NEW BRITAIN, CONN. - The Monmouth University baseball team, which was paced by Ryan Terry's 3-for-3 day from the lead-off spot, fell 11-7 at Central Connecticut State in Northeast Conference action on Thursday afternoon. With the defeat, the Hawks fell to 6-10 overall and 2-3 in the league.
CCSU took at 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Sean Miller-Jones delivered a two-run single to right field off Monmouth starter Nick Meyers. The Hawks cut the lead in half in the top of the third as Terry connected on a one-out single and advanced to second on a throwing error. After another error moved Terry to third base, Terry crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
Monmouth went ahead 4-2 in the top of the fourth behind a three-run frame, as Bobby Dombrowski's single drove in Cal Costanzo, who led off the frame with a hit-by-pitch. After the Hawks knotted the score, Danny Avella collected an RBI infield single, plating Mike Casale, and MU tacked on a third score on Terry's sacrifice fly.
The Blue Devils rallied with a five-run bottom of the fourth, as Mitch Wells notched a two-run homer to right, and Sean Allaire delivered a bases-clearing, three-run double to center, pushing CCSU in front 7-4.
The Hawks pulled within 7-6 in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of an error and a pair of wild pitches. Casale started off the frame reaching on an error and advanced to second on Dombrowski's single up the middle. After both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, Matt McEndy reached base on a wild pitch, which allowed Casale to score, making the score 7-5. Terry's second sac fly of the contest then plated Dombrowski, trimming the lead to one run.
CCSU responded with four runs in the home half of the sixth, as the Blue Devils notched a run on a wild pitch, while Anthony Scialdone, Pat Epps and Wells each delivered two-hit, run-scoring hits, making the score 11-6.
Monmouth climbed within 11-7 in the ninth inning, as Terry led off with a single to center field, and later came around on Cal Costanzo's single to leftfield.
Meyers (2-1) allowed seven runs on eight hits in 4.0 innings of work, with four strikeouts. Goitz surrendered four runs on two hits in 1.2 innings, while Jonathan Shippee allowed three hits in 0.2 frames. Chris Perret allowed one hits and one walk in 1.2 scoreless innings.
Terry, who drove in two runs and scored a pair, paced Monmouth's nine-hit attack, while Casale, who got the start in rightfield, scored twice, and Dombrowski added two hits and two runs.
Monmouth returns to action on Friday afternoon, when the Hawks and Blue Devils compete in a league doubleheader, starting at 1:00 p.m.
