ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. ? Mount St. Mary's used a five-run eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie and defeat Monmouth 8-3 to force a final game in the 2008 Northeast Conference Tournament at Bernie Robbins Stadium.
NEC Rookie of the Year Ryan Terry put the Hawks on the board in the first inning, as the freshman connected on his eighth homer of the season, a solo shot to the opposite field, to give Monmouth a 1-0 lead.
Monmouth went ahead 2-0 in the second when first-team All-NEC performer Nick Pulsonetti connected on his team-leading 11th home run of the year, a solo shot off the scoreboard in left center, to start the frame.
Mount loaded the bases in the bottom of the second, allowing catcher Alex Andrews to lift a sacrifice fly to center, and plate Ryan Murray, cutting the lead in half.
The Mount strung together three singles in the third inning to tie the score at 2-2, as Shane Eyler led off with a single to right. With one down, Josh Vittek's single through the right side put runners on the corners, before Murray delivered a run-scoring hit through the left side.
Drew Counselman put Mount St. Mary's in front 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth, when the shortstop drilled a solo home run to left center, on a 1-0 delivery from Monmouth starter Matt Marc-Aurele.
Kyle Higgins started a one-out rally for the Hawks in the top of the seventh with his second double of the game, and after Terry's single put runners at the corners, Andy Meyers singled to right to tie the score at 3-3.
The Mount went back ahead in the eighth when Andrews drew a bases loaded walk, which was followed by Matt Eiden's double, coupled with a Monmouth error, allowing four runs to score in the frame, as the Mountaineers took a 7-3 lead. A second Monmouth error in the inning allowed the fifth run of the frame, as MSM took an 8-3 lead behind two hits in the inning.
