Baseball April 08, 2017 Monmouth Sports Information

KYLE AJJAN'S COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT PROPELS BASEBALL TO SPLIT AT SIENA

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LOUDONVILLE, NY- Monmouth sophomore Kyle Ajjan (Chester Springs, PA/Downingtown East) fired a complete game two-hit shutout to beat Siena in the nightcap, 11-0 with Chris Gaetano (Madison Township, PA/Scranton Preparatory) driving in five runs. Monmouth fell in the opener, 5-4.

Ajjan was brilliant in the second game, allowing just two hits and no runs to pick up the win. MU scored in five of seven innings, beginning with a two-run second off a Siena error. MU padded that lead with two more in the third on Gaetano's two-run double down the line, and broke it open with four runs in the fifth. Dan Shea (Wilmington, DE/Salesianum) knocked in two of those with a base hit, and Gaetano plated two more with a single to right center.

After scoring on an error in the sixth inning, MU concluded the offense with two runs in the seventh on a Brad Rhoads (West Chester, PA/West Chester East) RBI single and a Gaetano sacrifice fly. Ajjan allowed just one runner to reach second base in the outing.

MU dropped the opener 5-4, and fell behind immediately on Joe Drpich's three-run home run in the opening inning. JP Walsh's (Spring Brook Township, PA/North Pocono) infield single got a run back in the second, and Pete Papcun (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) doubled home a run to cut it to one in the fifth. Siena built the lead back to two in the bottom of the fifth, but Shaine Hughes (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) singled home two runs the opposite way to tie the game.

Siena's eventual winning run came in the sixth, a manufactured run that saw Jordan Bishop double home the lead tally. MU put runners on in the final three innings, including the tying run at third in the eighth, but could not score.

NOTES AND QUOTES
“Kyle Ajjan was real good today. He really competed well. Offensively we were able to score early, which I thought was very important, especially in the second game of a doubleheader.” – head coach Dean Ehehalt

“Our two out RBI's were huge today; getting Shea back allowed us to shape the lineup as well. I was real happy for Gaetano and his 5 RBI's; he provided us with a big lift.” – Coach Ehehalt

-The Hawks have now shutout two MAAC opponents.
-Chris Gaetano recorded the third five+ RBI game for a Hawk this year, with the other two belonging to Pete Papcun.
-Gaetano has now driven in multiple runs four times this year.
-Kyle Ajjan tossed a complete game two-hit shutout in the nightcap, striking out seven to earn his second win.
-JP Walsh recorded his first career two-hit game and drove in his second career run.
-Eight of nine Hawks in the starting lineup in game two either scored a run or had a hit after all nine accomplished that in the first game.
-Dan Shea had two hits in each game in his first game back from injury.
-MU has at least split all three MAAC doubleheaders to this point.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Jordan McCrum allowed five runs on 11 hits through 5.1 innings in game one, taking the loss.
-Ben Hoffman fired 2.2 shutout innings in the opener, fanning two.
-Shaine Hughes had six hits on the day, three in each game of the doubleheader.
-MU outhit Siena 26-16 on the day in both games.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth wraps up the weekend set with Siena tomorrow at 12:00 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#42 Kyle Ajjan: LHP; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#22 Chris Gaetano: OF; 6' 2"; Senior

#27 Ben Hoffman: RHP; 6' 1"; Senior

#37 Shaine Hughes: IF; 6' 0"; Senior

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

#19 Pete Papcun: IF/OF; 6' 2"; Junior

#8 Brad Rhoads: IF/OF; 5' 10"; Senior

#25 Dan Shea: OF; 6' 2"; Senior

#4 JP Walsh: OF; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#42 Kyle Ajjan
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: LHP

#22 Chris Gaetano
: 6' 2"; Senior
: OF

#27 Ben Hoffman
: 6' 1"; Senior
: RHP

#37 Shaine Hughes
: 6' 0"; Senior
: IF

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

#19 Pete Papcun
: 6' 2"; Junior
: IF/OF

#8 Brad Rhoads
: 5' 10"; Senior
: IF/OF

#25 Dan Shea
: 6' 2"; Senior
: OF

#4 JP Walsh
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: OF