RICHMOND, Va. – T.J. Hunt (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) threw 6.2 shutout innings, and Justin Andrews (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) fired 2.1 scoreless in relief as Monmouth baseball shut out VCU to earn its first win of the season, 3-0 on Friday afternoon. MU moves to 1-9, while the Rams drop to 7-8 on the season.

“We played extremely well in all facets of the game,” said Head Coach Dean Ehehalt. “T.J. Hunt was on, our defense made plays behind him, and Justin Andrews came on in a big spot and gave us some much needed confidence.”

Hunt earned his first win of the season and Andrews picked up the save after entering in the seventh and getting a key strikeout to strand two Rams in scoring position. Hunt retired VCU in order in the first, third and sixth innings and faced the minimum in the fourth as well. He did not allow a runner to reach third base until his final batter. The five-six spots in Monmouth's order consisting of Chris Gaetano (Madison Township, Pa./Scranton Preparatory) and Dan Shea (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) combined to go 4-for-8 with a run scored and an RBI.

Rams starter JoJo Howie worked six innings, allowing three runs on nine hits with three strikeouts. Reliever Thomas Gill tossed three hitless shutout innings for the Rams, facing just one over the minimum. Offensively, VCU got contributions from Darian Carpenter, who had two hits. Nobody in the top or bottom third of the Rams order reached base.

Monmouth got on the board offensively in the third after two hits netted no runs in the second. Robbie Alessandrine (Sewell, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) led off the third with a single, and Steve Wilgus (Woolwich, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) moved him over with a sac bunt. After a fly out, Shaine Hughes (Sewell, N.J./Washington Township) singled to right to chase home Alessandrine and pit Hunt to a 1-0 lead.

Monmouth went back on the attack in the fourth, this time getting things started with a two-out bunt single from Cary Jacobson (Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades). Grant Lamberton (Newark, Del./Salesianum) followed with a base knock to right, and when Jacobson moved to third on the play, Lamberton got himself hung up between first and second long enough for Jacobson to score before being tagged out. The run gave Monmouth 2-0 lead, and a two-out single from Vimael Machin in the bottom of the frame was thwarted when Kyle Perry (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) threw him out trying to steal second.

Nobody threatened offensively until the seventh, when VCU got a two-out Carpenter single and a double from Cody Acker consecutively. Hunt would exit with the potential tying run at the plate and give the ball to Andrews, the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week. With two strikes, Andrews threw one past Jimmy Kerrigan to record the strikeout and end the inning. Andrews retired the next six and final seven of the game total to record his first career save.

“I am really proud of our guys,” added Ehehalt. “We have played a very demanding schedule and are starting to see the benefits of that.”

Monmouth returns to action in Richmond, Va. tomorrow, as the PK5 Classic continues with the Hawks taking on Minnesota at 1:00 p.m.