WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Anthony Ciavarella (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg) did not allow an earned run and fanned eight through seven innings, but the Monmouth baseball team (25-21, 15-6) fell in 10 innings to Iona on Sunday afternoon, 2-1.
Iona got two straight singles to open the 10th, but Chris Gaetano (Madison Township, PA/Scranton Preparatory) threw a strike from right field to eliminate Vinny DeMaria from going to third after the second base hit. Pinch runner Joe Budesa then moved from first to third on a wide pickoff throw, and scored the lead run with two down when Sean Breen lined a single over shortstop.
MU put runners on second and third in the 10th but could not score them and fell in the series finale, 2-1.
The Gaels got on the board first, scoring after two Monmouth errors. Breen singled to right and moved to second on a throwing error before scoring when Ciavarella threw away a bunt attempt towards first to make it 1-0 Gaels.
The Hawks battled back to tie in the fourth when Grant Lamberton (Newark, DE/Salesianum) lined a single to center leading off. Cary Jacobson (Los Angeles, CA/Palisades) moved him over with a successful sacrifice bunt, and with two down, Gaetano crushed a run-scoring single into center to even things at one apiece.
Ciavarella tossed seven strong innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. After stranding runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings, Ciavarella retired the final 10 Iona hitters he faced. Jordan McCrum (Dallas, PA/Dallas Senior) tossed two scoreless innings before allowing the winning run in the 10th to take his first loss. Lamberton had three of Monmouth's six hits on the afternoon.
Patrick Ryan started for Iona and lasted 4.2 innings, allowing a run on four hits with three strikeouts. A trio of relievers combined to toss six shutout innings, including four two-hit frames from Alex Fishberg to pick up his third win. Breen had two hits and the only RBI for the Gaels.
Monmouth hosts Stetson tomorrow, Monday May 9, in a non-conference matchup with first pitch slated for 12:00 p.m. in West Long Branch.
