WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University baseball team dropped the final game of the four-game Northeast Conference series with Sacred Heart, 5-2 in 11 innings, Sunday afternoon. The Hawks, who took the first three games, fall to 7-7 on the season and 3-1 in league play while the Pioneers improve to 7-9 and 1-3 in NEC action.
In the 11th inning, JJ Edwards singled, John Murphy reached on a throwing error by MU reliever Matt Frazier (Whippany, N.J./Whippany Park) and Derick Horn followed with a base clearing triple to left field to give the Pioneers a 4-2 lead. Hunter Phillips laid down a suicide squeeze to give SHU a three run advantage and John Hermanson shut down the Hawks in the bottom of the inning to secure the win.
Ed Martin (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan [Brookdale CC]) earned a one out walk in the bottom of the fourth inning and moved to third on Jamie Rosenkranz's (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) single to right. Sophomore Danny Avella (Matawan, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) grounded out to Hunter Phillips, plating Martin for a 1-0 MU lead.
Sacred Heart responded in the top of the seventh inning on RBI singles by Dave Boisture and MJ Schifano, giving the Pioneers a 2-1 advantage.
Monmouth answered in the bottom of the frame as Nick Pulsonetti (Old Tappan, N.J./Northern Valley Regional) was hit by a pitch from SHU's starter Schifano and advanced to second on freshman Jake Gronsky's (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) single up the middle. Senior Cal Costanzo (Edison, N.J./Edison) followed with a single of his own, chasing home Pulsonetti, knotting the score at 2-2.
MU starter Andy McDonnell (Newtown Square, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) threw 6.1 innings allowing two runs on three hits while striking out four while Frazier, who is credited with the loss, allowed two unearned runs on five hits, fanning four Pioneers without allowing a walk. Sophomore Neil Harm (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) struck out the only batter he faced.
Monmouth returns to action on Tuesday, March 22nd as it travels to Philadelphia, Pa. for a 3:00 p.m. game with Temple.
