WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? Behind sixth inning home runs from Andy Meyers (Stratford, N.J./Sterling) and Nick Pulsonetti (Old Tappan, N.J./Northern Valley Regional), Monmouth posted an 11-8 comeback victory over Princeton on Tuesday afternoon. Monmouth, which has won six straight games, recorded its fifth straight win over Princeton in the series of New Jersey rivals. Monmouth improves its record to 8-8 overall, while the Tigers fall to 10-12.
Princeton snared a 2-0 lead in the second inning, as the Tigers posted a pair of two-out runs off Monmouth starter Kyle Breese (Monmouth Junction, N.J./South Brunswick). Jon Broscious started the rally by lacing a double to the gap in right, plating Jack Murphy, who led off the frame with a walk. The Tigers pushed the advantage to 2-0 when Matt Connor drove in Brocious with a single to left field.
The Hawks took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second, as Rick Niederhaus (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) led off the inning with a walk, which was followed by Chris Collazo's (Wall, N.J./Wall) single through the right side. After a fielder's choice erased Collazo at second, as Brett Holland (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) reached, John Dennis (Union, N.J./Union) hit a first-pitch double into the right field corner, knotting the score at 2-2. Ryan Terry (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) then gave Monmouth a 3-2 edge with a sacrifice fly.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the top of the third inning with one out, and Micah Kaplan's sacrifice fly to left, brought in Dan Degeorge, tying the score at 3-3. Princeton reclaimed the lead when Broscious collected an RBI, infield single, driving in Adrian Turnham, for a 4-3 edge, which knocked Breese from the game. Reliever Tim Dexter's (South River, N.J./South River) wild pitch allowed another run to score, giving Princeton a 5-3 cushion.
Paul Bottigliero (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) led off the third inning for the Hawks with a hit-by-pitch and was immediately driven home by Pulsonetti's double to left centerfield. The Blue and White then tied the score once again, at 5-5, on Collazo's RBI single up the middle.
After a 1:02 rain delay, the Tigers posted three runs in the top of the fourth inning, as Dexter walked the first two batters on eight pitches. After the two free passes, the Tigers scored a run on a throwing error, a groundout, and a Spencer Lucian single, to take an 8-5 lead.
Monmouth pulled within 8-6 in the home half of the fourth, as Meyers led off with a double, and immediately stole third. After a walk to Bottigliero, Pulsonetti drove in Meyers with a sacrifice fly.
Meyers pulled the Hawks within 8-7 in the bottom of the sixth inning with a leadoff home run off reliever Matt Grabowski. Meyers' second homer of the season came on a 3-2 pitch that he pulled down the right field line. Bottigliero followed with a double off the wall in left, and crossed in front of Pulsonetti, who connected on a two-run home run to left center. Pulsonetti's team-leading fourth home run of the year, put Monmouth in front 9-8 lead, and Dennis' two-run single gave the Hawks an 11-8 advantage heading into the seventh.
Monmouth put together a 13-hit day, as Kyle Higgins (Green Brook, N.J./Watchung Hills), Meyers, Pulsonetti, Collazo, Holland and Dennis each had two hits. Pulsonetti and Dennis each also drove in four runs for the Hawks.
Tim Ballard, who worked five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, earned the win, improving his record to 2-0 on the season. Justin Esposito (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown North) induced three ground outs in the ninth to preserve the win, and pick up his third save of the year.
Monmouth returns to action tomorrow afternoon, when the Hawks host Rutgers at 3:30 p.m. Set to start for the Blue and White is senior right-hander Brett Conner (0-0).
