BRISTOL, CONN. ? Monmouth senior Brad Brach (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) improved to 5-1 on the season, as the Hawks registered a 6-2 victory at Central Connecticut State in Northeast Conference action, of Friday afternoon. Brach worked his second complete game of the year, to pace Monmouth to its ninth straight victory.
With the win, the Hawks improved to 26-9 overall and 12-1 in the NEC. CCSU falls to 15-16 and 9-4 in league play.
Monmouth, which has won 24 of its last 25 games, was paced offensively by Ryan Terry's 3-for-4 day, with two runs scored, two RBI, and his fifth homer of the season.
In the top of the third inning, Terry led off with a single through the left side, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and crossed the plate when a throwing error charged to the pitcher, on Brett Holland's sac bunt attempt, allowed Terry to score. Monmouth went ahead 2-0 when John Dennis followed with a sac bunt to move Holland to third, and Kyle Higgins drove in the run with a groundout.
Monmouth added to its lead in the fourth, as Paul Bottigliero laced a one-out double, and scored on Nick Pulsonetti's single. After Chris Collazo singled, to put runners at the corners, Terry singled to right, making the score 4-0.
In the fifth frame, Higgins led off with a single and scored on Andy Meyers' double down the right field line, putting the Hawks in front 5-0.
Terry's solo, leadoff homer to left centerfield, to start the sixth inning, put Monmouth ahead 6-0.
CCSU made the score 6-1 in the home half of the sixth, posting an unearned run after a one-out single, an error and a sacrifice fly. The Blue Devils pulled within 6-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning when Sean Allaire led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Allaire scored when Jak Kidd grounded into a double play.
Derek Roberts (0-2) picked up the loss for CCSU pitching six innings allowing six runs, four earned, and nine hits while striking out four and walking one. Taylor Kosakowski pitched the final three innings for the Blue Devils retiring all nine batters he faced.
Brach worked nine innings, with nine strikeouts, earning his 26th career victory.
Higgins added two hits and an RBI as well for the Hawks, while Meyers, with his double in the fifth inning, tied Lance Koenig (59) for the all-time doubles record in Monmouth history.
Monmouth returns to action tomorrow with an NEC doubleheader at Central Connecticut State, at noon. at Beehive in New Britain, Conn.
