BOCA RATON, FLA. ? FAU's Alex Silversmith connected on a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Owls to a 12-11 victory over Monmouth in collegiate baseball action, on Wednesday night.
Monmouth, which rallied from an 11-7 deficit with three runs in the eighth and a single run in the top of the ninth, falls to 2-6 on the year. FAU, which hit five home runs in the game, improves to 8-5 overall.
Monmouth posted five runs in the first inning, as Shawn Teters delivered a two-run home run to start the scoring. Nick Pulsonetti added a run-scoring single, followed by Rob Williams' two-run homer, the first of his career, to give Monmouth the 5-0 lead.
The Owls' leadoff hitter, Daniel Cook put FAU on the board, cutting the lead to 5-1 in the home half of the first inning, as the third baseman connected on a homer to left center off Monmouth starter Nick Vallillo.
FAU scored the next six runs over a four-inning span, to take a 7-5 lead. The Owls scored the first four scores on three home runs including Cook's second round-tripper of the game.
Monmouth pulled within 7-6 in the top of the sixth inning when freshman Ryan Terry doubled in Paul Bottigliero, who reached on a walk. The Owls answered with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, when a throwing error allowed two runs to score. A double down the right field line off reliever Brett Conner allowed the third run, unearned to cross the plate, for the 10-6 advantage.
Teters got the Hawks started in the seventh inning with a leadoff single and scored on Pulsonetti's second run-scoring base hit of the game, a single to left, making the score 10-7.
A leadoff single for Nick Criaris, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single from David Wilson put FAU ahead, 11-7, after seven frames.
Terry drew a leadoff walk off reliever Kyle Forney to start the eighth, and advanced to third on Chris Collazo's single. Kyle Higgins then delivered an RBI single, pulling Monmouth within 11-8. After Teters singled to load the bases with no outs, Andy Meyers delivered a two-run single, plating Collazo and Higgins and making it a one-run affair.
Sophomore Andy McDonnell tossed a perfect eighth for the Hawks to keep Monmouth within 11-10 heading into the ninth inning.
Bottigliero was plunked to start the ninth frame, and pinch-runner Brett Holland successfully reached second base on a sacrifice bunt by Bobby Dombrowski. After Terry earned a free pass, Colazzo singled through the right side to score Holland and tie the score at 11-11.
The first batter in the ninth, Silversmith connected on McDonnell's 1-1 pitch for the game-winning score over the left field fence. McDonnell, the last of Monmouth's seven pitchers in the game, falls to 0-1 on the year.
For a third straight game, the Hawks recorded double-figures in the hit column, as Monmouth collected a season-high 17 hits against the Owls.
Teters led the Hawks with three hits, including his first home run of the year. Meyers, who drove in two scores, joined four other Hawks that had two hits in the contest.
Monmouth returns to action on Friday afternoon, when the Hawks take on Navy at 3 p.m.
