WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Monmouth University dropped a 6-5 decision to visiting Lafayette in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday afternoon. With the loss, the Hawks fall to 7-13 overall, while the Leopards, who rallied with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth, improve to 6-17 on the year.
In the bottom of the second, Kyle O'Neill laced a two-out double to the right centerfield gap, and scored, sliding under the tag, on Tom Augustyniak's single to right.
Monmouth doubled its lead in the bottom of the third when Mike Casale drilled a one-out single through the left side, advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt and scampered home on Jamie Rosenkranz's double to deep center, which bounced off the outfield fence.
Danny Avella made the score 4-0 in the same frame, lining a 2-2 pitch over the rightfield fence for his third homer of the season.
Lafayette trimmed the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fourth behind four straight one-out hits, including run-scoring singles from Alex Bechta and Brad Weiss. After a walk from starter Chris Perret loaded the bases, Matt Goitz entered and surrendered a free pass, which pulled the Leopards within one run, but ended the threat by inducing a pop out to finish the inning.
Monmouth pushed the lead to 5-3 in the home half of the fourth on Casale's third hit of the game, an RBI single up the middle with two away, which plated O'Neill.
LC loaded the bases in the top of the fifth before Brad Weiss lifted a sac fly to pull the Leopards within 5-4, off reliever Joe Loiodice.
In the top of the sixth, Jonathan Shippee pitched around a lead-off single, which was followed by a double, as Casale tracked down the ball in the corner, fired it in, and Ryan Terry cut down Brian Davilla at the dish. With a runner at third, Shippee got AJ Pisarri to line out and Cal Costanzo's diving play at first ended the inning.
Freshman Dan Smith surrendered back-to-back singles to start the ninth, but Dombrowski's diving catch on a bunt attempt recorded the first out of the frame. Weiss then tied the game at 5-5 with a single to right center. After a wild pitch put a pair of runners in scoring position, A.J. Miller's sac fly plated the go-ahead run for the Leopards.
Jeff Snell (1-0), who entered the game in the eighth for Lafayette, struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to earn the victory.
Smith (1-1), who allowed two runs on three hits in an inning of work, was credited with the loss. Perret, in his second start of the year, worked 3.2 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.
Casale went 3-for-5 for the Hawks, batting in the No. 2 spot, while O'Neill added two hits. Lafayette's Fenster went 5-for-5 with a pair of runs scored to pace the Leopards' 15-hit attack on the afternoon.
Monmouth returns to action on Friday, April 9, when the Hawks open a four-game Northeast Conference series with Mount St. Mary's. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
