SELDEN, N.Y. – The top-seeded Monroe University – Bronx baseball team earned two victories in the Region 15 Double-Elimination Tournament on Thursday afternoon. As a result, Monroe – Bronx clinches a berth in the Region 15 Championship Round for the fifth year in a row.
The Express (25-13) won the regional first-round game over #4-seed Bronx Community College at Middle Country Park Field 3, by a score 11-0, and then earned a come-from-behind victory in the semifinal over #3-seed Nassau Community College at Middle Country Park Field 4, by an 11-6 margin.
Monroe will play the first game of the regional championship round on Friday at 6:30 p.m. against the winner of the Nassau vs. #2-seed Suffolk County Community College elimination game that will occur earlier in the day.
If the Express win the opening contest of the championship round on Friday, they will capture the Region 15 Title and earn a berth in the Northeast District Championship Series. If Monroe loses on Friday, they will play a winner-take-all game for the regional championship on Saturday at noon. All remaining games of the Region 15 Postseason will be played at Middle Country Park Field 4.
In Monroe's win over Bronx,
Juan Carlos Salcedo hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first to give the Blue and Gold a 1-0 lead.
The Express' bats broke out in the bottom of the second with five runs in the frame to give the top seed a commanding 6-0 benefit. The highlights of Monroe's productive frame were an RBI single by
Robert Herrera and then a two-run base hit courtesy of
Adrian Nunez.
In the home half of the third,
Pablo Aquino stepped up to the plate with runners on second and third, one out. He hit a single up the middle to score
David Echavarria from third to give his team a 7-0 cushion. In the next at-bat, Aquino stole second and
Ramses Gonzalez ended up scoring from third on the throw to pad Monroe's advantage to 8-0.
In the bottom of the fourth,
Elijah Andino produced an RBI single and then Gonzalez drove in two runs with a double to make it an 11-0 surplus for Monroe.
In the top of the fifth, the Broncos had runners on the corners and only one out. However, a rare double play occurred involving base running as Gonzalez threw to Herrera to tag the first runner out attempting to steal second and then Herrera threw it back to Gonzalez to tag out the lead runner trying to score. That play clinched a berth in the regional semifinal for Monroe.
On the mound for the Express,
Frangel Rodriguez pitched a complete-game shutout as he struck out three batters, allowed a trio of walks, and surrendered just as many hits in five innings pitched to earn his seventh victory of the season.
At the plate for Monroe, Aquino and Herrera each went 2-for-4, stole a base, and came around to score.
Joshua Osorio went 2-for-2 with a double, a walk, and a run scored. Gonzalez went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a pair of RBIs, and scored twice. Echavarria added two hits, three runs, a walk, and a stolen base.
Devyn Rolle and Andino both crossed home plate.
For Bronx (10-16), Anshel Novelo pitched a complete game but was on the losing end.
Herrera got the Express off to a good start against Nassau (16-10) as he drove in Aquino from second with a single to put Monroe up, 1-0, in the bottom of the first.
The Lions scored a run in the top of the third to even the game at one.
In the bottom frame, Herrera picked up another RBI, this time on a ground out, to put Monroe back in front. The next hitter was Nunez who drilled an RBI single to extend the Blue and Gold's lead to 3-1.
Nassau responded in the top of the fourth with three runs to jump out in front, 4-3.
In the bottom of the fourth, Andino led it off and he drilled the ball deep to left. It sailed over the fence for a solo home run to even the game at four runs apiece. It marked Andino's third round-tripper of the year.
The Lions took advantage of sloppy plays in the field by the Express, during the top of the fifth, by scoring two runs to put Monroe in a 6-4 hole.
In the top of the sixth,
Luis Green came out of the bullpen for Monroe with a runner on first and one out. Later, there were runners on first and second with two outs, but he got the opposing batter to ground out to third to escape the jam with Monroe - Bronx still down by only two runs.
Gonzalez led off the home half of the sixth for the Express by drilling a double down the left-field line.
Yaxiel Morales De Jesús pinch ran for him and two batters later, he ended up scoring on an RBI single by Aquino to pull the Express to within one. After Aquino stole second, he came around to score on a clutch RBI triple by Herrera to deadlock the contest at six runs apiece. The next batter was Nunez who drove Herrera in with a single to break a 6-6 tie and give Monroe a 7-6 edge. Nunez later crossed home plate before the final out of the stanza to extend the Blue and Gold's benefit to 8-6.
In the bottom of the seventh, Echavarria produced an RBI single to increase Monroe's advantage to 9-6. Later in the inning, Herrera struck again by driving in two runs with a single to pad the Express' cushion to 11-6.
Green retired Nassau's lineup in order during the top of the eighth.
In the top of the ninth, the Lions had a runner on first and two outs, but Green got the final batter to ground out to shortstop to secure Monroe's fifth-straight berth in the Region 15 Championship Round.
Green earned the win on the mound to inflate his perfect record to 6-0. He pitched the final 3 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, striking out two batters, not allowing a hit or a run, and walking four batters.
Adrian Hernandez started the game for Monroe and fanned two hitters. He gave up six runs (three earned), four hits, and three walks.
At the plate for the Express, Herrera went 3-for-5 with five runs batted in. Nunez also went 3-for-5 and scored a run. Aquino stole two bases and scored three runs. He went 2-for-4, including a double. Andino produced a pair of hits, which included a double, and crossed home plate twice. Echavarria went 3-for-4, walked, and came around to score. Rolle singled and scored, while
Abraham Joaquin Taveras also provided a run. Osorio and Salcedo both singled.
For Nassau, Chris Marano took the loss in relief.
For updates regarding Monroe – Bronx in the Region 15 Championship Round, check out
www.MonroeExpress.com as well as our social media channels.
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.
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