WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Monmouth University fell to Bryant University 7-6 in the final game of its season-opening Northeast Conference series on Sunday afternoon. Monmouth, which split the weekend set with the Bulldogs, falls to 6-9 overall and 2-2 in the league, while Bryant improves to 5-13 overall and 2-2 in the NEC.
Monmouth got on the board in the first inning as Ryan Terry led off the frame with an infield single and after a successful hit and run with Josh Boyd put runners at the corners, the Hawks notched a run on a double steal as Terry slid under the tag at the plate on the return throw.
The Hawks doubled the lead to 2-0 in the fourth when Mike Casale drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second on Danny Avella's sacrifice bunt. After Casale touched third on Bobby Dombrowski's single through the left side, Casale crossed home on Anthony Lawrence's RBI single through the right side.
Bryant rallied to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth, as the Bulldogs opened the frame with consecutive singles. BU cut the Monmouth lead to 2-1 on Kevin Brown's run-scoring infield single, tied the game on a Jeff Vigurs single and took its first lead on Nick Campbell's groundout.
Monmouth answered right back in the home half of the fifth with three runs to reclaim a 5-3 advantage as Terry (lead-off double) and Boyd (single) reached in front of Jamie Rosenkranz's three-run homer to left.
BU took advantage of three straight walks from reliever Nick Vallillo to open the sixth to plate four runs and take a 7-5 lead. With the bases loaded, Zakary Cianciolo delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single up the middle off of Matt Goitz to tie the score at 5-5, while Jordan English's RBI infield single pushed the Bulldogs in front 6-5. After a stolen base by English, Bryant grabbed the two-run edge in the next at-bat as Vigurs reached on a fielding error, which allowed English to cross home from second.
The Hawks pulled within 7-6 in the bottom of the eighth, as Tim McEndy's lead-off, pinch hit single started a rally. Pinch-runner Kevin Maroney advanced to second when Anthony Lawrence drew a walk, and after Matt McEndy's sac bunt put two runners in scoring position, Terry drove in Maroney with a groundout.
Nick McNamara, who needed four pitches to retire the side in the seventh, worked 3.0 scoreless frames for Monmouth, allowing one hit, with two strikeouts.
Starter Dan Smith worked 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, while Goitz (0-1) was saddled with the loss, surrendering two runs in an inning of work.
Peter Kelich (3-0) earned the win for Bryant, working 5.0 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, with five strikeouts, while John Michael Ryan picked up his first save behind 4.0 innings of work.
Monmouth, which collected 10 hits, got two hits apiece from Terry and Boyd at the top of the order, while Rosenkranz drove in a team-best three runs behind his team-leading third home run of the season.
Monmouth returns to action on Tuesday, when the Hawks travel to in-state rival Saint Peter's for a non-conference contest at 3:30 p.m.
