WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? Monmouth senior Matt Coulson (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Boro) tossed 7.0 innings, with a career-high six strikeouts, while sophomore Rick Niederhaus (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) drove in three runs to lead the Hawks to a 10-3 victory over Columbia on Tuesday afternoon. The win improves the Hawks to 12-8-1, while the Lions fall to 10-14-1 on the season.
Coulson (1-2) picked up his first win of the season, as the lefty worked seven full innings, allowing one earned run, while scattering four hits. Coulson, who was perfect through the first three innings, walked none to go along with his career-best strikeout total.
Monmouth jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third frame off reliever Chris Hunter (0-2), as Andy Meyers (Stratford, N.J./Sterling) registered a bases loaded infield single, and Shawn Teters (Springdale, Ark./Springdale) and Niederhaus lifted a sacrifice flies.
Columbia trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the fourth inning when Noah Cooper led off with a single and came around to score on Ron Williams' single up the middle.
The Blue and White tallied three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to go ahead 9-1, as Niederhaus, Mike Casale (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) and Justin Braun (Stony Brook, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) delivered RBIs each, in both frames.
The Lions netted single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to pull within 9-3, before the Hawks pushed the advantage to 10-3 in the home half of the eighth, when pinch hitter John Elia (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley) drove in Meyers with a single through the left side.
Columbia used four pitchers on the day, walking 11 Hawks, while Monmouth stranded 10 runners.
Kyle Higgins (Green Brook, N.J./Watchung Hills) scored three runs without a hit in the game, as the junior drew three passes, while Meyers went 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
Senior Mike Reagle (Magnolia, N.J./Sterling) worked 1.0 inning, surrendering one run on one hit, while sophomore Tim Ballard (Parlin, N.J./Sayreville) worked a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts.
Monmouth returns to action on Thursday, when the Hawks open Northeast Conference play at Mount St. Mary's.
