NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., March 15, 2019 – The Monroe College Mustangs JV baseball team picked up its first victory of the 2019 season in its home opener on Friday at Dick Caswell Field, an intra-campus battle against the Monroe Express. The Mustangs picked up a 17-9 victory over the Express to improve to 1-4 on the season, while dropping the Express to 0-2.
 
Javier Ortiz led off the bottom of the first with a single for the Mustangs, advancing to second after the shortstop threw the ball past the first baseman. Chris Javier and Stanley David followed with a pair of walks to load the bases. Eric Diaz singled to left-center, scoring Ortiz to take a 1-0 lead. Forrest Ruiz then flew out to right field, deep enough to bring Javier home on a sacrifice fly to make it a 2-0 game. Jordy Batista then doubled to center, scoring David and Diaz to take a 4-0 lead after one.
 
Jesus Hilario drew a walk to lead off the second for the Express. A.J. Torres singled with one away, and Miguel Reicino hit an RBI single two batters later to get the Express on the board and back within three.
 
Javier led off the bottom of the second with a double for the Mustangs. David then singled to center, putting runners on the corners before he stole second to put both runners in scoring position. Diaz then singled into left, bringing both runners in to make it a 6-1 game. Ruiz followed with a single, and then a balk brought in Diaz to push the score to 7-1. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, another balk brought in Ruiz to give the Mustangs an 8-1 advantage after two.
 
The Express rallied to get back into the game in the fourth. They loaded the bases with a single and a pair of walks before another walk for Reicino brought in a run. Harold Valdez then singled to center, bringing in two more runs to make it an 8-4 game. A double steal then allowed another run to score and get the Express within three. Two batters later, a wild pitch allowed Valdez to score and make it an 8-6 ballgame.
 
Jaylen Kelley led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple for the Mustangs. Two batters later, Carlos Aranda hit a triple to right-center, scoring Kelley to make it a three-run game once again.
 
The Mustangs padded their lead once again in the fifth. With two runners on, Kelley doubled to deep left, scoring two runs to give the home team an 11-6 edge. Batista then doubled to left-center, scoring Kelley to put the Mustangs up by six. With the bases loaded and two away, Bryant Perdomo took a pitch off his shoulder, bringing in Batista to leave the Mustangs up, 13-6.
 
The Express showed more fight in the top of the seventh to work their way back into the game. Esteban Perez hit a one-out double to left, and was then pinch run for by Julian Ovalles-Garcia. Jesus Tejada then singled him in to make it a 13-7 game. The next two batters were hit by pitches to load the bases, and with two outs, Andry Sanchez drew a walk to score the Express' eighth run of the afternoon.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Mustangs neutralized the two runs the Express had just scored in the top of the inning. The Mustangs put runners on second and third, allowing Perdomo to bring in Eddy Vicioso with a sacrifice fly to right, pushing the Mustang lead to six. Kevin Hernandez then singled to right, scoring Aranda to make it a seven-run game.
 
The Express got one back again in the top of the eighth. With two on and just one out, Tejada singled to right, scoring Juan Jorge to get back within six.
 
Shiloh Lightbourne led off the home half of the sixth for the Mustangs with a double just short of the wall in left. Adrian Rosario then followed with another double to left to score Lightbourne and leave the Mustangs one run away from a mercy-rule victory. Kelley and Vicioso were both plunked, loading the bases for Chris Navarro. Navarro wasted no time roping a single up the middle, scoring Rosario for a walkoff finish in the eighth.
 
Manielvic Diplan was awarded the win after tossing 3.1 innings in relief on Friday. He allowed just two runs on two hits while striking out four batters to improve to 1-0. Rafael Duran Perez took the loss for the Express to fall to 0-1.
 
Diaz went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored in Friday's win. Kelley subbed in for Diaz later in the game and finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs, a double and a triple. Batista batted 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and a run. Javier finished with three runs scored after going 2-for-5, adding a double as well. Aranda came on later in the game, going 2-for-2 with a triple, a run and an RBI.
 
The Mustangs' scheduled doubleheader on Sunday, March 17, has been postponed to April 8. The Mustangs will now play next on Monday, March 18, when they host the College of New Rochelle at Dick Caswell Field for a doubleheader. Game 1 is set to begin at 4 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has nine varsity and junior varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).