WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University baseball team split a Northeast Conference doubleheader with Quinnipiac University on Saturday afternoon, rallying for an 8-7 victory in game one, but falling 7-2 in the nightcap. With the split, Monmouth moved to 19-19 overall, moved to 12-11 in the league.
In game one, Monmouth rallied with four runs in the bottom of the sixth, capped by Jamie Rosenkranz's three-run home run, to secure a come from behind 8-7 victory, as reliever Matt Goitz (2-1) earned the win in relief of starter Kyle Breese.
Quinnipiac got on the board first when Brian Monack connected on a first pitch solo home run to center off Breese.
Monmouth rallied with a three-run home half of the third to take a 3-1 lead off Kyle Birdsall. Josh Boyd dropped a lead-off single into right field to start the frame, and Ryan Terry followed with a one-out, two-run homer to left to give the Hawks a 2-1 advantage. Terry, who drove the 2-2 offering out after a Mike Casale sac bunt, upped his team-lead to eight home runs on the year.
Following a Rosenkranz infield single, a wild pitch and a steal of third, the Hawks tacked on a third score when the Bobcats threw to first base on Bobby Dombrowski's strike out (but dropped third strike) and Rosenkranz scampered home on the throw.
The Bobcats rallied with six runs in the top of the fifth to grab a 7-3 lead. Kyle Nisson started the frame with a single and after Mike Bartlett's one-out double put a pair of runners in scoring position, lead-off hitter Michael Amanti singled up the middle to knot the game at 3-3. After a second double, off the bat of Ben Farina, put runners at second and third, Monack dropped a run-scoring single into left for a 4-3 edge, which knocked Breese from the game.
With runners at the corners, Gotiz entered for the Hawks and surrendered a sac fly and then a two-run homer to left center to Chris Migani, as QU took the four-run edge.
MU climbed within 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth when Nick Pulsonetti launched a first-pitch solo home run to right center, his third of the season, and 25th of his career.
Owen Stewart started off Monmouth's four-run sixth with a single, and after QU lifted Birdsall, Derek Lamacchia walked Cal Costanzo, before Casale fisted an RBI single to left to make the score 7-5. Trailing by a pair, Rosenkranz drilled a three-run shot to the opposite field to reclaim the lead for the Hawks, 8-7.
Breese worked 4.1 innings for Monmouth, allowing six runs on eight hits with six strikeouts. Goitz, who got the first two outs of the seventh, worked 2.1 frames, allowing one run on one hit, with a strikeout, while Nick McNamara picked up his second save of the season.
In game two, Monmouth put a pair of runners on in each of the first three innings, and broke through in the third when Casale led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Rosenkranz double play groundout, giving the Hawks a 1-0 advantage.
Quinnipiac raced out to a 7-1 lead in the fourth, notching a pair of home runs in the process. Migani started off the rally with a game-tying home run, and with two away, Amanti was hit by a pitch to push the Bobcasts ahead 2-1. Farina followed with a two-run double and Monack's three-run shot put QU in front by six runs.
Monmouth climbed within 7-2 in the home half of the fourth when Danny Avella doubled and came around on Stewart's RBI single up the middle.
Light (1-6) surrendered seven runs on 10 hits in 4.0 innings of work in the loss, while Chris Perret and Joe Loidice combined for 3.0 scoreless frames of relief.
In the second game, Avella went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles.
QU starter Anthony Cinelli earned the win behind a complete game.
Monmouth returns to action on Sunday when the Hawks host Quinnipiac (11-28, 10-9 NEC) in the final game of this Northeast Conference series. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
