WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Junior Pat Light (Colts Neck, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) struck out a career-high 13 batters in the Monmouth University baseball team's 3-1 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams, Friday afternoon at MU Baseball Field.  Jamie Rosenkranz (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) went 3-for-3 from the plate for the Hawks, winners of four-straight to improve 8-6 (1-0 NEC) on the year.  The Knights drop to 3-7-1 (0-1 NEC) with the loss.

Light, who threw 115 pitches for 81 strikes, worked all nine innings, allowing a run on six hits while only yielding two free passes in his sixth career and second nine-inning complete game.

The Knights got on the board in the first on Eric Anderson's double to right, but the Blue and White responded in the home half of the inning, scoring three runs on two hits, while taking advantage of a FDU error. 

Josh Boyd (Port Murray, N.J./West Morris Central) reached on a fielding blunder by the first baseman and moved to third on Rosenkranz's single.  After Jake Gronsky (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) walked to load the bases, Danny Avella (Matawan, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) connected on a two-run single, chasing in Boyd and Rosenkranz.  The Hawks added another run on Ed Martin's (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan [Brookdale CC]) groundout to give Light all the run support he needed.

Craig Warner was tagged with the loss for FDU, working 7.0 innings allowing three runs, one which was earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts.

Monmouth and Fairleigh Dickinson will continue the four-game NEC set with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m.