ANNAPOLIS, MD. - The Monmouth University baseball team split a pair of games at Navy on Saturday afternoon, as the Hawks dropped a 2-1 decision in game one, and rebounded for a 5-2 victory in the nightcap.

In the first contest, Navy tallied a single run in the third inning, as back-to-back, two-out singles and a throwing error loaded the bases. Monmouth starter, freshman Ryan Buch (Yardley, Pa./Conwell Egan) then walked in the lone run.

The Hawks answered with a run in the top of the seventh inning, knotting the score at 1-1, when Andy Meyers (Stratford, N.J./Sterling) drew a free pass. After a balk moved Meyers to second base, Shawn Teters (Springdale, Ark./Springdale) singled up the middle, plating Meyers. The Midshipmen won the game in the bottom of the seventh as a two-out walk came around to score on a single.

Buch worked 5.0 innings, scattering four hits, while striking out eight, in his first career start. Classmate Kyle Breese (Monmouth Junction, N.J./South Brunswick), who walked the eventual game-winning runner, was saddled with the loss, dropping him to 0-1 on the year. Navy's Mitch Harris (4-1) worked 7.0 frames, allowing two hits, while striking out 10 Hawks.

In game two, the Hawks rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third inning for a 5-2 victory in nine frames. The top three batters in the order collected two hits apiece, while the Brach brothers combined for a six-hit victory.

MU knotted the score at 2-2 in the top of the fourth frame when Meyers and sophomore Rick Niederhaus (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) led off with singles. After a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, both Teters and sophomore Mike Casale (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) registered RBI-groundouts.

The Hawks manufactured a run in the top of the seventh to claim the lead, as sophomore Brett Holland (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) singled to center to start the frame. Junior Kyle Higgins (Green Brook, N.J./Watchung Hills) then layed down a sacrifice bunt to advance Holland to second, before sophomore Chris Collazo (Wall, N.J./Wall) drove Holland in with a single to left centerfield.

The Blue and White posted two runs in the eighth to stake the Hawks to a 5-2 margin as Higgins delivered an RBI single, and Kyle Messineo (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) scored on a fielding error.

Brad Brach (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) earned his first win of the season, tossing 7.0 innings, allowing three hits, while striking out seven. Freshman Brett Brach (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) picked up his second save of the season, working the final 2.0 scoreless frames, scattering three hits, while striking out three.

Higgins, Collazo and Meyers registered two hits each at the top of the order for the Hawks, while Teters added two hits as well.

Monmouth returns to action on Sunday, when the Hawks face Navy at noon.