WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Paced by Nick Meyers' (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick) career-high 10 strikeout outing and Nick Pulsonetti's (Old Tappan, N.J./Northern Valley Regional) 3-for-3 performance, the Monmouth University baseball team defeated Wagner College, 5-3, Friday afternoon in Northeast Conference play.
With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom half of the eighth, Ryan Terry (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) doubled with one out and advanced to third on Danny Avella's (Matawan, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) single. Pulsonetti followed with a RBI base hit up the middle, chasing home Terry, and Avella scored on Owen Stewart's (Howell, N.J./St. Rose) infield single to give the Hawks a 5-3 lead.
Freshman Andrew McGee (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve MU's (17-13, 12-5 NEC) two-run advantage, earning his fifth save in the process.
Wagner (10-21, 8-9 NEC) broke the ice in the sixth on Jon Lucas's RBI double to left-center followed by Nick Alfano's run-scoring single to give the Seahawks a 2-0 lead.
The Blue and White responded in the home half of the sixth as Jake Gronksy (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) singled and Terry knocked a base hit up the middle that was misplayed by Ian Miller, allowing Gronsky to score and Terry to reach third. With two-outs, Pulsonetti registered his second double of the game, plating Terry. Ed Martin (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan [Brookdale CC]) kept MU's rally alive as he reached on an error, which allowed Pulsonetti to cross home plate giving the Hawks a 3-2 lead.
In the ensuing inning, WC's Eddie Brown connected on a home run to left to knot the score at 3-3.
Terry recorded three hits for the Hawks, scoring two runs, while Pulsonetti drove in a pair and collected three hits.
Meyers fanned 10 in 7.0 innings of work in a no-decision, allowing three runs on five hits while yielding three walks. Matt Frazier (Whippany, N.J./Whippany Park) improves to 2-1 on the season as the senior is credited with the victory, striking out one in a scoreless inning of relief.
Mark Holmes, who is saddled with the loss, threw a complete game for the Seahawks, allowing five runs on nine hits.
With the threat of inclement weather, tomorrow's doubleheader between Monmouth and Wagner has been moved to 11 a.m.
