NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Monmouth came back twice in the final four innings to complete a three-game sweep at Niagara Sunday, topping the Purple Eagles 8-7. Zach Schild's (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) RBI single in the ninth proved to be the difference after Danny Long (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) hit a two-run home run in the eighth to tie the game.

Down 7-5 entering the eighth, Max Goione (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven/Siena) got aboard with an infield single with two outs before Long hit his second home run of the season to get the Hawks even. In the ninth, JD Andreessen (Depew, NY/Lancaster/Campbell) doubled with one down before Schild singled him in to make it 8-7. Ryan Lillie (Ocean, NJ/Ocean Township/Rhode Island) worked his second consecutive scoreless inning with a 1-2-3 ninth to lock down the win and the series sweep for the Blue and White.

It was a pitcher's duel through five innings, with Niagara leading 1-0 on Julian Gallup's leadoff home run in the first inning. The Purple Eagles extended the lead to 3-0 in the sixth with Greg Cullen singling home a run and Trevor McCauley lifting a sacrifice fly.

The Hawks immediately responded in the seventh to score five times and take a 5-3 lead. John LaRocca (Plainview, NY/St. Dominic) drove in the first run with a base hit, and Clay Koniencki (Schwenksville, PA/Malvern Prep) pinch hit and singled home the second. Kyle Norman (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) continued his solid weekend with a two-run single to give MU its first lead, and Andreessen added a fifth run on a fielder's choice.

Niagara came back in the home seventh to score four times and take the 7-5 lead, totaling four hits in the inning to jump on top before the Hawks mounted their late comeback to win 8-7.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"What a great way to end the weekend. I am really proud of how our kids competed today. It was a real battle. We were able to get a spark from several guys after falling behind 3-0, and JP Walsh made a great play to end the sixth and it energized us.  We did a great job putting up five in the seventh, with Clay delivering a spark off the bench before Norman delivered the two strike hit. We put together good at-bats and had good execution in that inning which created some momentum. We battled all day and showed a bunch of fight.  Really happy for our guys and proud of our team.  The guys are starting to figure some things out for sure. We played well under pressure and we were excellent in crunch time with two strikes." – Dean Ehehalt on the win and the weekend
 
"Max Goione got us started with two out and two strikes in the eighth and then Danny put together a great at bat and crushed one. He gave us a spark this weekend moving to the leadoff spot. JD put a great at bat together and Zach battled to dump the RBI single into center. Ryan Lillie was so composed and finished it off for us." – Ehehalt on the eighth and ninth innings
 
"The guy that was an unsung hero was JP Walsh. His defense all weekend was outstanding and in the ninth today he made an unbelievable play in the gap." – Ehehalt on the MU sophomore OF

-Monmouth posts its first weekend sweep of the season.
-MU swept its first MAAC series since topping Quinnipiac to open league play in 2017.
-14 of the games 15 runs were scored in the bottom of the sixth or later.
-MU scored in its final three at bats, totaling all eight runs.
-Ryan Lillie picked up his first win of the season and second of his career.
-Johnny Zega posted his third multi-hit game of the year, all of which have come in the last five games.
-JD Andreessen put up his fourth multi-hit game of the season, three of which have come in the last five games.
-Four different Hawks have reached base in at least 10 straight games (Norman, Long, Zega, Andreessen).

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-MU is now at .500 in MAAC play at 6-6.
-Ryan Lillie fired two shutout, hitless innings, facing just one batter over the minimum and needing just 21 pitches.
-Dan Klepchick's two walks equaled his total of batters walked in his previous four starts combined.
-Gallup led Niagara with three hits and two RBI's.
-MU outhit Niagara 11-8.
-Ben Erwin took his second loss for Niagara.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth takes on Manhattan next Saturday at 12:00 p.m. in a doubleheader.