SOUTH ORANGE, NJ – Monmouth scored three runs in each of the first three innings and totaled a season-high 16 hits in beating in-state foe Seton Hall on Wednesday afternoon, 10-3. Six Hawks had multiple hits in the game including three apiece for Shaine Hughes (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) and JP Walsh (Spring Brook Township, PA/North Pocono).

The first three Hawks all had hits to lead off the game, with Kyle Norman (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) singling home the first run of the afternoon. Later in the inning, Danny Long (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) brought one in with an infield single on a 3-2 offering and Walsh added a third on a fielder's choice.

After Seton Hall got on the board with a run in the home first, MU again plated three, all driven in by freshmen. Nick Campana (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown West) doubled to left center to score a pair before Matt Graber (Newton, MA/Dexter) tripled, scoring Campana to make it 6-1 Hawks.

In the third, Hughes doubled down the line to score two more before Norman drove him in on a ground ball to extend the advantage to 9-1. Walsh later added an RBI single in the fourth to cap Monmouth's scoring.

After James Kelly (Oceanport, NJ/Shore Regional) started and went four and allowed just the one run, Regan Dombroski (Manasquan, NJ/Wall) and Ryan Steckline (Newark, DE/Appoquinimink) combined to throw three shutout innings. Ryan Lillie (Ocean, NJ/Ocean Township/Rhode Island) allowed Seton Hall's final two runs but struck out a pair.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"It was great to see our bats come alive today. We came out of the blocks swinging and that allowed us to settle in. James Kelly threw the ball well and then Regan, Lillie and Steckline followed that with solid outings. Offensively we had a balanced attack and created a bunch of opportunities. Today was a nice way to finish a non-conference stretch of seven games in eight days." – Dean Ehehalt

-Monmouth's 16 hits are a season high.
-Six Hawks had multiple hits in the game.
-The first five hitters in the Monmouth order all had multiple hits.
-Eight of Monmouth's nine starters had a hit in the game.
-Monmouth has now won two in a row against the Pirates.
-MU won five of seven games in a non-conference stretch between league series'.
-JP Walsh put up his second three hit game in a week.
-Monmouth pitching only allowed one leadoff batter to reach in the game.
-Shaine Hughes posted his 12^th multi-hit game of the season, and third three-hit contest.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-MU outhit Seton Hall 16-7.
-The Hawks scored double-digit runs for the fifth time this season, and are 4-1 in those games.
-Dombroski used just 14 pitches for a clean fifth inning.
-Steckline needed just 22 pitches for a scoreless eighth and ninth.
-Danny Long ran his reached base streak to 12 games.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth opens a conference series at Niagara with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at noon.