SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Monmouth University baseball team split a doubleheader at Wofford College on Saturday afternoon, at Russell C. King Field, exploding for a 19-3 win in the first contest, but dropping a 10-3 decision in game two. The Hawks improve to 5-5-1 overall, while the Terriers improve to 16-5.
In the first game, the Hawks carried an 8-0 lead into the fourth inning, and registered nine runs in the seventh frame, en route to a 19-3 victory. Monmouth freshman Ryan Buch (Yardley, Pa./Conwell Egan) fired 6.0 innings, scattering four hits and three runs, while striking out six, to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Kyle Higgins (Green Brook, N.J./Watchung Hills) led the Monmouth offense, which collected a season-high 19 runs and 18 hits, as the junior went 5-for-5 with five runs driven in and four runs scored, including his first home run of the season. Five other Hawks each collected two hits, including sophomore Rick Niederhaus (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central), who drove in three runs on two hits.
Freshman Kyle Breese (Monmouth Junction, N.J./South Brunswick) tossed the final inning in relief for the Hawks, allowing no runs on no hits.
In game two, Monmouth went ahead 2-0 in the second inning, as Niederhaus led off the frame by reaching on an error. After a Kyle Messineo (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) single, Chris Collazo (Wall, N.J./Wall) dropped down a sacrifice bunt, moving both runners into scoring position. Brett Holland (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, and catcher John Dennis (Union, N.J./Union) followed with a single up the middle.
Wofford cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second off Monmouth starter Brad Brach (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township), and tallied four runs in the home half of the fourth to claim a 5-2 edge.
Wofford tallied three more runs in the fifth inning and two in the sixth frame to grab a 10-2 advantage, before the Hawks scored a run in the seventh to pull within 10-3.
Brach (1-1) allowed eight runs on 13 hits in 4.1 innings of work in the loss. Freshman Nick Vallillo (Old Tappan, N.J./Northern Valley Regional) worked 1.1 innings of relief, allowing two runs on one hit, while senior Mike Reagle (Magnolia, N.J./Sterling) tossed the final third of an inning, striking out one.
In the second game, Monmouth was limited to five hits, as Messineo went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored.
Monmouth returns to action tomorrow, as the Hawks face Wofford in the final game of the three-game series at noon.
