EMMITSBURG, MD. - The Monmouth University baseball team split a Northeast Conference doubleheader at Mount St. Mary's on Friday afternoon, as the Hawks topped the Mount 7-5 in the first game in eight innings, before falling in game two, 10-3. With the split, the Hawks improve to 14-9-1 (2-1 NEC), while the Mountaineers improve to 11-14 (1-2 NEC).
In the first game, Monmouth led 5-0 in the fifth inning, but needed two runs in the eighth to pull out a 7-5 victory, after Ryan Murray's one out solo home run to right field in the bottom of the seventh, knotted the score.
Brett Holland opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the second while Andy Meyers added an RBI double in the third to give Monmouth a 2-0 lead. The Hawks added to the margin with a three-run fifth to take a 5-0 advantage. Meyers singled up the middle to score Kyle Messineo to start the scoring. Chris Collazo then singled to right to plate two runs.
The Mount started its rally in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run homer to left-center field. The Mount scored two more times in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-4. Mike Gioioso's RBI single made the score 5-3 and Ivor Hodgson added an RBI base hit to cut the deficit to 5-4. The Mount had the bases loaded with one out in the inning, but Monmouth got out of the jam by getting Josh Vittek to ground into a double play.
Murray's solo shot in the seventh put the game into extra innings. Monmouth loaded the bases in the eighth on two hit batsmen and a single. Shawn Teters gave the Hawks the lead with an RBI single to left field and Rick Neiderhaus' RBI ground out added an insurance run for a 7-5 advantage. Matt Frazier allowed a two-out double to Counselman in the eighth, but got Hodgson to foul out to third base to end the game and earn the save.
Meyers was 2-for-3 with two RBI while Collazo and Teters each added two hits in the game.
Monmouth starter Ryan Buch allowed two runs while striking out five in a no decision. Justin Esposito pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one run, to earn the win.
After Monmouth (14-9-1, 2-1 NEC) scored an unearned run in the top of the first in the second game, the Mount scored five times in the bottom of the inning to take control. Drew Counselman homered on the first pitch in the bottom of the first to tie the score. Hodgson then singled and stole second base before Vittek walked. Eric Smith followed with an RBI double and Joe Hayes a two-run single for a 4-1 lead. Matt Eiden's RBI single to right made the score 5-1.
In the bottom of the second, Hodgson homered on the first pitch of the inning, a drive to the opposite field for his second long ball of the season. After a Smith single, Ryan Murray blasted his league-leading seventh homer of the season to give the Mount an 8-1 lead.
The Mount added to its lead on an Matt Trusch RBI single in the fourth and a Murray run-scoring single in the fifth for a 10-1 lead. Monmouth's John Elia homered in the sixth and Meyers added an RBI double in the inning to round out the scoring.
Brett Brach (1-2) was saddled with the loss for the Hawks in game two, as the freshman worked 1.1 innings, allowing eight runs on 10 hits. Tim Ballard allowed one run in 2.2 innings, while Mike Reagle surrendered a run in 2.0 frames.
Monmouth returns to action tomorrow, when the Hawks and Mountaineers play game four of the NEC series at noon.
