MERION STATION, PA – Pete Papcun (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) homered for the second consecutive game, but the Monmouth baseball team (26-22) fell at Saint Joseph's Wednesday afternoon, 14-2.
SJU jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first with six hits in the inning, including a two-run double from Cal Jadacki and a two-run homer from Brian Lau to take the early lead.
The Blue and White answered in the third inning when Grant Lamberton (Newark, DE/Salesianum) beat out an infield single leading off and two batters later, Papcun launched his second home run in as many games, a two-run shot to make it 6-2 Saint Joseph's.
Charlie Concannon added a run-scoring ground-rule double and the home team added another in the fourth to make it 8-2. Marc Giacalone was the catalyst for a five-run sixth, hitting a three-run triple and scoring on a wild pitch. SJU added a run in the eighth on a Dominic Cuoci home run to make it 14-2, the eventual final score.
Lamberton had three hits for MU and Papcun drove in a pair and had two hits. Joe Molettiere (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) took the loss in just his second start of the season, and Ryan Otero picked up the win for SJU. Five relievers combined for five scoreless innings for Saint Joseph's.
The Hawks are back in action this Saturday for a doubleheader with Fairfield on Saturday beginning at noon. All three games this weekend with the Stags are slated to air on ESPN3.
