PRINCETON, N.J. ? The Monmouth University baseball team won its fourth straight game against Princeton University, with its 8-3 victory on Tuesday afternoon. In the win, Kyle Messineo (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) drew three walks, scored three runs and registered a career-high four stolen bases, while Rick Niederhaus (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) went 3-for-3 at the plate.
The Hawks (15-10-1) tallied the first run of the game, going ahead 1-0 in the top of the first, as Kyle Higgins (Green Brook, N.J./Watchung Hills) led off with a single and advanced to third base on a failed pickoff attempt. The junior crossed the plate on Andy Meyers' (Stratford, N.J./Sterling) sacrifice fly, before the Hawks ended the frame with bases loaded.
Princeton (8-16) took at 2-1 lead in the third inning, when leadoff hitter Dan DeGeorge drew a two-out walk and came around on Aaron Prince's home run to leftfield, off Monmouth starting pitcher Kyle Breese (Monmouth Junction, N.J./South Brunswick).
Monmouth retaliated with a run in the fourth, when Higgins laced a one-out single to the shortstop, and crossed the plate after a groundout and a Meyers RBI single to left, knotting the score at 2-2.
The Blue and White tallied three runs on one hit in the fifth inning to go ahead 5-2. Messineo lead off the frame with a walk and stole both second and third base, before scoring on a wild pitch. Justin Braun (Stony Brook, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) registered an RBI single and Higgins then lifted a sacrifice fly in the frame, for the three-run advantage.
The Hawks went up 7-2 in the sixth, when Meyers led off with a double, stole third and crossed the plate on a Messineo fielder's choice groundout. Messineo, after another stolen base, later scored on a wild pitch.
Monmouth tacked on a run in the top of the eighth, as Messineo drew a two-out walk, his third free pass of the game. After the senior stole second base, Chris Collazo (Wall, N.J./Wall) delivered a single to left to plate Messineo and give the Hawks an 8-2 edge.
Princeton trimmed the cushion to 8-3 in the home half of the eighth as a lead-off double, and consecutive groundouts led to a run.
Breese (1-3) earned his first collegiate win, working 7.0 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out four Tigers. Freshman Brett Brach (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) worked the eighth innings, surrendering one run on one hit, while senior Justin Esposito (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown North) worked a perfect ninth frame, with one punchout.
Higgins and Meyers each collected two hits apiece, as the Hawks collected 11 hits, including doubles by Meyers and sophomore Mike Casale (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North).
Monmouth returns to action on Wednesday, when the Hawks travel to Easton, Pa., for a 3:30 p.m., non-conference game at Lafayette.
