HEMPSTEAD, NY– Shaine Hughes (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) drove in Robbie Alessandrine (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) in the ninth to snap a 4-4 tie as the Monmouth baseball team came from behind to beat Hofstra Wednesday, 5-4. Monmouth's bullpen tossed 4.2 scoreless frames, capped by a spotless ninth from Joe Molettiere (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) to improve to 8-11 while the Pride fall to 5-16.
"It was a really good team win with a lot of contributors," said Dean Ehehalt. "Tyler Ksiazek did a really good job giving us a chance, our bullpen was excellent and Grant Lamberton had a huge day while Shaine Hughes continues to drive in runs."
Alessandrine tucked a one-out double inside the third base bag with one out in the ninth, and two batters later, Hughes singled past the second baseman to score the lead and eventual winning run. Molettiere needed just seven pitches in the bottom of the inning, getting a three-pitch strikeout, a ground out to second and a fly ball to center to end the game.
MU hit home runs in back-to-back innings to tie the game, with Cary Jacobson (Los Angeles, CA/Palisades) hitting one to straightaway left to cut it to 4-3 in the sixth. With two down and nobody on in the seventh, Grant Lamberton (Newark, DE/Salesianum) launched his first of the year to right center on a ball that neither outfielder ever pursued to make it 4-3 after seven.
Hofstra took a 4-2 lead in the home fifth, with Tom Archer taking a hit by pitch on the elbow leading off. A sacrifice bunt advanced him to second, and Ryan Karl singled through the right side to score Archer and give Hofstra the lead back. The Pride tacked a run on after a Teddy Cillis infield single when Vito Friscia doubled to right center, making it 4-2 Hofstra after five.
In the fifth, Sean Arnott (Brielle, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy [Temple]) singled through the left side leading off after saving a run defensively with a leaping grab to end the fourth. An Alessandrine bunt moved Arnott to second, and Hughes walked to make it first and second with two down. With Dan Shea (Wilmington, DE/Salesianum) at the plate, a wild pitch skipped so far towards the Pride dugout that Arnott scored from second to tie the game at two.
Lamberton led off the first with a line-drive double to center and moved to second on a wild pitch. Hughes hit one in the air to right center, scoring Lamberton to make it 1-0 Hawks.
In the bottom of the first, Karl singled up the middle before Friscia homered off the left field wall to make it 2-1 Pride.
Freshman Tyler Ksiazek (South Abington Township, PA/Abington Heights) made his first career start, taking a no decision after allowing four runs on five hits through 4.1 innings. Jesse Fante (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) tossed 1.2 one-hit scoreless innings, striking out the side on 17 pitches in the sixth. Kyle Ajjan (Chester Springs, PA/Downingtown East) earned his first career win with two scoreless innings out of the pen, while Molettiere earned the save.
Cillis started on the mound for the Pride, firing three innings and giving up a run on two hits with four strikeouts. Chris Bonk allowed two runs on three hits in 2.1 frames. Adam Heidenfelder was checked with the loss, allowing the go-ahead run in the ninth.
"Sean Arnott had a heads up play to score from second on a wild pitch, and it's good to see us do those things," added Ehehalt. "Excellent way to wrap up our pre-conference schedule and hit this weekend with good momentum."
Monmouth opens conference play this Friday at 3:00 p.m. at home against Rider. The game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN3.
