NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Despite a five-run seventh inning, the Monmouth baseball team was beaten in the bottom of the ninth by Iona, 7-6 on Sunday afternoon at City Park in New Rochelle, N.Y. The Gaels take the series with the win and move to 11-22, 6-6 in conference while MU is now 9-16, 4-5 in the league.
John Daddino earned the win in relief for Iona with a scoreless ninth, while Frank Trimarco (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) took the loss after allowing the winning run in the ninth. Anthony Ciavarella (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) worked seven, allowing four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Eddie Macaluso surrendered three runs, two earned on six hits with four strikeouts and five walks after starting for Iona. Three Gaels had multi-hit days as Vinny DeMaria and Seth Hoagland both drove in a pair. Dave Moreno (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) went three-for-three, and Robbie Alessandrine (Sewell, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) had two hits and two runs scored for Monmouth.
After Matt Byrne reached on an infield single with one out in the ninth, Jimmy Guiliano tripled to right center to win the game for Iona. It capped off a comeback that included the Gaels getting two in the eighth to tie the game on an RBI ground out from Hoagland and a run-scoring single by DeMaria.
Early in the game, Iona took a 4-0 lead thanks to a three-run fourth inning and another run tacked on in the fifth. DeMaria and Hoagland both drove in a run each in the fourth, as well as Matt Flannery singling in a run. The fifth inning run came around on a two-out double by Alex Beckett, who was cut down trying to take third on the play.
Monmouth answered with five in the seventh to take the lead, scoring the first two without a hit. Moreno walked leading off, and Alessandrine reached on an error. Grant Lamberton (Newark, Del./Salesianum) also walked to fill the bases before Wilgus was hit by a pitch to bring in the first run. Connow White (Wall, N.J./Wall) pinch hit and drew a walk to force in another run, and Kyle Perry (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) singled on the infield to make it 4-3 Iona. It was Dan Shea (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) to hit two batters later as a pinch hitter, and he singled to bring in two and give Monmouth the lead. MU tacked on a run in the eighth on a Shaine Hughes (Sewell, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) sacrifice fly but it was now enough as Iona came back to win, 7-6.
The Hawks are back on the diamond on Tuesday at Seton Hall with first pitch slated for 3:30 p.m.
