RICHMOND, Va.
- Steve Wilgus (Woolwich, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) had three hits and Owen
Stewart (Howell, N.J./St. Rose) added two hits, but the Monmouth University
baseball team was defeated by Virginia Commonwealth, 8-3, Saturday afternoon at
The Diamond. With the loss, the Hawks fall to 4-8, while the Rams improve to
11-4. The Hawks outhit the Rams, 13-8, but were done in on a key throwing error
in the third inning that led to five unearned VCU runs.
Wilgus went 3-for-5 with an
RBI, while Stewart went 2-for-4. Jon Guida (Martinsville, N.J./Bridgewater
Raritan) added a double and a run-scoring sacrifice fly, while Chris Perret
(Morris Plains, N.J./Morris Catholic) added an RBI single. Craig Sweeney
(Middletown, N.J./Middletown South), Dave Moreno (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern
Regional) and Cary Jacobson (Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades) each singled and
scored a run.
Dan Smith (Marlton,
N.J./Cherokee) took the loss for the Hawks, allowing eight runs, but only three
earned, in 3.1 innings pitched. Smith allowed seven hits and three walks while
striking out one. The Monmouth bullpen - Jeff Paglione (Mantua, N.J./Gloucester
Catholic), Chris McKenna (Pine Beach, N.J./Toms River South), Stephen Frey
(Washingtonville, N.J./Washingtonville) and Neil Harm (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert)
- hurled 4.2 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief.
Vimael Machin and Taylor
Buran had two hits and two RBI's each to lead VCU, while Chris Ayers added an
RBI single and a run-scoring sacrifice fly. James Bunn had a double, an RBI and
two runs scored, while Joey Cujas also added an RBI single. Tyler Buckley
earned the win on the mound for the Rams, allowing one earned run on eight hits
and one walk over six innings. Seth Greene allowed two earned runs on five hits
over three innings to pick up his second save of the season.
After two scoreless frames to
open the game, Smith retired the first two batters in the third. But after a
walk, Jake Gronsky's (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) throwing error put runners
on the corners and kept the inning alive. Four straight base hits accounting
for five unearned runs followed before Smith was able to induce a groundout to
end the third.
The Hawks got one run back in
the top of the fourth. Sweeney and Joe Bamford (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills
Regional [Northampton C.C.]) began the inning with consecutive singles to put
runners on first and second. A fielder's choice by Stewart erased Bamford and
put runners on the corners. A flyout and a Robbie Alessandrine (Sewell,
N.J./Gloucester Catholic) walk loaded the bases with two outs before Wilgus
plated the Hawks' first run of the game with a single to right.
But VCU added three more runs
in the bottom of the fourth, all charged to Smith. After getting the leadoff
batter to fly out, Smith surrendered two doubles and two walks, the second
intentional, before giving way to Paglione. The sophomore right-hander allowed
two of the three inherited baserunners to score on a sacrifice fly and a
single, before McKenna came on to get the final out of the inning.
Neither team could scratch
across a run between the fifth and eight innings, but the Hawks managed two
runs in the ninth. Jacobson led off with a pinch hit single, the first hit of
his collegiate career, before Moreno followed suit with a pinch-hit single to
left to put runners on the corners. Guida followed with a one-out sacrifice fly
to score Jacobson. Perret's two-out infield single plated Moreno before the
Rams recorded the final out of the game.
The Hawks conclude their
three-game set at VCU on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from The Diamond is
scheduled for 11 a.m.
