WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Powered by home runs from senior Bobby Dombrowski and freshman Danny Avella, the Monmouth University baseball team posted a 9-3 victory over visiting Quinnipiac University in Northeast Conference action on Friday afternoon.
Monmouth, which improved to 18-18 overall, moved to 11-10 in the league behind senior Nick Meyers' team-leading fifth victory on the mound, as the lefty worked 7.0 innings with a career-best seven strikeouts.
Monmouth put its first two runners on base in the top of the fourth as Mike Casale drew a lead-off walk on four pitches and advanced to second on Ryan Terry's single, before Jamie Rosenkranz delivered a run-scoring single through the left side to give the Hawks a 1-0 edge. After a double steal put a pair of runners in scoring position, Nick Pulsonetti lifted a sac fly to right to plate Terry for a two-run lead.
The Hawks loaded the bases with two away in the bottom of the fifth, and a throwing error on a failed pick-off attempt allowed Cal Costanzo to score from third, while Rosenkranz's single pushed Monmouth in front 4-0.
Two pitches after Casale's home run-stealing catch in right on Ben Farina's drive ended the Bobcats' sixth, Dombrowski laced a solo shot to right to lead-off the home half of the sixth, his fourth of the year, to give Monmouth a 5-0 advantage.
Quinnipiac rallied for three runs, all with two outs, in the top of the seventh to climb within 5-3. Chris Migani started the rally with a two-out single and Gabe Guerino was hit by a pitch in front of Kyle Nisson's double down the right field line, which made the score 5-1, Trailing by four, Ryan Ullrich added a two-run single to pull the Bobcats within a pair of runs.
Monmouth answered with a four-run bottom of the seventh, which was capped by Avella's three-run homer, to go ahead 9-3. With a pair of runners in scoring position, Dombrowski's chopper to third base allowed Casale to cross, while Rosenkranz and Dombrowski scored in front of Avella, on the freshman's fifth homer of the year, a first-pitch shot to right.
Meyers (5-1) earned his team-best fifth victory behind 7.0 innings, as the senior surrendered three runs on six hits, with one free pass and seven punchouts. Freshman Neil Harm worked a pair of scoreless frames to maintain the lead for the Hawks.
Quinnipiac starter Mike Oskandy, who was perfect through the opening three innings before the lead-off walk in the fourth, worked 6.0 frames, allowing five runs on six hits, with two strikeouts, and four walks in the loss.
Todd DeFrancesco allowed four runs on three hits in an inning of work for the Bobcats, while Spencer Kane worked a scoreless eighth.
Rosenkranz went 3-for-4 with a two RBI to lead Monmouth's nine-hit attack, while Casale scored three runs.
Monmouth returns to action on Saturday when the Hawks host Quinnipiac (10-27, 9-8 NEC) in a Northeast Conference doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.
