SMITHFIELD, N.J. - Trailing by one run in the seventh, senior Ryan Terry (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) laced a triple down the right field line, scoring two, to lift the Monmouth University baseball team over Bryant, 4-2, Sunday afternoon in the series finale.
The Hawks (9-10, 5-3 NEC) and the Bulldogs have split each of their three four-game series with each other since 2009. The Hawks earned the win in the series opener on Friday, 17-3, before dropping both games of yesterday's doubleheader.
Trailing 2-1 in the seventh, Owen Stewart (Howell, N.J./St. Rose) earned a lead-off walk and advanced on freshman Jake Gronsky's (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) sacrifice bunt. After Cal Costanzo (Edison, N.J./Edison) worked a free pass, and Anthony Lawrence (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) grounded out to the pitcher, Terry came up and recorded his game-winning triple, giving the Blue and White a 3-2 advantage.
The Hawks added an insurance run in the eighth on sophomore Danny Avella's (Matawan, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) third home run of the season, his second round-tripper of the series, to push the lead to 4-2.
Bryant broke the ice in the second inning on Dan Muscatello's two-run single to right center field, giving the Bulldogs an early 2-0 lead.
The Hawks got on the board in the fifth when Stewart was plunked by a pitch and moved to second on single by Gronsky. Costanzo followed with a groundout, pushing Stewart and Gronksy to third and second, respectively. Lawrence then reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, allowing Stewart to score which cut Bryant's lead in half, 2-1.
Terry and Gronsky each registered two hits for the Hawks in the victory.
MU starter Andy McDonnell (Newtown Square, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) earned his first win of the season as the graduate student threw 6.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, while fanning four Bulldogs. Senior Matt Frazier (Whippany, N.J./Whippany Park) pitched 2.0 frames of no-hit ball while rookie Andrew McGee (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) pitched 1.0 inning to claim his third save of the season.
John Michael Ryan (2-1) is credited with the loss for Bryant as he allowed three runs on three hits, while walking four.
Monmouth returns to action on Tuesday, March 29th as it travels to Jersey City for a 3:30 p.m. non-conference battle with Saint Peter's.
