AMBLER, Pa. – The Monmouth University baseball team used seven strong innings from
T.J. Hunt (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) and a three-hit day from
Connor White (Wall, N.J./Wall) to knock off the Temple Owls on Saturday afternoon at Skip Wilson Field. The win is MU's third consecutively, and moves them to 14-20 on the year, while Temple falls to 12-23.
Hunt collected his fourth win of the year by working seven solid innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking four and striking out six. Stephen Frey (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville) earned a six-out save, allowing a ninth inning run but keeping the tying run from scoring. White went 3-for-4 for MU, and Robbie Alessandrine (Sewell, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) notched a two-hit day.
Patrick Vanderslice got the start for the Owls and went five, giving up three runs, two of which were earned, on five hits to get the loss. Tim McCarthy and Patrick Krall combined for four relief innings, allowing just an unearned run between them. Jimmy Kerrigan went 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI for the home team.
Temple scored early, getting a run in the first. Kerrigan bunted for a single and stole second before Derek Peterson walked. Robert Amaro walked and so did Frank D'Agostino, with D'Agostino's coming with the bases loaded to force in a run. MU quickly got it back in the top of the second, when White put a two-out double into right center and went to third on a wild pitch. Jon Guida (Martinsville, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) singled to left to bring in the tying run.
The Hawks took the lead in the fourth, beginning with Chris Gaetano (Madison Township, Pa./Scranton Preparatory) being hit by a pitch. After White punched a single through the right side, Gaetano went to third and scored on Guida's bunt. A trio of Temple miscues in the fifth allowed Monmouth to go up 3-1, starting when Steve Wilgus (Woolwich, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) reached second on a throwing error by Temple second baseman Reyn Sugai. Another error, this one by Peterson, allowed Craig Sweeney (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) to reach, and Wilgus went to third. A wild pitch scored Wilgus, and the Hawks scored a run without recording a hit.
Joe Bamford (Washington, N.J./Northampton C.C./Warren Hills Regional) led off the seventh by getting hit by a pitch. Wilgus reached on another error, this one by the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt, and Sweeney singled to load the bases. Danny Avella (Matawan, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) hit into a double play, but Bamford scored to put the Hawks up 4-1.
Leading off the home seventh, David Hall homered to right center to cut MU's lead in half at 4-2. Hunt limited the damage, and Frey tossed a scoreless eighth before the Owls threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Hall hit a 3-2 pitch to left for a leadoff double, and went to third on Sugai's ground out. Kerrigan followed with a double of his own to make it 4-3 with one out and Kerrigan representing the tying run at second. Frey came back to fan Peterson and get pinch hitter Andrew Nist to fly to center to end the game, preserving Monmouth's third win in a row.
The Hawks and Temple meet for the final time tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m. from Skip Wilson Field.
monmouth baseball edges temple, 4-3
