WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? Powered by freshman Nick Pulsonetti's walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, the Monmouth University baseball team rallied to defeat Mount St. Mary's, 5-2, in game one of a Northeast Conference doubleheader on Saturday. Pulsonetti, who went 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI, connected on his team-leading eighth and ninth homers of the season for the Hawks.

With the score tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Shawn Teters led off the frame with a single through the left side, and with one out MSM reliever Mike Matta intentionally walked Paul Bottigliero to face Pulsonetti, who connected on the 1-0 offering to dead center.

Mount notched a pair of two-out runs in the top of the first, as Ryan Murray and Shane Eyler each delivered singles up the middle, with two runners on base. Mount, which scored six of its nine runs with two outs on Friday, loaded the bases in the inning before Monmouth starter Ryan Buch struck out Zach Helman to end the threat.

Monmouth cut the lead in half in the second inning, when Pulsonetti homered to left center, a leadoff shot off MSM starter Kent Worthington.

The Hawks posted a lone run in the bottom of the sixth inning, after loading the bases, to knot the score at 2-2. With the bags full, pinch hitter Rick Niederhaus hit into an apparent double play, but catcher Alex Andrews never stepped on home plate, allowing Pulsonetti to score.

Kyle Breese, who entered the contest for Monmouth with two outs and a runner on in the top of the seventh, got Josh Vittek to line out to left on the first pitch.

Buch worked 6.2 innings for Monmouth, allowing two runs on four hits, with nine strikeouts, while walking six. Breese (6-1) earned the win with one pitch.