at 9-8. The highlights of the Express' productive inning were a bases-loaded walk by
Derek Lebron and a two-run single by
Devyn Rolle, the latter which catapulted Monroe to a 9-8 edge.
The back-and-forth affair continued in the bottom of the third as Sussex County scored three runs which put Monroe in an 11-9 hole.
In the top of the fourth,
Joshua Osorio lined a single which scored Salcedo from second to pull the Blue and Gold to within one.
In the visiting half of the fifth, the Express had runners on the corners and nobody out.
Pablo Aquino sprinted from third and stole home, while Rolle swiped second. That tied the game at 11.
The Skylanders had a productive bottom of the fifth, scoring five runs in the frame to snatch a 16-11 hold. The home team plated two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to deepen Monroe's hole to 18-11.
Nunez helped Monroe get one of those runs back in the top of the seventh with an RBI triple to shrink Monroe's deficit to six runs.
Sussex County added a run in the bottom of the seventh to regain its seven-run surplus. Monroe tacked on a run in the top of the eighth.
In the top of the ninth,
David Echavarria stepped up the plate and belted a two-run homer to pull the Express to within a 19-15 margin. Unfortunately for the Blue and Gold, that ended up being the final score.
For the afternoon, Monroe's lineup produced 17 hits, eight stolen bases, and four walks.
Aquino went 3-for-6 with a double, an RBI, and crossed home plate three times. Osorio went 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Rolle went 2-for 3 with a double, three runs scored, four stolen bases, and two runs batted in. Sanchez doubled, while Salcedo scored a pair of runs. Lebron produced two base hits in four at-bats, crossing home plate once, and working a walk.
On the mound for Sussex County, Ryan Bollette earned the win. For Monroe,
Railyn Uceta took the loss.
The Express will battle Dominican University New York JV in a single game on Friday afternoon. First pitch at Veterans Memorial Park, in Orangeburg, N.Y., is set for 1:30 p.m.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE UNIVERSITY
The athletic program at Monroe University 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 University marching band, 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
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