WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth got a three-run home run from Shaine Hughes (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) and scored 10 runs, but were topped by Maine on Friday afternoon in West Long Branch, 15-10. The Black Bears used 21 hits to win in their second game of the day after falling to Sacred Heart earlier on.

Maine plated five runs in the opening inning, doing so with four hits in the frame. The Black Bears put together three straight run-scoring hits before a sacrifice fly and an error staked the visitors to a quick 5-0 advantage. The first two Hawks reached in the bottom of the first, and MU got right back in it as Hughes launched a three-run homer to right field, immediately trimming the deficit to 5-3.

Maine got two runs in the third, fourth and seventh innings, getting a Jonathan Bennett home run in the third and plated runs in the fourth on Kevin Doody's RBI single and a bases-loaded hit by pitch. In the seventh, Danny Casals homered the other way just over the outstretched glove of Pete Papcun (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) and Bennett dropped a run-scoring single into right to extend the lead to 11-3.

The Hawks fought back to get three in the seventh, with Hughes and Ryan Steckline (Newark, DE/Appoquinimink) singling in the inning in between three hit by pitches and a walk to cut the Maine advantage to 11-6. Maine responded in the top of the ninth with four to go up 15-6, including a three-run home run to right off the bat of Colin Ridley.

MU put four runs across with two outs in the ninth, with JP Walsh (Spring Brook Township, PA/North Pocono) drawing a bases loaded walk before Kyle Norman (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) socking a three-run double inside the third base bag to make it 15-10, the eventual final.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"We fell behind early, fought our way back and had some opportunities but we gave up way too many runs today. We were able to play a bunch of guys which is an encouraging thing and some guys had really good days when they got an opportunity. In that regard, I'm happy for those guys. They work hard in practice, they do the right things and somewhere down the road they will be rewarded better. I was happy they maximized their chances, now we have to bounce back and see how well we can go tomorrow." – Dean Ehehalt

-Monmouth used a season-high 18 position players in the game.
-MU walked seven times and were hit by seven pitches, a season high in HBP.
-Shaine Hughes was the only Hawk with multiple hits, including his fourth home run of the season, second on the team.
-Kyle Norman drove in three runs, his second highest output of the season.
-John Martin made his first career home start.
-Chris Hawryluk made his first appearance of the season on the mound.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Maine notched 21 hits in the game, scoring 15 times.
-Eddie Emerson earned his first save of the season with three relief innings.
-John Arel improved to a perfect 4-0 on the season.
-There were a combined 21 walks and hit by pitches in the game.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth will play a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at noon against Maine, and will play Sacred Heart immediately after.