LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J.- Steve Wilgus (Woolwich, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) had three hits for Monmouth, but a strong outing by Kurt Sowa and a five-run fifth inning gave Rider a 9-2 win in the regular season finale in Lawrenceville on Saturday afternoon, 9-2.
Monmouth jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, getting a leadoff walk from Grant Lamberton (Newark, Del./Salesianum) and a subsequent stolen base from the sophomore. Chris Gaetano (Madison Township, Pa./Scranton Preparatory) drove him in with a base hit to center, and was thrown out at second trying to stretch it to a double.
MU went up 2-0 in the third, with Wilgus leading off with a single to right and going to center when Gaetano again singled to center. Two batters later, Cary Jacobson (Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades) walked to load the bases, and Dan Shea (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) brought home a run on a fielder's choice.
Rider answered in the bottom of the inning on a Justin Thomas RBI single to left, and took the lead in the fourth when, with two outs, James Lipinski knocked a two-run homer to left to make it 3-2 Broncs.
Rider's big inning came in the fifth, scoring five in the frame to extend their lead to 8-2. Thomas plated Nick Richter, who led off the inning by reaching on an error, with an RBI single. After Brian Uliana walked, Greg Fazio drove in the second run of the inning on a single up the middle before Eric Strano delivered the big blow, a three-run homer to left to make it 8-2 Broncs.
Rider added a run in the eighth on a Mike Parsons fielder's choice to put the score at 9-2, which would be the final.
Anthony Ciavarella (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) threw 4.2 innings for MU, allowing seven runs on eight hits, just four of them earned while striking out four to take the loss. Mike Brambilla (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) tossed a scoreless inning for MU, and Charlie Battis (Hamilton, N.J./Notre Dame) came on to get an out. Adam Yunginger (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) worked 1.2 innings, allowing a run on two hits with three K's.
Wilgus had three hits for MU, while Gaetano and Justin Trochiano (Morganville, N.J./Marlboro) had two apiece. Thomas, Fazio and Lipinski all had multi-hit games for Rider.
Kurt Sowa got the nod for Rider, earning the win with 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts. Three relievers for the Broncs combined to throw the remaining 2.1 innings without allowing a run.
The Hawks enter the postseason at 22-22, 14-10 in conference and will open the 2015 conference tournament on Wednesday, May 20 in Fishkill, N.Y. against Siena at 3:30 p.m.
MONMOUTH BASEBALL DROPS REGULAR SEASON FINALE AT RIDER, 9-2
