LAMBERTON'S SACRIFICE FLY LIFTS MONMOUTH TO 5-4 WIN OVER HOFSTRA IN EXTRAS

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Grant Lamberton (Newark, DE/Salesianum) lifted a bases loaded sacrifice fly in the 13^th inning to give Monmouth baseball (28-24) a 5-4 win over Hofstra Tuesday afternoon at the MU Baseball Field. The Hawks earned their 28^th win of the season, tying Canisius for the most total wins amongst MAAC teams this season.

Cary Jacobson (Los Angeles, CA/Palisades) led off the 13^th by beating out a chopper up the middle. Jacobson then took off on the pitch and Aidan Favia (Short Hills, NJ/Millburn) pushed a single through the vacated left side to put runners on the corners with no outs. After a ground out and a walk loaded the bases, Lamberton hit one to left that scored Jacobson with the winning run.

Monmouth scored three in the eighth after trailing 4-1 entering the inning. Favia sparked that rally as well, lining a single up the middle before Jordan McCrum (Dallas, PA/Dallas Senior) put a single to left. Robbie Alessandrine (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) dropped a single inside the right field line to score Favia, and Lamberton loaded the bases after his sacrifice bunt attempt was booted. Christian Holland (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin) put a single to right to score a second run, and Chris Gaetano (Madison Township, PA/Scranton Preparatory) drew an eight-pitch bases loaded walk to tie the game.

Hofstra scored three just before that in the top of the inning to take the three-run lead. On a double steal, Kevin O'Connor came home when the ball was thrown into left field. David Leiderman then singled to left to score two more and give the Pride a 4-1 advantage.

MU got on the board first in the second when Clay Koniencki (Schwenksville, PA/Malvern Prep) walked and went to second on a ground out. Favia followed with a line shot to left that scored the game's first run. Hofstra answered in the sixth with a solo homer from Steven Foster to tie the game.

McCrum picked up his second win in a stellar relief outing, tossing three hitless innings with four strikeouts. Justin Andrews (Langhorne, PA/Neshaminy) was equally as good, allowing no runs on two hits in 2.2 innings and working out of a jam with runners at second and third and nobody out. He fanned five, and starter Joe Molettiere (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) threw six and allowed a run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Favia had three hits for Monmouth.

Foster and Leiderman each had multiple hits for Hofstra, with Leiderman driving in a pair and Foster scoring two. The Pride used 10 pitchers, and Zach Altieri took the loss after allowing the winning run.

Monmouth returns to action Friday at 1:00 p.m. for a doubleheader with UMass Lowell at the MU Baseball Field.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Robbie Alessandrine: SS; 5' 6"; Freshman

#35 Christian Holland: OF; 5' 11"; Freshman

#16 Cary Jacobson: C; 5' 9"; Freshman

#3 Justin Andrews: LHP; 5' 9"; Freshman

#22 Chris Gaetano: OF; 6' 3"; Freshman

#18 Grant Lamberton: IF; 6' 2"; Freshman

#6 Aidan Favia: IF; 5' 10"; Freshman

#26 Clay Koniencki: C; 6' 1"; Freshman

#33 Jordan McCrum: IF/P; 5' 10"; Freshman

#17 Joe Molettiere: P; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#2 Robbie Alessandrine
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: SS

#35 Christian Holland
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: OF

#16 Cary Jacobson
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: C

#3 Justin Andrews
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: LHP

#22 Chris Gaetano
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: OF

#18 Grant Lamberton
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: IF

#6 Aidan Favia
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: IF

#26 Clay Koniencki
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: C

#33 Jordan McCrum
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: IF/P

#17 Joe Molettiere
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: P