Queens, New York – The BMCC Baseball team fell in their final home contest of the season 29-1 to the Monroe Express Friday afternoon at Padavan-Preller Complex. The Express's bounce-back win improves their record to 17-19 (10-8 Region XV) while the Panthers fall to 0-18 (0-18 Region XV).

After starter Keijiro Fujiwara (Redington, Florida) retired two of the first three batters, Joseph Rosario kept the inning alive for the Express with a double to left field. Ernie Farrell brought Rosario home on a 1-0 count with a two-run shot to left field to give Monroe-Bronx an early 2-0 lead. After Jose Arrieta singled right after, Fujiwara was able to get out of the inning, getting Malvin Gutierrez to pop out to shortstop.
 
The Panthers tied a season-high with seven walks on the afternoon and got to work quickly, trying to mount a response. BMCC drew back-to-back walks from Fujiwara and Frank Reyes (Brooklyn, New York) to leave the Panthers with two aboard with no outs in the bottom of the first. However, BMCC would not be able to cash in as Abdel Raheem Dolah (Brooklyn, New York) lined out to the center field, Alexander Miranda (Brooklyn, New York) grounded out to the catcher, and Braudy Ciprian (Bronx, New York) popped out to short. 

Monroe-Bronx exploded for 17 runs in the top of the second, batting around in the order. Randy Diaz led off the top of the second with a single, Jose Ramirez reached on an error, and Gonzalez Jr. was hit by a pitch before Juan Jorge sizzled a two-run single past Fujiwara to extend the Express lead to 4-0. Rosario stepped up right after and cranked a two-run double, and Salomon Lluveres, Farrell, and Gutierrez recorded RBI singles to stretch the advantage to 9-0. 
 
Gonzalez Jr. grounded into a fielder's choice for an RBI, then after another run was walked in, Lluveres cleared the bases with a three-run triple to extend the advantage to 14-0. Arietta and Diaz closed out the inning with home runs as Arrieta slapped an inside-the-park home run, and Diaz registered a two-run dinger to make it 19-0 going into the bottom of the inning.

After Victor Vilomar retired his fifth straight batter and struck out two of the three he faced in the bottom of the second, Monroe-Bronx piled on seven more runs in the top of the third to make it 26-0. Anthony Reda and Rosario scored to make it 21-0 when Lleveres reached on an error, then Arrieta unloaded an RBI Double to make it 22-0, and Gonzalez Jr. and Rosario added RBI singles of their own to bring the lead to 26-0 going into the bottom of the inning. Vilomar retired his sixth and seventh straight batter before Reyes broke his no-hitter in the bottom of the third, blasting BMCC's only hit of the day on a single off a 1-1 count past the third basemen before Dolah grounded out for the third out of the inning.

Monroe-Bronx tacked on two more runs in the top of the fourth, and then the Panthers finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Miranda drew a lead-off walk, and Ciprian flew out to center field before Richard Suriel (Queens, New York) reached after being hit by a pitch, and Ian Griffin (Bronx, New York) drew another walk to load up the bases with one out. Gerardo Galan Berihuete (Brooklyn, New York) finally helped the Panthers breakthrough, grinding out a six-pitch at-bat to walk in the Panther's only run of the game. However, Justin Ramirez (Queens, New York) failed to keep the rally going, hitting a double play to end the inning.

Vilomar got the start for the Monroe College Express and fired a scoreless three innings with three strikeouts and a hit for the victory. Fujiwara was on the hill for BMCC, allowing ten hits and 14 runs over one and two-thirds innings. Dolah came out of the bullpen to relieve him, going 3.1 innings and allowing 13 hits and 15 runs with eight walks and three strikeouts.

Reyes extended his hitting streak to three games, two short of his season-high five-game mark from March 15-22.

The Panthers conclude their season tomorrow on the road in a Region 15 doubleheader against the Monroe-Express on Saturday, April 30, at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Roberto Clemente Park. For more information, please visit the BMCC Baseball Schedule Page.

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The athletic program at Borough of Manhattan Community College encompasses a total of eight varsity teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level. For the latest news on the Panthers, please visit us at https://bmccathletics.com - The official site of BMCC Athletics. Follow the Panthers on Instagram (@bmcc_athletics) and Twitter (@BMCCAthletics), and Like Us on Facebook (BMCC Athletics).