WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth pitching did not allow an earned run as Ryan Steckline (Newark, DE/Appoquinimink) picked up his first career win, and Danny Long (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) came through with a two-run single in the sixth inning to give MU the lead for good in a 3-1 win over Penn Tuesday. Ryan Lillie (Ocean, NJ/Ocean/Rhode Island) fired two one-hit innings to earn his first save of the year.

After the Hawks loaded the bases in the second but could not score, Penn took the lead in the third. Christian Walton singled leading off and went to second on a ground out before Sean Phelan hit a ball to the right side that couldn't be handled, allowing Walton to score the unearned run.

The Blue and White got the run back in the fifth, when Kyle Norman (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) was hit by a pitch, went to second after a Shaine Hughes (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) walk and moved to third on a wild pitch. Pete Papcun (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) hit a ball in the hole at shortstop, and while Hughes was caught in a rundown, Norman scored to tie the game.

Nick Campana (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown West) walked and JP Walsh (Spring Brook Township, PA/North Pocono) lined a single to left with one away in the sixth before both moved up on a wild pitch. On a 3-2 offering with two down, Long lined a two-run single back up the middle to make it 3-1 Monmouth, the only runs MU pitching would need. Hawks pitching set down the final 12 Quakers and allowed just one baserunner in that time to nail down the win.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"The pitchers were great today. Tyler came out and right from the go was dominant in the strike zone, he filled it up and it was just what you need on a midweek day. It was good to see him bounce back… Steckline was solid in the middle and Lillie has been good all year. We're really confident with that group that we ran out there and we defended when we needed to." – Dean Ehehalt

"He had two strikes and two outs so there was a little pressure on him. That's the two-out, two-strike hit we were getting earlier in the year and we haven't been getting it lately. We manufactured a run early and scratched out some baserunners for Danny to get that opportunity and he hung in there and did a great job." – Ehehalt on Long's game-winning hit

-Ryan Steckline picked up his first career win on the mound with two perfect innings.
-MU pitching did not allow an earned run in the game.
-The one run allowed tied a season low (4/5 vs. Princeton) and is the second consecutive MU win the Hawks have given up just one run.
-The five hits allowed marks the fifth time Monmouth has held an opponent to five hits or less in a game.
-The Hawks are now 2-1 against the Ivy League this season.
-MU picks up its first non-conference home win of the year in its second opportunity.
-Ryan Lillie earned his first save of the season and second of his career with two one-hit innings.
-MU drew 10 free passes (seven walks, three hit by pitches)
-The game marked the first time MU won a game without an extra base hit since May 17, 2016 against Hofstra.
-Monmouth is now 4-1 all time against Penn and have won four straight.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Three different Hawks had a hit in the game.
-Tyler Ksiazek started and fired five innings without allowing an earned run, striking out two.
-MU was outhit by Penn 5-3.
-Cole Sichley took his fourth loss for the Quakers.
-Two Penn players combined for all five hits (McGeagh-3, Walton-2).
-Brandon Bean started and struck out five without allowing a run in three innings.
-Monmouth left nine runners to Penn's seven.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth hosts Columbia tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.