BUFFALO, N.Y.- The Monmouth baseball team had its 11 game winning streak halted by Canisius on Thursday morning, falling 15-4 at the Demske Sports Complex in Buffalo, N.Y. Joe Bamford (Washington, N.J./Northampton C.C./Warren Hills Regional) added three hits for the Hawks, who fall to 22-21 on the year and 12-8 in MAAC play. Canisius picks up its 14th straight win, moving to 18-4 in conference and 36-14 overall.
MU starter Andrew McGee (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) worked three innings, allowing three runs on five hits, striking out two. Frank Trimarco (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) got the loss after he allowed seven runs in his time. Steve Wilgus (Woolwich, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) contributed two hits and two runs scored for the Blue and White.
Monmouth got on the board early, scoring three first-inning unearned runs. Bamford and Wilgus put together a pair of infield hits, Wilgus' coming on a bunt, and Danny Avella (Matawan, N.J/Christian Brothers Academy) singled to load the bases. Jon Guida (Martinsville, N.J./Bridgewater Raritan) hit a fly ball to right that was dropped by Brett Siddall, allowing all three runners to come around and score to put Monmouth up early, 3-0.
Canisius answered with one in the first before tying the game in the third on back-to-back sacrifice flies. Siddall laced an RBI triple in the fifth to give the Golden Griffins the lead, and Connor Panas hit a sac fly to make it 5-3 Canisius.
The Golden Griffins broke things open with a nine-run sixth inning. Siddall delivered a two-run double, and Christ Conley had a two-run single in the frame that saw 15 batters come to the plate for Canisius. Ryan Coppinger added a two-run double for the home team to pad the lead to 14-4.
Guida singled home Wilgus in the seventh after Wilgus led off with a single, and Canisius added a run in the bottom of the frame to set the final score at 15-4. Charlie Battis (Hamilton, N.J./Notre Dame) added a scoreless inning in relief for the Hawks.
The second game of today's scheduled doubleheader was postponed to tomorrow due to impending rain, and the teams will begin tomorrow's twinbill at noon at Demske Sports Complex. The first game is scheduled for seven innings, followed by a nine-inning contest.
