WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Monmouth University baseball split a doubleheader with Bryant on Saturday afternoon. In game one, Bryant scored all five of its runs with two outs in a 5-1 victory, while Monmouth junior Nick Vallillo tossed his second straight complete game victory, with a career-best eight strikeouts, in a 5-3 win in game two. With the split, Monmouth improves to 7-7 overall, while Bryant moved to 12-7.
Bryant jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Pat O'Connor connected on a full-count, two-out, two-run home run to centerfield off Monmouth starter Ryan Buch.
Monmouth trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth, as the Hawks advanced two runners into scoring position with two out. After Josh Boyd's double down the right field line advanced Mike Casale to third, Casale crossed the plate on a balk, cutting the Bulldogs' advantage in half.
Bryant got the run back in the top of the sixth frame as O'Connor and Jeff Vigurs delivered consecutive two-out singles, making the score 4-1.
The Bulldogs tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh, when Dylan Stone registered a two-out single up the middle off reliever Tim Ballard, pushing the edge to 5-1.
Buch (1-2) went 6.0 innings, allowing four run on five hits, with a season-high seven strikeouts. Ballard, who worked the final frame for Monmouth, surrendered one run on two hits.
Dan Lozeau (2-0) earned the win for Bryant, tossing a complete game, allowing one run on three hits.
Bryant wasted no time scoring in game two as a lead-off walk, followed by back-to-back sacrifice bunts, coupled with a pair of Monmouth errors, resulted in a 2-0 Bulldog advantage.
Monmouth pulled within 2-1 in the bottom of the second when Nick Pulsonetti ripped a first-pitch home run to left center off Bryant starter John Michael Ryan.
In the top of the third, Bryant regained a two-run edge as O'Connor's fielder's choice groundout drove in Pat McKenna, who led off the frame with a double.
Monmouth made it a one-run game again in the home half of the third as Boyd dropped down a bunt and advanced to second when Brett Holland reached on an error. After a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position, Ryan Terry's chopper to second drove in Boyd, making the score 3-2.
The Hawks rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-3 lead, as Jamie Rosenkranz's RBI single tied the score at 3-3. With the bases loaded after an error on a potential inning-ending double play, Boyd reached on a fielding error by the first baseman, which led to two more runs.
Ryan (1-2), who worked 3.1 innings for Bryant, suffered the loss, allowing five runs on five hits.
Vallillo, who improved to 2-0 on the season, worked 7.0 innings, allowing three unearned runs on three hits, with a career-high eight punchouts. In the second game triumph, both Pulsonetti and Paul Bottigliero collected two hits, while Pulsonetti launched his 12th career homer.
Monmouth returns to action on Sunday, when the Hawks host Bryant in the final game of the weekend series at 1 p.m. Senior Nick Meyers is scheduled to start for the Hawks.
