PISCATAWAY, N.J. ? Monmouth University recorded its third straight win over Rutgers with a 6-4 road victory on Wednesday afternoon at Bainton Field. Paced by
Chris Collazo's three hits, the Hawks recorded 10 hits, en route to their 22nd win of the season.
With the win, Monmouth's sixth victory over non-conference New Jersey institutions this season, the Hawks improve their record to 22-19 overall.
Monmouth notched a pair of runs in the first inning as RBI groundouts from
Nick Pulsonetti and Collazo, gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead. Freshman
David Jacob led off the game with a double to left center, and advanced to third on
Ryan Terry's infield single. After Terry stole second base, consecutive middle infield groundouts pushed Monmouth ahead.
The Scarlet Knights cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first, as Rutgers responded with a run-scoring groundout of its own.
In the bottom of the third, the Knights put a pair of runners in scoring position, and knotted the score on a wild pitch.
In the top of the fourth, Monmouth took advantage of two Rutgers errors and recorded four scores, to take a 6-2 lead. Both Collazo and
Paul Bottigliero, who each singled, scored on a throwing error charged to the catcher, and
Josh Boyd and
Jamie Rosenkranz both crossed home on a throwing error by the right fielder.
After loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fifth frame, the Scarlet Knights pulled within 6-4 on a pair of sacrifice flies.
Trailing by two runs, Rutgers threatened with a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth inning, but reliever
Brett Brach registered a strikeout to end the frame and maintain the Hawks' edge.
Ballard picked up the win for the Hawks, his second of the year, working 3.2 shutout innings, while allowing just a lone hit. Brach, who earned his first save, worked 1.1 scoreless frames as well.
Junior
Matt Frazier, making his first start of the season, worked four frames, allowing four runs on four hits, with three strikeouts.
Jacob added two hits and a run scored in the leadoff spot for the Hawks, while Bottigliero recorded two hits and a run scored, as well.
Monmouth returns to action this weekend, when the Hawks travel to league-leading Mount St. Mary's for a four-game Northeast Conference series in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Game one is set for Friday, May 1st with first pitch slated for 3 p.m.
