BRIDGEPORT, CONN. ? Monmouth opened its 2008 Northeast Conference regular season with consecutive 12-0 victories over Sacred Heart in a baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Harbor Yard, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The Hawks' pitching staff tossed 16 shutout innings, allowing a total of 14 hits, all of which were singles, in the two games. The doubleheader sweep, which increased the Hawks' win streak to nine straight games, improves Monmouth's record to 11-8 overall and 2-0 in the NEC.

In game one, the Hawks pounded out 15 hits, en route to the 12-0 victory, as senior Brad Brach and sophomore Andy McDonnell combined for a nine-hit shutout for Monmouth, allowing no extra base hits. The nightcap saw the Blue and White register a second 12-0 win, as senior lefty Matt Marc-Aurele tossed a complete game shutout, scattering five hits (all singles), with six strikeouts.

In the first game, the Hawks posted two runs in the first inning, as Kyle Higgins led off with a single and advanced to third when Ryan Terry reached on a fielding error. Andy Meyers, in the lineup as the designated hitter, then laced a double down the right field line, putting Monmouth ahead 1-0. Nick Pulsonetti's ground out gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead.

A nine-run third inning put the Hawks in front 11-0, as Monmouth registered six hits in the frame, including an RBI single from Meyers, a Brett Holland RBI double and a three-run homer from Terry. Higgins, who led off the inning with a double and a run scored, also added an RBI single in the frame, and scored on Terry's second home run of the season. Paul Bottigliero also recorded a single and a walk in the inning for the Hawks.

Monmouth pushed its advantage to 12-0 in the fifth when Meyers lifted a sacrifice fly to plate Higgins.

Brach, who struck out a season-best nine batters, worked seven scoreless innings, allowing seven hits to the Pioneers, while walking just one. Brach, who improved to 2-1 on the season, increased his Monmouth win record to 23 victories. McDonnell worked two shutout innings to close the game for the Hawks, allowing a single in each frame.

Higgins went 4-for-6 with four runs scored in the leadoff spot for the Hawks, while Terry and Meyers each added three hits and three RBI.

In the second game of the twin bill, the Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 edge in the second inning, as Rick Niederhaus, Brett Holland and John Dennis each collected RBIs off Sacred Heart starter Ryan Lynch.

Monmouth inflated its lead to 6-0 in the top of the fourth when Nick Pulsonetti led off with a walk, followed by a Niederhaus hit-by-pitch. After Chris Collazo laid down a successful sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position, Holland lifted a sac fly to right, making the score 4-0. Dennis followed with an RBI-double down the leftfield line, and the Hawks went ahead by six runs when Higgins delivered a run-scoring single.

The Hawks strung together another three-run frame in the fifth inning, as Pulsonetti put Monmouth ahead 7-0 with an RBI double to left center, plating Bottigliero, who walked. Holland and Dennis then followed with two-out, run scoring singles, to make the score 9-0.

In the top of the sixth, Pulsonetti laced a two-out double, his second of the game and scored on a Niederhaus single, as Monmouth pushed its advantage to 10-0.
After Mike Casale and Higgins reached base in the top of the seventh with back-to-back singles, Terry drove in both with a two-run double to left centerfield to make the score 12-0.

Marc-Aurele (1-1) earned the win for the Blue and White, his first complete game since the 2006 season.

In the second game of the twinbill, Higgins, Pulsonetti, Niederhaus and Dennis each collected two hits, as Monmouth recorded 13 base knocks in the contest. Dennis and Holland drove in three runs apiece for the Hawks, while Pulsonetti scored a game-high four runs.

Monmouth and Sacred Heart are set to play another doubleheader on Sunday, starting at noon. Sophomore, right-handers Ryan Buch (2-1) and Brett Brach (1-1) are set to pitch for the Hawks.