WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University baseball team split a Northeast Conference doubleheader with visiting Fairleigh Dickinson University on Saturday afternoon. In game one, the Knights used a six-run seventh inning to claim a 10-7 victory, while the Hawks rallied for a 6-4 win in game two.
With the split, Monmouth moves to 22-24 overall and 15-16 in league play, with one game remaining before the Hawks' 14th Northeast Conference postseason.
Steven LaForge laced a lead-off double just over Nick Pulsonetti in left field to open the fourth frame for the Knights, and after Brian Dillon's single up the middle put runners at the corners, DJ Robinson doubled off the base of the wall in right to push FDU in front 1-0. With no outs, and a pair of runners in scoring position, Ryan Kresky's groundout doubled the lead, and Mike Eliasen's sac fly pushed the edge to 3-0.
Monmouth climbed within 3-2 in the home half of the fourth, when Cal Costanzo laced a run-scoring double after a successful hit-and-run had put runners at the corners, and Anthony Lawrence followed with a single to center to knock in Owen Stewart, and pull MU within one run.
Monmouth knotted the score at 3-3 in the home half of the fifth inning, plating an unearned run against the Knights. After Mike Casale was hit by a pitch to open the frame, and FDU lifted starter Ashley Bulluck, Ryan Terry singled through the left side, which was coupled by a fielding error. With runners at the corners, Casale crossed home on Pulsonetti's double play groundout against reliever Matt Cadigan.
The Knights wasted little time reclaiming the lead when Robinson singled to lead off the sixth, advanced to second on Kresky's sac bunt and scored on Eliasen's single, giving FDU a 4-3 edge.
FDU increased its lead to 10-3 behind a six-run seventh inning, as the Knights notched runs on four RBI singles, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly in the frame.
After Matt McEndy opened the home half of the seventh with a pinch-hit single, Casale launched a 3-1 Cadigan offering over the left centerfield fence for a two-run homer, his third of the year, to make the score 10-5.
Monmouth then loaded the bases with no outs against reliever Zach Kisling when Terry singled, Pulsonetti walked and Bobby Dombrowski singled. With the bags packed, Stewart drew a free pass on five pitches to pull the Hawks within 10-6. Costanzo then followed with an RBI fielder's choice groundout to make it a three-run deficit, before pinch-hitter Tim McEndy grounded out to end the game.
Kyle Breese (3-3) was saddled with the loss for Monmouth, going 6.1 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits.
Monmouth, which used three relievers in the seventh inning, notched two-thirds of an inning out of the bullpen, allowing five runs, on five hits and a walk.
Cadigan (1-6) picked up his first win of the season for FDU in relief, working 2.0 innings, allowing two runs, on three hits. Bulluck tossed 4.0 innings in his 12th start of the season, surrendering three runs on five hits, with five strikeouts, while Zach Kisling worked the final inning, allowing two runs on a pair of hits.
In the first inning of game two, the Knights advanced a runner to third base after a lead-off fielding error, but Matt Holsman was tagged out at the plate, during his attempt to steal home, after the pitch got away from catcher Tom Augustyniak.
FDU loaded the bases in the top of the second behind a set of walks from Light, before Ben Mersky's infield single to deep short, allowed Joe Martino to cross for a 1-0 lead.
Martino opened the FDU fourth with a double to right center and later scored on Eric Anderson's sac fly, giving the Knights a 2-0 advantage.
Terry's one-hop double off the left centerfield fence opened the Monmouth fourth inning, and after Dombrowski was hit by a pitch, a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position for Stewart. With one out, Stewart delivered a game-tying, two-run single up the middle off Eliasen, FDU's game two starter, making the score 2-2.
The Knights reclaimed the lead, 3-2, in the top of the fifth on Robinson's RBI single to center, plating Holsman, who led off the inning with an infield single.
Monmouth retaliated with a run in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3, as Josh Boyd delivered a pinch-hit single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and crossed home with the tying run on Terry's second double of the contest.
Stewart and Costanzo delivered back-to-back singles to start the home half of the sixth, putting runners at the corners with one out, before Lawrence connected on a full count, run-scoring single to culminate a 10-pitch at-bat, and put the Hawks ahead 4-3. After Matt McEndy laced an infield single to load the bases, a wild pitch from reliever Cadigan pushed MU in front 5-3, and following a walk to Boyd, Casale's sac fly gave the Hawks a 6-3 advantage.
FDU trimmed the lead to 6-4 in the top of the seventh off reliever Neil Harm, when Dillon delivered a run-scoring single with two outs.
Light (2-6) earned the win in game two for MU, tossing 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, with five strikeouts. Harm picked up his third save of the year, surrendering one run in the seventh.
Eliasen, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI in the Knights' game one victory, was saddled with the loss in game two, working 5.1 frames, allowing six runs on nine hits.
Monmouth returns to action on Sunday, when the Hawks host the Knights in the final game of the Northeast Conference series. Monmouth's Senior Day has been moved up to a noon start.
