Bellerose, New York - The BMCC Baseball team was defeated 19-2 by Monroe-Bronx in Region 15 action Friday afternoon at Padavan-Preller Complex. The Panther's record falls to 0-2 (0-2 Region XV) with the loss, while the Express picked up their fourth straight victory to improve their record to 4-10 (2-0 Region XV).
Freshman Michael Marra (Staten Island, NY) and sophomore Adonis Suarez (Queens, New York) recorded the Panther's only hits on the afternoon, with Marra ripping a triple and Suarez recording a single. Suarez also had an RBI in the contest. BMCC recorded a season-high five steals as sophomore Peter Rodriguez Reyes (Bronx, New York) and freshman Isaiah Jerry (Brooklyn, NY) each registered two steals. Fellow underclassman Peter Marino (New York, New York) had one.
Marra led the Panthers on defense with a team-high nine putouts, while classmate Christian Sidriyen (Higuey, D.R.) recorded seven putouts. Fellow underclassman Nassaiah Flores (Bronx, NY) and Suarez registered four putouts.
Freshman Ethan Pagan (New York, NY) took the loss as he went three innings and allowed five runs (four earned) and one hit. He also struck out four batters and walked six on 86 pitches in his collegiate debut.
Classmate Jariel Irizarry (New York, NY) pitched three and one-third innings out of the bullpen, allowing three runs on three hits while walking four and striking out one on 57 pitches. Jose Miguel De Jesus Lebron (Santo Domingo, D.R.) struck out two batters in 1.2 innings of relief work, while sophomores Conall Moore (New York, New York) and Jeffrey Roldan (New York, New York) each fanned a batter.
Bryant Quezada got plunked to open the top of the first for the Express, then stole second before finally being brought home on Alfredo Jimenez sacrifice fly to center field to make it 1-0 Monroe-Bronx. The Express extended their lead to 4-0 on a base-clearing triple by Camilo Rodriguez. Pagan got out of the top inning by forcing Yan Ortiz Torres to fly out to right field as the Panthers came up to bat for the first time on the afternoon.
Orel Castellar retired the first two BMCC batters he faced before Marra uncorked a triple to right field, putting himself 90 feet away for the Panther's first potential run of the contest with two outs. Sidriyen couldn't cash in on a 2-1 count grounding out to second base to end the bottom of the inning.
After Pagan struck out the first batter he faced the Express loaded up the base paths and increased their lead to 5-0 when Hecxiel Perez was walked in. Pagan dug in and got out of the pickle, retiring the final two batters he faced in the inning, striking out Jayden Moya and getting Giovanny Flores to fly out to right field, keeping it 5-0 going into the top of the fifth.
After the Panthers went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second, Pagan worked off a lead-off walk with back-to-back strikeouts and got a groundout to keep the Express off the scoreboard and keep it 5-0.
Suarez uncorked a lead-off single into left field to get the Panthers a base runner in the bottom of the third. Suarez would get thrown out at third trying to advance on a Rodriguez's error, but BMCC would draw two straight walks from Roldan and Marra to put two aboard with two outs. Sidriyen couldn't bring them across, grounding out to second base, keeping it 5-0 going into the top of the fourth.
Irizarry retired the Express in order in the top of the fourth but the Panthers couldn't break through on the scoreboard going down in order as well in the bottom of the inning with the score remaining 5-0.
The Express stretched their lead to 7-0 in the top of the sixth inning on a Bryant Quezada RBI single and when he scored on a double play. Kevin Montes would strike out the side for Monroe-Bronx in the bottom of the sixth inning. Torres added to the Express's lead in the top of the seventh on a Balk to make it 8-0.
After Peter Rodriguez Reyes (Bronx, New York) and Wiljer Casana (Miami, Florida) one-out walks, Suarez recorded a sacrifice bunt and scored an RBI to bring the Panthers back on board and make it 8-1.
The Express would put it away in the top of the ninth, scoring 11 runs on five hits, with G. Flores ripping a two-run single, Gregory Espinal blasting a grand slam, and Rodriguez connecting for an RBI double. Monroe-Bronx built a 19-1 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.
Isaiah Jerry (Brooklyn, NY) and Suarez drew walks with the Panthers down to their final out. Jerry stole two bases and came across home plate on a passed ball before Rene Perez (Brooklyn, NY) struck out to end the game 19-2.
Castellar earned the win for the Express, pitching a scoreless five innings, striking out six, and allowing two hits and walks.
The Panthers will begin CUNYAC play next Tuesday, March 26, against Queensborough Community College at 3:30 p.m. at Padavan-Preller Complex in Bellerose, New York. For more information, please visit the BMCC Baseball Schedule Page.
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