CARY, N.C. - The Monmouth University baseball team defeated Saint Joe's, 7-1, and Youngstown State, 14-2, Saturday afternoon at the USA Baseball Complex. With the pair of wins, MU has started the season 3-0 for the first time since the 1994 campaign, the same year head coach Dean Ehehalt took over the helm of the program.
In game one, junior Dan Smith (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) picked up his first win of the year throwing 6.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits, with one strikeout. Neil Harm (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) and freshman Reid Van Woert (Johnson City, N.Y./Maine Endwell) came out of the bullpen to work two scoreless innings, each recording a punch-out. The nightcap saw sophomore Stephen Frey (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville) throw 5.0 innings, yielding two runs on four hits to claim his first win of the year, the fourth of his young career. Seniors Joe Loiodice (Forest Hill, Md./John Carroll), John MacDonald (Langhorne, Pa./Conwell Egan Catholic) and Jonathan Shippee (Waterford, N.J./Shenendehowa) threw an inning a piece in relief, while a trio of freshmen in Adam Yunginger (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township), T.J. Hunt (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) and Chris McKenna (Pine Beach, N.J./Toms River South) combined to hurl a scoreless ninth.
Against Saint Joe's (1-2), Monmouth scored six runs over the first three frames and added an insurance run in the seventh in the victory. Josh Boyd (Port Murray, N.J./West Morris Central), Jamie Rosenkranz (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township), Owen Stewart (Howell, N.J./St. Rose) and Tim Bickford (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) each registered two hits for the Blue and White. Rosenkranz and Jake Gronsky (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) scored twice, while Stewart and Bickford drove in a pair of runs, respectively.
The Hawks scored nine runs in the first four innings and continued their onslaught against Youngstown State with three in the sixth and two the eighth. Rosenkranz paced the offense against the Penguins as the senior went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and five runs scored. Stewart drove in four runs on three hits, while Danny Avella (Matawan, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) chased in three runs on two hits. Boyd, Gronsky and Ed Martin (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan [Brookdale CC]) each added a multi-hit game for the Blue and White.
Monmouth returns to action tomorrow in the final game at the USA Baseball Complex against Marshall. First pitch is slated for 10 a.m.
