ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. ? Mount St. Mary's registered a 14-2 victory over Monmouth, in the 2008 Northeast Conference Tournament's final game, to capture the league championship on Saturday afternoon, at Bernie Robbins Stadium.
Mount St. Mary's, which won four straight games coming out of the loser's bracket, won its first conference title in program history.
The Mount jumped on Hawks' starter Kyle Breese in the first inning, plating three runs on four hits, highlighted by Josh Vittek's two-run double, and Ryan Murray's RBI single.
The Mountaineers pushed the lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the third, when Zach Helman delivered a two-run single with the bases loaded.
Andy Meyers started a rally for the Hawks in the fourth frame, beating out an infield single. After Chris Collazo delivered an infield hit, as well, Shawn Teters doubled down the left field line, plating Meyers to make the score 5-1.
Monmouth trimmed the lead to 5-2 in the fifth with a two-out rally when Ryan Terry doubled on a deflection off the pitcher, and crossed the plate on a Meyers' single up the middle.
Drew Counselman led off the fifth with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Vittek delivered his second, run-scoring hit of the game. A double from Ryan Murray scored Vittek, gave the Mountaineers a 7-2 lead, and Zach Helman's bloop single to right field gave MSM an 8-2 advantage.
Vittek's three-run homer, his fourth of the tournament, off Monmouth reliever Justin Esposito, put Mount ahead 11-2, and Ryan Murray followed with a solo shot to left center, as the Mountaineers went ahead 12-2.
Zach Helman greeted reliever Andy McDonnell with a first-pitch, two-run homer to left center, as MSM took a 14-2 lead.
Mount St. Mary's, which registered double-digit hits in each of its five games in the tournament, collected 20 hits in the title game victory.
Breese worked three innings for Monmouth, allowing five runs on eight hits, with five strikeouts. Nick Vallillo worked one frame for the Hawks, allowing three runs on three hits, while Esposito gave up four runs on six hits in an inning of work. Senior Brett Conner registered the final out for Monmouth.
Seniors Andy Meyers and Kyle Higgins were named to the all-tournament team for Monmouth, along with junior Chris Collazo and freshman Nick Pulsonetti. Higgins, who tied the school-record with 89 hits in a single season, ended the year hitting .389.
Higgins batted .421 for the Hawks in the four games, collecting eight hits, including two doubles. Meyers, who hit two home runs in Monmouth's comeback victory over CCSU, went 8-for-16 in the series, with a team-high six RBI. Collazo batted .444 with eight hits, while Pulsonetti connected on a home run, two triples and five RBI.
Monmouth ends the season with a school-record 37 wins. The Hawks, who started the 2008 campaign 2-8, finished 37-16 on the season.
